Allergies need to become a medical discipline in Hong Kong
Allergies are becoming more common in Hong Kong but a shortage of trained specialists is hampering treatment for sufferers, writes Richard Lord
Allergy incidence in Hong Kong is somewhere in the middle of the international league table. But unlike most established urban centres, in Hong Kong it appears to be rising - something the city's medical services might increasingly struggle to cope with, given that there's no formal medical training for allergy specialists here.
Allergies affect up to 40 per cent of people globally, according to the World Health Organisation, and the rate is on the rise, particularly in industrialised nations. They occur when the body mistakes a normally benign substance for a toxic one, triggering the release of an antibody called immunoglobulin which affects white blood cells, provoking an inflammatory response.
Usually, that response is just uncomfortable. The most common is allergic rhinitis, which causes sneezing and a runny nose. Other unpleasant possibilities include allergic asthma, causing wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath; blocked and painful ears; eczema and hives; and stomach ache, bloating, vomiting and diarrhoea.
But allergies can also be dangerous - even fatal. With so-called anaphylaxis, inflammation is so rapid that it can become difficult to breathe, and can also result in dangerous drops in blood pressure and heart attacks.
There are many potential allergens. Among the most common is foodstuffs; in particular, nuts, seeds, milk, eggs, soy and shellfish. Commonly self-diagnosed food intolerances such as lactose and gluten aren't in fact allergies, and involve different physical responses to the unwanted substance.
Other top allergy offenders include pollen; insect stings; animal dander; house dust mites; medications, especially aspirin and antibiotics; and substances that come into contact with skin, such as latex, metals (mainly gold, cobalt, nickel and chromium), mould, perfume, formaldehyde and semen. Some exceptionally unlucky people are allergic to water. Naturally, symptoms vary by allergen. Plant pollens cause you to sneeze, and food allergies cause all manner of unpleasant gastrointestinal effects.