1
|
Prasad V, Abdullah M, Nordin F, Subha ST. Prevalence, causes and treatments of allergic rhinitis in Malaysia: a literature review. THE EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF OTOLARYNGOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1186/s43163-022-00361-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
AbstractRecently, allergic rhinitis (AR) cases have been surging rapidly in many developing countries. However, the prevalence, risk factors and treatment modalities for AR within the Malaysian population have not been thoroughly evaluated. The present study aimed to provide a complete review of literature on allergic rhinitis in Malaysia. Available data indicated that the prevalence of AR varied across different age groups and regions in Malaysia, but there is an increasing trend among the younger population. The key contributing factor is exposure and sensitization towards several airborne allergens, mainly house dust mites, cat fur and fungi, with possible genetic predispositions. In addition, variations in the symptom severity may be associated with racial orientations. For management of the disease, standard prescriptions of conventional drugs (antihistamines, intranasal corticosteroids and nasal decongestants) remain as the treatment of choice. A small proportion of the native residents tend to resort to alternative approaches of self-healing through aromatherapy and natural food consumption such as tiger’s milk mushroom and Tualang honey. In conclusion, the increase in the cases of AR in Malaysia is due to environmental and genetic factors which requires proper medical intervention as treatment strategies. The utilization of holistic approaches requires further studies and clear understanding prior to their integration into the standard of care. There are still many gaps in the knowledge and management of allergic rhinitis which demands further attention from the research community.
Collapse
|
2
|
Hamdan NKA, Lean QY, Neoh CF, Abdullah AH, Lim SM, Ramasamy K, Al-Worafi YM, Goh KW, Goh HP, Ming LC, Lua PL. Knowledge and Perception of Facial Candling for Allergic Rhinitis among University Staff and Students. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2020; 2020:5713134. [PMID: 32831870 PMCID: PMC7422475 DOI: 10.1155/2020/5713134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Facial candling is a traditional method used for relieving symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR). This study aims to investigate the knowledge and perception of facial candling in a sample of staff and students in a public university in Malaysia. METHODS An online questionnaire survey method was used. Based on sample size calculation, a total of 1,508 UiTM staff and students from ten selected campuses of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) were invited to participate in this survey. An up-to-date e-mail list of staff in the selected campuses was used as the sampling frame for the study, whereas the students were recruited from the official university student Facebook portal. RESULTS A total of 788 respondents participated in this survey, 72.2% of them knew about facial candling, though only 35.4% had tried the treatment. Approximately one-fifth of respondents agreed that facial candling might treat AR. It was found that a higher number of users than nonusers agreed that facial candling was a traditional medicine (78.9% vs 55.0%); could be used on the face and ears (83.5% vs 45.4%); and could be self-administered at home (83.5 vs 45.4%). Interestingly, more than half of them were uncertain about its long-term effects and adverse reactions. CONCLUSION This study confirms the facial candling use among patients with AR although the percentage is low. The patients and general public need to be better informed about the use of facial candling in AR and its associated risks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nurul Khaleeda Athiraah Hamdan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Selangor, Kampus Puncak Alam, Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Qi Ying Lean
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Pulau Pinang, Bertam Campus, Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
- Vector-borne Diseases Research Group (VERDI), Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences CoRe, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Chin Fen Neoh
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Selangor, Kampus Puncak Alam, Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
- Collaborative Drug Discovery Research (CDDR) Group, Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Community of Research, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Amir Heberd Abdullah
- Vector-borne Diseases Research Group (VERDI), Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences CoRe, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Bertam Campus, Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Siong Meng Lim
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Selangor, Kampus Puncak Alam, Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
- Collaborative Drug Discovery Research (CDDR) Group, Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Community of Research, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Kalavathy Ramasamy
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Selangor, Kampus Puncak Alam, Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
- Collaborative Drug Discovery Research (CDDR) Group, Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Community of Research, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yaser Mohammed Al-Worafi
- College of Pharmacy, University of Science and Technology, Sana'a, Yemen
- College of Pharmacy, University of Science and Technology Faujairah, Fujairah, UAE
| | - Khang Wen Goh
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Quest International University Perak, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
| | - Hui Poh Goh
- PAP Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam
| | - Long Chiau Ming
- PAP Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam
| | - Pei Lin Lua
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Besut, Terengganu, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|