Sinusitis On the Rise in Jakarta
Steven L.
Nurfika Osman
More Sinusitis Sufferers Seen As a Result of City Pollutants
With all the dust and other big city pollutants assaulting our nasal
passages around the clock, it�s little wonder sinusitis is becoming an
issue in Jakarta, one with potentially fatal consequences if not treated.
Dr. Budi, an ear, nose and throat specialist at Gatot Subroto Army
Hospital in Central Jakarta, said that 30 percent of adults in the
country had sinus problems due to dust allergies, and that the figure
stood at 40 percent among children because their immune systems were
still vulnerable.
�The chances of acquiring sinusitis is higher in large metropolitan
areas like Jakarta, and as the exposure to pollution increases so too
does the number of sinusitis sufferers,� Budi said.
Sinusitis is an infection or inflammation of the nose, which causes
flu-like symptoms � often with a thick purulent, nasal discharge � later
developing into facial pain, dizziness and headaches.
Budi, speaking during a discussion on sinusitis at a local radio station
in Jakarta on Tuesday, said the problem could be cured by several kinds
of antibiotics and anti-allergy medicines to fight the reactions to dust.
�Sinusitis in its early stages is still curable,� he said. �Antibiotics
and drugs to fight allergies are the most common approaches to curing or
controlling sinusitis.�
However, Budi said that left untreated, the condition would require
surgery, an option many Indonesians are reluctant to undertake.
�If we [doctors] find that the nasal cavity is too narrow, surgery
becomes necessary to alleviate the patient�s suffering,� he said. �In
untreated advanced cases, meningitis could follow with fatal consequences.�
Sinusitis can be caused by allergies to dust, ragweed, animal hair,
smoke and other pollutants, or by bacterial and viral infections. People
sometimes do not realize the are suffering from sinusitis because the
problem may have started as a common cold.
�About 90 percent of sufferers don�t realize that they have sinusitis,�
he said, adding that they usually turn to over-the-counter flu
medicines, which bring little or no relief.
�If you suffer a cold for more than five days, please make an
appointment with your doctor as you may have sinusitis,� Budi said.
Even if the sinusitis is properly treated or the patient undergoes
surgery for the problem, continued care is needed to prevent a
reoccurrence. In some cases, especially where an allergy is involved,
regular use of anti-allergy drugs may be necessary.
�A healthy lifestyle, a nutritious diet, regular physical exercise and
not smoking will strengthen the immune system and resistance to
sinusitis,� Budi said, adding that wearing masks was recommended for
those working outdoors in the city.
http://thejakartaglobe.com/news/more-sinusitis-sufferers-seen-as-a-result-of-city-pollutants/319407
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Steven L.
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