New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) Avoid smoke, stay indoors and increase medication in case of breathlessness during Diwali - are tips from experts to people suffering from respiratory diseases.
According to doctors, the level of suspended particles in the air increases alarmingly during Diwali, causing breathing, eye, throat and nose problems.

“The pollution level shoots up due to lighting of crackers during Diwali and people with respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchitis, and those having hypersensitive airways need to be very careful,” said R.K. Mani, director Pulmonology department, Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon.

Mani said the level of suspended particles in the atmosphere has been increasing since Dusshera last month and people are already complaining of breathlessness.

“Several asthmatic patients have approached us with problem of breathlessness and it will worsen in the next two days. Allergic bronchitis, acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, allergic rhinitis, laryngitis, sinusitis, pneumonia and common cold increase during this time,” he said.

Randeep Guleria, head of medicine in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here, says that people with breathing diseases, old people and young children should be given extra care as they are more prone to getting infection.

“People with breathing diseases should stay indoor to avoid inhaling smoke from outside. People suffering from asthma can increase medication and should immediately approach the doctors if the problem aggravates,” said Guleria.

All the doctors have a common advice that people should avoid crackers or restrict the quantity they light.

“People should avoid crackers during Diwali as they are not good for the environment and their health. It is not just air but sound pollution that increases during Diwali,” said N.K. Pandey, general surgeon and chairman Asian Institute of Medical Science.