Improved living standards are the cause of allergy in Armenia, says physician

The number of cases when people contracted allergies has been on the increase in the recent years due to an improvement of living conditions in the country, a doctor has said.

Speaking at a news conference today, Astghik Baghdasaryan said: “If we base on the hygiene hypothesis, then the increase in allergy is related to improved living standards.”

According to that hypothesis, the children, generally in rural areas, playing a lot with sand, soil, are less exposed to allergy, while in urban areas this is just the vice versa.

“However, scientists propose various theses, therefore it is not finally known,” said she.

Baghdasaryan’s advice to mothers of newborns is to breastfeed them at least for six month in an attempt to prevent any kind of allergies.

Further, she denied a widespread viewpoint that citrus fruit are a cause for allergy, adding that an allergy should not be confused with itching.

Allergies are expressed by sneezing, a feeling of itch inside the nose and tear-production and are generally becoming acute in autumn and spring.