Bengaluru doctors seeing fewer weather-associated ailments this time

BENGALURU: Chilly weather is known to aggravate itchy skin, psoriasis, eczema and pneumonia, but these cases are not being seen much this year, as per city doctors.
Although there have been some persisting ailments, the doctors have seen a slowdown in traditional winter disorders.
One hospital official said they would see 30-40 adult patients with pneumonia a month during previous winters, but this time the number is down 20-30%. While pneumonia in children during winter is a common condition, not too many such cases are seeing hospital admissions this time, the official added.
Dr Lakshmi V, MD, DNB (respiratory medicine), Belenus Champion Hospital, said lower respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis have not increased as much as upper respiratory tract infections this winter. "URT infection, characterised by cough, sore throat and cold, takes longer for recovery," she said.
Dermatologists are also seeing a reduction in cases of itching and irritation in the skin. Dr Jaya Sharma, consultant dermatologist, Specialist Hospital, said this could also be because people are more diet conscious after Covid-19, getting the right amount of nutrients during work from home, and engaging in outdoor activities during vacations after two Covid-hit years.
The winter vacation has also helped them reduce stress levels which would otherwise aggravate skin conditions like psoriasis, she added.
Dr Uday Kumar Sonnappa, consultant dermatologist, Belanus Champion Hospital, said hand, foot, and mouth disease in children, which was detected in 2022 and was not reducing, is now falling in numbers.
He said one of the factors is winter vacation, which has reduced the spread among schoolkids as it also spreads through droplets.