Q: My 22 years old son is suffering from severe cold, running nose, throat itching and fever. He has consulted 2 different MD specialists and both are giving different medicines and but the problem is still persist. He is a software engineer and has to work 12 to 14 hours in AC at his office. The blood test shows absolute eosinophil count as 640 cells/cumm last year, which has come down to 350 cells/cumm when tested again 2 months back. The medicines prescribed by first MD doctor after blood test are Allegra 120 mg, vitamin C tab, Cerin 500 mg, Syrup Ambrotyte 2 tablespoon and Nasivion - a nasal solution to use during night if it is difficult to breath. The second doctor gave Benocide Forte, Zifi 200 mg twice daily and Monachk LBHe. The first doctor said that he should not use antibiotic for this purpose, it is very harmful. But the second doctor said that if you do not take antibiotics, you will not be cured. He has tried both the medicines, which gave him relief for 5 to 6 days only and the same problem continues again. Please advise how can his severe cold, running nose, night breathing problem be treated?

A:You have to first understand that the problem lies with the exposure to cold air in the room where he is working and his body is responding to it abnormally. The secretions from the nose increase due to exposure, then it leads to sneezing and then when the secretions become thick and sticky, maybe cough and even infection. So the first thing he has to do is to avoid cold air. This is very important. He has to devise his own method to avoid this exposure, maybe change direction of the desk, change the settings of the AC etc. Secondly after he has settled down little after this, you can ask him to continue with an anti-allergic for 2 weeks and then stop it. he can add a local steroid spray (very safe) for some time and then stop it after he becomes stable.