Asthma and Allergy

Newly discovered taste buds hold cure for asthma

2011-02-17T02:15:00.000-08:00

Scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine recently stumbled upon a most unexpected discovery. Taste buds, previously thought to only exist in the mouth, are in fact also present within the lungs. Accidentally uncovered during an unrelated study of human muscle lung receptors, the lung taste buds were also found to play a crucial role in regulating airway contraction and dilation.

While individually identical to their counterparts in the mouth, the taste buds were found to have a few key differences. Most notably, only non-clustered bitter taste receptors were present. Sweet, salty, sour, and savory tastes showed no recognition in the region. The lung taste buds also had no feedback loop to the brain; hence, they lack the ability to create conscious perception of taste.

The implications of this discovery go far beyond rewriting an underlying assumption of physiology. While lacking a neurological pathway with the brain, these taste receptors directly affect the lungs in a spectacular fashion. Specifically, when exposed to bitter substances, the taste receptors consistently triggered strong airway dilations.

After surmounting their initial skepticism, the researchers quickly recognized the clinical possibilities. Asthma and many other debilitating respiratory conditions afflict their victim through progressive lung airway contraction. Conventional treatment in turn focuses upon drugs to dilate them.

To quote head researcher Professor Liggett:

It turns out that the bitter compounds worked the opposite way from what we thought. They all opened the airway more profoundly than any known drug that we have for treatment of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Interestingly, these results suggest an empirical validation for Traditional Chinese Medical Theory. According to Five Element Theory, many different systems can be divided into constituent parts corresponding to each of the five elements. This pattern holds true for each internal organ and taste. The lungs correspond to the Metal element, while bitter represents the Fire element.

According to Five Element Theory each element has the ability to control another element. Fire for instance metaphorically controls metal through melting it, a concept regularly utilized by acupuncturists in clinical practice for treating the Lungs. This is an interesting parallel to the findings of Professor Liggett's team.

The natural bitter substances tested were non-toxic, unlike their current pharmaceutical counterparts. This research has opened many exciting new avenues for natural medicine.

Sources:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...

http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v1...

http://acupuncturetoday.com/abc/fiv...
The practice of Chinese Medicine: The Treatment of Diseases with Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs by Giovanni Mascocia

Allergies and Asthma linked to antibacterial products

2011-02-17T02:10:00.000-08:00

Antibacterial products containing Triclosan are found to put your health at risk and compromise the immune system's ability to defend itself. People who are most exposed to Triclosan are more prone to increased allergies, asthma and overall weakened immune defenses, cites a new study from the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan.

Triclosan is in the same class of toxins as Bisphenol A (BPA). They are called endocrine-disrupting compounds or EDCs because of their ability to affect the functions of hormones or even worse mirror them. Triclosan is a synthetic antimicrobial agent present in hundreds of products ranging from toothpaste, deodorants, lotions, soaps, and even plastics and fabrics. This study indicates that participants ages 18 or younger with higher levels of Triclosan had increased chances of allergies and asthma. Associate professor and principal investigator Allison Aiello stated that living in very clean and hygienic environments is counter-beneficial to our health as it prevents the exposure to micro-organisms that trigger the immune system into action; consequently, the latter is not given a chance to kick in.

In recent years, several studies have shown strong evidence linking Triclosan to a variety of immunotoxic and neurotoxic reactions ranging from skin irritations and increased allergic reactions to a marked hypothermic effect on the body; they lower the body's temperature and affect the central nervous system - typical of hypothyroidism in which the most common condition is autoimmune thyroiditis (or Hashimoto's thyroiditis), caused by a weakened immune system.
One particular study, also from the University of Michigan, found antibacterial soap to be no more effective than plain soap at preventing disease and reducing the number of bacteria on the hands. More importantly, the study also found evidence that Triclosan increases drug resistance to antibiotics among different species of bacteria, thus promoting the emergence of antibiotic-resistant generations of bacteria.

Triclosan was introduced into the health care industry in 1972 and over the last 38 years, its use has increased dramatically. Triclosan, a lipophilic agent, poses health concerns with its ability to accumulate in fatty tissues in high quantities. It has also been found to contain dioxin, a family of carcinogenic compounds ranging in toxicity. Dioxins are linked to causing severe health problems such as miscarriages, birth defects, altering sex hormones and even cancer. It is important to note that when exposed to sunlight or ultraviolet light, Triclosan converts to dioxin. Additionally, Triclosan, on its own, poses a threat to the ecosystem and is deadly to various types of algae, not to mention that because of its lipophilic properties, it accumulates in fatty tissues of fish and other organisms.

A number of European governments (Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Germany) have issued warnings advising the public to discontinue antibacterial product uses: calling their use "superfluous and risky". In the US, both the EPA and the FDA have made little effort in advising the public about the risks of Triclosan. On its website, the FDA cites lack of evidence regarding the health and environmental hazards of the chemical. The EPA has rescheduled the re-registration of Triclosan; this moves it up ten years ahead of its previous schedule to 2013. Both the EPA and FDA have also announced that Triclosan is undergoing review and results of their study are expected in the spring of 2011.

Sources:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/release...

http://www.suite101.com/content/fda...

http://www.endocrineweb.com/conditi...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...

What is the difference between COPD and asthma?

2011-02-17T01:59:00.000-08:00

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, may have many similarities as far as symptoms are concerned, but they are very different conditions in terms of onset and reversibility.

What is COPD?

COPD is a term that refers to two respiratory diseases: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. As one of the leading causes of death in the United States, COPD affects millions annually. COPD is a slow, progressive disease which is characterized by airways becoming inflamed and filling with mucus. This inflammation causes less oxygen to be able to move in and out of the lungs. Sufferers often fail to recognize the symptoms until it is too late to manage them effectively. Heavy smokers often don’t have detectable symptoms until they are in their 40’s. The early warning signs include shortness of breath after minimal exertion, increased mucus production and chronic cough. As damage continues to occur with ongoing tobacco use, the lungs slowly lose their ability to efficiently utilize oxygen. In addition, the lungs become less capable of removing carbon dioxide, the toxic by-product of respiration.

Treatment of COPD

One essential treatment goal for slowing the decline of lung function in COPD patients is, of course, the discontinuation of tobacco use. Aside from this, other treatment objectives include relieving symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath.

What is Asthma?

Asthma differs from COPD in that the onset usually occurs during adolescence and may have a genetic component. As with COPD, asthma is a condition characterized by restricted and swollen airways which fill with mucus, making it hard to breath. Asthma, however, is often triggered by allergies, and damage to the lungs can often be reversed or managed successfully with medication.

Treatment for Asthma

Some of the same medications may be used to treat both COPD and asthma, but the treatment goals are somewhat different. The objective for asthma patients is to be as close to symptom free as possible. In many cases, asthma patients can achieve near normal lung function. Inhaled steroids, short-acting bronchodialators, and long-acting beta agonists are some of the protocols currently used to treat asthma.

Asthma and COPD are both marked by airway constriction and swelling which make breathing difficult. In addition, both conditions produce some of the same symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, congestion and shortness of breath. The major difference between asthma and COPD is that the latter is almost always brought about by heavy tobacco use or prolonged exposure to toxic second-hand smoke, whereas, the onset of asthma usually occurs in childhood and is either related to genetics or may be allergy induced. Another difference is that COPD causes irreversible lung damage, and the decline in lung function can only be slowed down by treatment, but lung damage caused by asthma can be reversed in many cases and asthma patients often live their lives free of asthma symptoms.

Ruiz, Linda. "The Differences Between COPD and Asthma." 29 January 2011 www.spiriva.com/resources/pdf/hcp/Asthma_COPD.pdf.

Herbal Remedy Users Have Worse Asthma

2011-02-17T01:45:00.000-08:00

Inner-city asthma sufferers who take herbal remedies tend to have worse symptoms and to use their inhalers less, researchers find.

Do these patients rely too much on unproven herbal remedies? Or are they turning to alternative treatments because they aren't getting enough relief from their medications?

That's not yet clear. What is clear is that doctors treating asthma patients should ask about their use of herbal remedies -- particularly if their asthma isn't under control.

"Although complementary/alternative medicine may be acceptable for some patients with preferences for using these products, it needs to be used in conjunction with prescribed [inhalers]," note researchers Angkana Roy, MD, of New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and colleagues.

A recent study found that as many as four in five adults with asthma report having used complementary or alternative medicines. Roy and colleagues wondered whether patients were using these products in place of inhalers, which are considered essential to asthma control.

To explore the issue, the researchers surveyed patients with persistent asthma being treated at outpatient clinics in East Harlem, New York City; and in New Brunswick, N.J.

They asked 326 adult patients, "Sometimes people use home remedies, such as teas, rubs, and herbs for asthma. In the past six months, have you used any of these remedies?"

They also rated how well patients had their asthma under control and gave them questionnaires on their knowledge and beliefs about asthma.

They found that the 25% of patients who used herbal remedies were actually better informed about the lung inflammation at the heart of asthma than those who did not use the remedies. Herb users were more likely to be worried about the side effects of their inhalers, and had more trouble following their medication schedule.

That last finding, Roy and colleagues say, may suggest a reason why herbal remedy users used their inhalers less than they were supposed to. It could explain why they had worse disease than those who did not use the remedies.

On the other hand, they note, "Increased severity of illness may lead patients to use herbal remedies as a last resort when conventional therapy is not working."

Whether or not either of these explanations is true, the researchers advise health care workers to have a non-judgmental conversation about strategies to improve patients' asthma control.

The Roy study appears in the February issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Asthma Symptoms in Children Associated with Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy

2011-02-17T01:33:00.000-08:00

Children whose mother's took acetaminophen while pregnant are more likely to have persistent symptoms of asthma at age five according to a new study by researchers at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health. The study was conducted in 300 African-American and Dominican Republic children living in New York City and builds on previous studies of pre- and post-natal acetaminophen use.

The study found that the relationship was stronger in a subset of children with a variant gene for the enzyme glutathione S transferase. The enzyme is involved in the detoxification of foreign substances in the body and the variant form is commonly found in African-American and Hispanic populations. This result suggests that less efficient detoxification may be the link between acetaminophen and asthma.

The researchers found that 34 percent of the mothers reported using acetaminophen during pregnancy and 27 percent of the children experienced wheezing, a symptom of asthma. These children were more likely to wheeze, visit an emergency room for respiratory problems, and develop allergic symptoms than children whose mothers did not take the common analgesic. The effects diminished as the children aged from 40 percent at one-year to 27 percent at 5 years of age. A similar study in the United Kingdom found similar results.

Acetaminophen use among children in the U.S. has increased dramatically since the early 1980's possibly in part due to the discovery of the association between aspirin use and Reye’s syndrome in children. This rise coincides with the increase of asthma diagnoses. The findings in the current study provide a possible explanation for the rise in asthma especially in minority populations, and suggest caution for the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy.

Citation: Perzanowski MS, Miller RL, Tang D, Ali D, Garfinkel RS, Chew GL, Goldstein IF, Perera FP, Barr RG. Prenatal acetaminophen exposure and risk of wheeze at age 5 years in an urban low-income cohort. Thorax. 2010 Feb;65(2):118-23.

Homeopathic - Aspidosperma for Asthma

2011-01-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for relief from your asthma or emphysema symptoms, homeopathy has an alternative to conventional drugs. The Aspidosperma tincture, along with successful diagnosis of your condition, can provide you with a natural, long term cure.

Origins of Aspidosperma:

The common name for Aspidosperma is white quebracho. The quebracho tree is native to the tropical regions of South America. It is especially identified with the Gran Chaco region of Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia. The tree belongs to the family Apocynaceae. Its genus is schinopsis.

The bark of the white quebracho yields a substance that is used for treating asthma symptoms. Homeopathic medicine derives its Aspidosperma tincture from the bark of the white quebracho tree.

Pulmonary Diseases:

One of the main characteristics of the Aspidosperma remedy is its use in treating breathing disorders and symptoms of emphysema. The homoeopathic bronchodilator treats many related diseases such as asthma.

Aspidosperma stimulates respiratory centers, increases oxygen absorption and removes carbonic acid build up in body tissues. Because it is a bronchodilator, it relieves pulmonary stenosis (abnormal narrowing of breathing passages). It is used in treating pulmonary thrombosis, which is the formation of blood clots in the arteries of the lungs. It is also useful to treat coughs and dyspnea (breathing difficulties often caused by heart or lung disease and fevers).

It is an effective remedy in many cases of asthma and when there is a "want of breath" during physical exertion. Cardiac asthma is a guiding symptom that can be treated with this remedy.

Allergies:

Aspidosperma may be an effective antidote for treating adverse effects of allergies, such as allergic reactions to penicillin that may cause wheezing and pseudo-asthmatic attacks.

Depending on a patient's constitution and detailed health history, Aspidosperma may be affective in relieving other allergic conditions by triggering the immune system's natural ability to counteract the effects of the foreign allergens.

Other Conditions:

In addition to effectively treating cardiac asthma, Aspidosperma also treats renal (kidney) and cardiac edema, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and weaknesses of the thick muscular wall of the heart.

When the heart's mitral valve narrows due to disease, this remedy will act as a dilator, opening the valves again.

The remedy can also treat fatty degeneration of the heart, a condition that occurs when the heart become covered with fat between its membrane and muscle.

Aspidosperma is also a cardiac depressant that reduces the action of the heart, giving tone and regularity to its contractions, with an intermediate effect on the nervous system.

Using Aspidosperma:

The homeopathic form of Aspidosperma tincture is taken orally, and does not pose the same overdose concerns as the herbal form (white quebracho) because the homeopathic form goes through several stages of dilution. The remedy will only stimulate the body's own curative response; the tincture does not act directly on the ailment. Nevertheless, as with any serious condition or disease, consult an experienced, professional homeopathic practitioner in order to achieve optimal healing and relief of symptoms.

With homeopathy, the skill is in selecting the correct remedy or remedies for the individual based on a complete case analysis. While Aspidosperma may be a beneficial remedy for many conditions, an experienced professional can properly identify the correct remedy and dosage for your particular condition.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/about_5472105_homeopathic-remedies-aspidosperma.html

Inhaled Corticosteroids increase Diabetes Mellitus Risk

2010-12-29T04:33:00.000-08:00

Inhaled corticosteroids are widely used in the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, these drugs may be associated with diabetes development and progression. In a study published in the most recent issue of The American Journal of Medicine, researchers found that inhaled corticosteroids were associated with a 34% increase in the rate of diabetes onset and in the rate of diabetes progression. At the highest inhaled doses the risk increased by 64% in diabetes onset and 54% in diabetes progression.

Although inhaled corticosteroids are recommended only for patients with the most severe COPD, current practice has led to their use in less severe cases. In fact, over 70% of all patients with COPD are using inhaled corticosteroids. Since COPD and diabetes tend to increase with age, it is particularly important to assess any possible interaction between inhaled corticosteroid use and deterioration in glycemic control.

Investigators from McGill University and the Lady Davis Institute of the Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, used data from over 380,000 patients treated for respiratory diseases identified in the Quebec health insurance databases. 30,167 patients developed diabetes during 5 ½ years of follow-up and another 2099 who progressed from oral hypoglycemic treatment to insulin.

Lead investigator Samy Suissa, PhD, Center for Clinical Epidemiology, Lady Davis Research Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Medicine, McGill University, observed that "high doses of inhaled corticosteroids commonly used in patients with COPD are associated with an increase in the risk of requiring treatment for diabetes and of having to intensify therapy to include insulin. Therefore, patients instituting therapy with high doses of inhaled corticosteroids should be assessed for possible hyperglycemia and treatment with high doses of inhaled corticosteroids limited to situations where the benefit is clear."

This large cohort allowed the accurate estimation of relative risk. There have been other major randomized trials that have not shown a significant association of inhaled corticosteroids and diabetes onset. In this study, the authors found an incidence of diabetes onset of 14.2 per 1000 patients per year. At that rate, previous studies may not have had sufficient data to detect the excess risk. "These are not insubstantial numbers," commented Dr. Suissa. "Over a large population the absolute numbers of affected people are significant."

More information: The article is "Inhaled Corticosteroids and the Risks of Diabetes Onset and Progression" by Samy Suissa, PhD, Abbas Kezouh, PhD, Pierre Ernst, MD, MSc. It appears in The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 123, Issue 11 (November 2010) published by Elsevier.

Nasal Congestion can mean Severe Asthma

2010-12-29T04:24:00.000-08:00

Nasal congestion can be a sign of severe asthma, which means that healthcare professionals should be extra vigilant when it comes to nasal complaints. Furthermore, more severe asthma appears to be more common than previously thought, reveals a study from the Sahlgrenska Academy's Krefting Research Centre.

Published in the online scientific journal Respiratory Research, the population study included 30,000 randomly selected participants from the west of Sweden and asked questions about different aspects of health.

"This is the first time that the prevalence of severe asthma has been estimated in a population study, documenting that approximately 2% of the population in the West Sweden is showing signs of severe asthma," says Jan Lötvall, one of the authors of the study and professor at the Sahlgrenska Academy's Krefting Research Centre. "This argues that more severe forms of asthma are far more common than previously believed, and that healthcare professionals should pay extra attention to patients with such symptoms.

"We also found that more pronounced nasal symptoms, such as chronic rhinosinusitis, in other words nasal congestion and a runny nose for a long period of time, can be linked to more severe asthma."

Jan Lötvall suggests that patients who report nasal complaints, perhaps together with minor symptoms from the lower respiratory tract, such as wheezing, shortness of breath during physical effort, and night-time awakings because of breathing problems – should be investigated for asthma.

"These findings suggest that some parts of the immune system that are activated in connection with chronic nasal problems might be linked to severe asthma, and this insight could lead to new forms of treatment in the long run," says Lötvall. "Effective treatment for troublesome nasal and sinus complaints could, in theory, reduce the risk of severe asthma, though this is something that needs further research."

These results increase our understanding of the factors that play a role in severe asthma, and could help clinical researchers to understand which mechanisms lead to more severe asthma. At the same time, Lötvall believes that healthcare professionals should be aware of the possibility of severe asthma in patients showing signs of nasal problems, such as congestion, polyps and a poor sense of smell.

More information: Download the article from: http://respiratory … ent/11/1/163

Is Your Asthma Well-Controlled? Find out with Asthma PACT!

2010-12-13T01:02:00.000-08:00

Use the free Asthma PACT™ (Personalized Assessment and Control Tool) to discover if your (or your child’s) asthma is under control, and learn ways to improve your quality of life.

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What can I do with the PACT?

Access the PACT: Available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week
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NEXT: Are you ready to take the PACT? Click Here

Supported by a grant from:

Guidelines Call for Increase in Vitamin D

2010-12-13T00:34:00.000-08:00

New guidelines for vitamin D call for increasing the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin D to 600 international units (IU) for everyone aged 1-70, and raising it to 800 IU for adults older than 70 to optimize bone health.

The guidelines, released by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), also raised daily calcium RDAs.

The new guidelines call for a recommended dietary allowance of 700 milligrams of calcium per day for children aged 1 through 3, 1,000 milligrams daily for almost all children aged 4 through 8, 1,300 milligrams of calcium per day for adolescents aged 9 through 18, and 1,000 milligrams for all adults aged 19 through 50 and men until age 71. Women starting at age 51 and men and women aged 71 and older need 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day.

The majority of Americans and Canadians are getting sufficient vitamin D and calcium, the new guidelines state. Some adolescent girls aged 9-18 may fall below the daily recommended level of calcium intake, and some elderly people may have an inadequate intake of calcium and vitamin D.

The older vitamin D guidelines call for a recommended dietary allowance of 200 IU a day for people up to age 50, 400 IU a day for those ages 51 to 70, and 600 IU a day for those older than age 70.

Vitamin D helps the intestines better absorb calcium and plays an important role in bone health. It is often called the "sunshine vitamin" because our bodies make it when exposed to sunlight. It is often added to milk.

Growing numbers of studies link vitamin D deficiency to diseases such as heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. The studies show associations that indicate further investigation is needed and do not necessarily prove that vitamin D deficiency has a causative role. Many scientists were hoping that the new dietary intake levels would go even higher to reflect the findings of these studies.

But “we don’t think more is better,” says committee member Clifford J. Rosen, MD, a senior scientist at the Maine Medical Center Research Institute in Scarborough. “We believe that taking in amounts larger than 600 to 800 IU a day has no extra benefit for bones.”

Upper Levels of Daily Vitamin D and Calcium

The new vitamin D recommendations also increased the daily upper level intakes of vitamin D. These levels represent the upper safe boundary.

The upper level intakes for vitamin D are:

1,000 IU per day for infants up to 6 months
1,500 IU per day for infants 6 to 12 months
2,500 IU per day for children ages 1 through 3
3,000 IU daily for children 4 through 8 years old
4,000 IU daily for all others
“More isn’t necessarily better, and anything over the new upper intake levels may increase risks,” says Committee chair Catharine Ross, PhD, professor and Dorothy Foehr Huck Chair of the department of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University in University Park.
The new upper intake levels for calcium are:
1,000 milligrams per day for infants up to 6 months
1,500 milligrams per day for infants 6 to 12 months
2,500 milligrams per day from ages 1 through 8
3,000 milligrams daily from ages 9 through 18
2,500 milligrams daily from ages 19 through 50
2,000 milligrams per day for all other age groups

Recommendations Promote Bone Health

The new vitamin D guidelines only refer to bone health, she says. Ross tells WebMD that that there is no conclusive evidence that vitamin D intake is related to cancer, heart disease, or immune function.

“There isn’t a strong suggestive body of evidence for those indicators,” she says.

Michal L. Melamed, MD, an assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology and population health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, reviewed the guidelines prior to their release. She says, “They went high enough given the evidence that is out there.”

“The IOM was cautious, and it is probably the right thing to do because we don’t have large randomized clinical trials that show higher levels of vitamin D are associated with improved health,” she says. “Those studies are ongoing.”

The new recommendations will provide a level of vitamin D that keeps people out of the deficiency range, she says.

Second Opinion

Michael F. Holick, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine, physiology, and biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine and the author of The Vitamin D Solution, says the new guidelines on vitamin D are “a step in the right direction.”

He hopes that as more information on the benefits of vitamin D comes out “the next committee will be even more convinced of the non-skeletal benefits of vitamin D.”

Robert P. Heaney, MD, a professor of medicine at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., says of the new guidelines: “They are way too conservative. There is evidence to support higher numbers.”

“The good news is that nobody questions the general importance of vitamin D,” he says. “The disagreement is about how much and for precisely what benefit,” he says.

The tolerable upper intake level was raised, he says. “This gives people room to move in which they don’t have to worry about safety.”

New Food Allergy Guidelines Out

2010-12-13T00:15:00.000-08:00

Comprehensive new guidelines on food allergies are out from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

The new guidelines are directed at doctors to help them diagnose and manage food allergies.

Experts say food allergies appear to be on the rise, affecting nearly 5% of children younger than 5 and about 4% of teens and adults.

''We hope the guidelines will help patients and family members work better with their physician'' to identify the causes of food allergies, said Matthew Fenton, PhD, chief of the asthma, allergy, and inflammation branch of the division of allergy, immunology and transplantation at NIAID. He spoke at a Friday news conference detailing the new guidelines and led the guidelines development project for NIAID.

The guidelines address diagnostic tests, treatment, and prevention, among other areas.

While the guidelines are aimed at doctors, it will help parents and those with food allergies to be aware of their existence, said Hugh Sampson, MD, professor of pediatrics at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, who serves on the guidelines coordinating committee and also spoke at the news conference. "When they see their physician or request a referral to an allergist, they should know what type of questions will be asked of them and have some idea of what kind of tests their physician will be doing."

Food Allergy Guidelines: Back Story

A coordinating committee representing 34 professional medical organizations, advocacy groups, and federal agencies oversaw the guidelines development.

Then, a 25-member expert panel was selected; it pored over published literature and drew on clinical opinions to draft the guidelines.

Public comment was invited before the final guidelines were issued.

Food Allergy Guidelines: Definitions and More

The guidelines define food allergy as "an adverse health effect arising from a specific immune response that occurs reproducibly on exposure to a given food."

It distinguishes allergies from intolerances. Foods that cause the same reproducible adverse reaction but don't have a likely or established immune system response are not considered allergies, but rather intolerances.

For instance, someone allergic to cow's milk due to an immune system response to milk protein has a food allergy. But someone who has a difficult time drinking milk due to an inability to digest the lactose in milk has a food intolerance.

Among the most common food allergies are reactions to:

Peanuts
Tree nuts
Seafood
Milk
Eggs

Anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction that comes on rapidly and may cause death, can occur in response to food. Up to 65% of anaphylaxis cases are thought to be due to food.

Food Allergy Guidelines: Diagnosis

Under the new guidelines, the panel of experts recommends that intradermal or skin testing should not be used to make a diagnosis of food allergy.

The experts recommend skin puncture tests, in which a small amount of the extract of a suspected food in placed on the skin, then the skin is punctured through the droplet, to help identify possible troublesome foods but not to make a diagnosis based on it alone.

It also recommends against the routine use of measuring total blood IgE, the antibody formed in reaction to an allergen.

It recommends allergen-specific IgE blood testing but cautions that the test results alone are not enough to make a diagnosis.

Food elimination diets -- taking away one or a few specific foods to see if the reaction disappears -- may help.

Oral food challenges -- exposing the person to the suspected food under medical supervision -- are thought to be helpful.

If exposure to a certain food triggers symptoms, the doctor should then see if that finding matches with lab tests and medical history.

Food Allergy Guidelines: Management

Avoidance is best, the experts agree. They write: "There are nomedications currently recommended by the EP [expert panel] to prevent IgE-mediated food-induced allergic reactions from occurring in an individual with existing food allergies."

When food allergies trigger anaphylaxis, the experts recommend epinephrine injections first.

Food Allergy Guidelines: What About Prevention?

While some pregnant women may hope restricting their diets during pregnancy or during breastfeeding may help their children avoid allergies, the experts disagree and don't recommend this.

They don't recommend soy formula as a strategy for preventing the development of allergies, either.

Outgrowing Food Allergies

A child with food allergies may outgrow them, Sampson said.

It depends on the food, partially. “If their child is allergic to egg, for example, chances are very good that children will outgrow it,” he said. “We know that about 80% will.” According to the guidelines, most children will eventually also tolerate milk, soy, and wheat.

Outgrowing tree nut and peanut allergies is much less common.

Black Seed Oil and Asthma

2010-12-07T03:06:00.000-08:00

Asthma is thought to be caused by a number of environmental and genetic factors and is heavily influenced by the immune system. New research has shown that the oil of a tiny black seed from Western Asia may be the key to both the prevention and treatment of immune-related Asthma.

The Nigella sativa (black seed) oil contains over 100 known health-promoting properties including a wide range of the most potent antioxidants, B vitamins, 15 amino-acids, essential fatty acids, and an array of vital organic minerals. However, researchers believe that it is a substance called ‘nigellone’ that may be the real hero as it protects sufferers from histamine-induced bronchial spasms and significantly relieves the symptoms of asthma, bronchitis, and general coughing.

Twenty-nine asthmatic adults were randomly divided into a control group (14 patients) and treatment group (15 patients), and monitored for 3 months.Asthma symptom score, asthma severity, frequency of symptoms/week and wheezing were recorded on the first visit, then again after 45 days and finally, at the end of the study. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were also measured, and the drug regimen of the patients was evaluated at three different visits.

The researchers found that all asthma symptoms, frequency of asthma symptoms/week, chest wheezing, and PFT values in the treatment group significantly improved in the second and third visits compared with the first visit. In addition, further improvement of chest wheezing and severity of disease on the third visit were observed compared with the second visit in this group. Most significantly, by the the third visit (90 days) all symptoms in the treatment group were significantly different from those of the control group.

In addition, the researchers observed that the usage of inhaler and oral ß-agonists, oral corticosteroid, oral theophylline and even inhaler corticosteroid by those patients in the treatment group decreased by the end of the study while there were no obvious changes in usage of the drugs in control patients.

The researchers concluded that the results of the study indicate that Nigella Sativa Oil both alleviates and prevents asthma symptoms and warrant further research. For more information on Nigella Sativa visit: www.nigella-sativa-research.com

Montelukast (Singulair)

2010-12-06T03:32:00.000-08:00

Montelukast is used as a long-term (maintenance) treatment to prevent or treat asthma. It may also be used in people older than 14 years to prevent asthma brought on by exercise (bronchospasm).This medication is also used to treat allergic rhinitis, also known as allergies or hay fever.Montelukast works by blocking certain substances (leukotrienes) in the body. This effect helps to decrease symptoms (e.g., breathing problems, sneezing, stuffy/runny/itchy nose) caused by asthma or allergies.

HOW TO USE:

Read the Patient Information Leaflet provided by your pharmacist before you start taking montelukast and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.Take this medication by mouth, usually once daily with or without food or as directed by your doctor. This medication can be taken before/during/after a meal. If you are taking this medication for ongoing asthma, take your dose in the evening. If you are taking this medication for allergies (allergic rhinitis), take your dose at about the same time each day (either morning or evening). If you are taking this drug for both asthma and allergies, take your dose in the evening.For ongoing asthma or allergies, use this medication regularly to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same time each day.If you are taking this medication to prevent asthma brought on by exercise, take your dose at least 2 hours before exercise. Do not take a dose before exercise if you are already taking this medication daily. Doing so may increase the risk of side effects.This medication does not work immediately and should not be used for sudden attacks of breathing trouble. If you have asthma, your doctor must prescribe a quick-relief medicine/inhaler (e.g., albuterol/salbutamol) for sudden shortness of breath/asthma attacks while you are on this medication. You should always have a quick-relief inhaler with you. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.Consult your doctor promptly if you have worsening of asthma symptoms or if you need to use your quick-relief inhaler more often than usual (4 or more puffs daily or use of more than 1 inhaler every 8 weeks).Do not decrease or stop any asthma medicine unless instructed to do so by the doctor.This medicine may come with a patient information leaflet. Read it carefully. If any of the information is unclear, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

SIDE EFFECTS:

Unusual weakness, stomach upset, diarrhea, dizziness, cough, headache, nausea, vomiting, trouble sleeping, or mouth pain may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly.Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: fever, persistent sore throat/earache, flu symptoms.Tell your doctor immediately if any of these highly unlikely but very serious side effects occur: mental/mood changes (e.g., agitation, aggression, abnormal dreams, depression, hallucinations, suicidal thoughts/suicide), stomach pain, muscle aches/cramps, irregular heartbeat, dark urine, yellowing eyes and skin, numbness or tingling of the hands or feet, dull sense of touch, easy bruising or bleeding, swelling, seizures.A serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction include: rash, itching/severe swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.In the US -Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

PRECAUTIONS:

Before taking montelukast, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies.Before using this drug, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: liver disease.Use of this medication is not recommended in children less than 15 years old.This medication should be used only when clearly needed during pregnancy. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.It is not known whether this drug is excreted into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

DRUG INTERACTIONS:

Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: other asthma drugs, certain drugs which stimulate liver metabolism (e.g., phenytoin, phenobarbital, carbamazepine), rifamycin antibiotics (e.g., rifampin).This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

OVERDOSE:

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of overdose may include thirst, dilated pupils, drowsiness, inability to keep still, or severe stomach pain.

NOTES:

Do not share this medication with others.Laboratory and/or medical tests should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

MISSED DOSE:

If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

STORAGE:

Store at room temperature at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Brief storage between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) is permitted. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.

Omalizumab for Asthma

2010-11-30T11:01:00.000-08:00

Omalizumab (Xolair, Genentech) is a recombinant humanized IgG1 monoclonal anti-IgE antibody that binds to the IgE molecule at the same epitope on the Fc region that binds to FcεRI.11,12 This design means that omalizumab is not anaphylactogenic, since it cannot interact with IgE that is already bound to cell surfaces and thus cannot induce degranulation of mast cells or basophils.8,13 Instead, omalizumab binds to circulating IgE, regardless of allergen specificity, forming small, biologically inert IgE–anti-IgE complexes without activating the complement cascade.8,12,14 An 89 to 99 percent reduction in free serum IgE (i.e., IgE not bound to omalizumab) occurs soon after the administration of omalizumab, and low levels persist throughout treatment with appropriate doses.14,15 Proof-of-concept studies have shown that omalizumab reduces both early- and late-phase asthmatic responses after allergen inhalation challenge,16 has a marked effect on late-phase as compared with early-phase skin responses,17 decreases eosinophil numbers in sputum18 and submucosal bronchial specimens,18 and also down-regulates FcεRI on basophils,19 mast cells,20 and dendritic cells.21 A reduction in the expression of FcεRI on basophils and mast cells decreases the binding of circulating IgE, thus preventing the release of inflammatory mediators. A reduction in the expression of FcεRI on dendritic cells may decrease allergen processing and presentation.

Evidence of a Clinical Benefit

There are four core randomized, double-blind clinical trials that have compared omalizumab, administered subcutaneously, with placebo.22-25 In these trials, patients had had asthma for at least one year and required treatment with inhaled corticosteroids. All patients had at least one positive skin test to a perennial aeroallergen (specifically, dust mites, cockroaches, or dog or cat dander), as well as an elevated total serum IgE level. During the course of each trial, inhaled corticosteroids were initially maintained at a stable dose, followed by a phase of dose reduction to the lowest dose required for asthma control.

These trials all demonstrated a clinical benefit from omalizumab, although the specific findings varied. Three of the trials evaluated patients with moderate-to-severe persistent asthma (requiring doses of inhaled beclomethasone, or its equivalent, ranging from 168 to 1200 μg per day). Two of these three trials included adolescents and adults,22,23 and one was a study of children 6 to 12 years of age.24 In these three trials, treatment with omalizumab as compared with placebo was associated with significantly fewer exacerbations of asthma per patient, and a significantly lower percentage of patients had an exacerbation. In addition, the dose of inhaled corticosteroids required to control symptoms was significantly less among patients treated with omalizumab than among those who received placebo.

The fourth trial evaluated patients with more severe asthma who required high-dose inhaled corticosteroids for symptom control (fluticasone, ≥1000 μg per day).25 In this trial, no significant effect on the frequency of exacerbations was seen, although the dose of inhaled corticosteroids required to control symptoms was significantly lower among patients treated with omalizumab.

A fifth clinical trial involved patients who required at least 1000 μg per day of inhaled beclomethasone plus a long-acting bronchodilator for symptom control.26,27 The study demonstrated a decrease in the rate of exacerbations of asthma only after adjustment for an imbalance in the number of exacerbations in the year before enrollment.27 Among several secondary outcomes in these trials, quality-of-life measures stand out as being notably improved.

Clinical Use

The role of omalizumab in the management of asthma has not yet been precisely defined. Patients with persistent asthma (defined as asthma with symptoms that occur more than two days a week or nocturnal symptoms that occur more than twice a month28,29) have several treatment options in addition to the use of inhaled β-adrenergic agonists. These include environmental control (i.e., the elimination or minimization of exposure to aeroallergens), pharmacologic control (i.e., the use of inhaled corticosteroids, leukotriene modifiers, or both), and possibly, immunologic control (i.e., immunotherapy for relevant antigens). In addition, evaluation for coexisting conditions such as allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease may prove beneficial.

Patients who are particularly likely to benefit from the use of omalizumab include those with evidence of sensitization to perennial aeroallergens who require high doses of inhaled corticosteroids that have a potential for adverse side effects, those with frequent exacerbations of asthma associated with unstable disease, and possibly, those with severe symptoms related in part to poor adherence to daily medication. Analyses of pooled data from published clinical trials have indicated that patients who had a response to omalizumab had a ratio of observed to expected forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) of less than 65 percent, were taking doses of inhaled corticosteroids equivalent to more than 800 μg of beclomethasone dipropionate per day, and had had at least one visit to the emergency department in the past year.30,31 Patients requiring daily oral corticosteroids to control their asthma may be less likely to have a response to omalizumab.

A total serum IgE level should be measured in all patients who are being considered for treatment with omalizumab, because the dose of omalizumab is determined on the basis of the IgE level and body weight. The recommended dose is 0.016 mg per kilogram of body weight per international unit of IgE every four weeks, administered subcutaneously at either two-week or four-week intervals (Table 1Table 1Dosing Schedule for Subcutaneously Administered Omalizumab, According to the Baseline Serum IgE Level and Body Weight.). This dose is based on the estimated amount of the drug that is required to reduce circulating free IgE levels to less than 10 IU per milliliter.

Monitoring of total serum IgE levels during the course of therapy with omalizumab is not indicated, because these levels will be elevated as a result of the presence of circulating IgE–anti-IgE complexes.13 No other laboratory tests seem to be necessary, since there have been no clinically significant laboratory abnormalities noted during treatment.

Preparation for Use

Omalizumab is supplied as a lyophilized, sterile powder in single-use, 5-ml vials designed to deliver either 150 or 75 mg on reconstitution with sterile water (not normal saline) for injection. The powder requires 15 to 20 minutes or more to dissolve. There are fewer injection-site reactions when the solution is not injected until it is completely clear. The solution is viscous and must be carefully drawn up into the syringe before it is administered. The injection itself may take 5 to 10 seconds to administer. Once prepared, the drug must be used within four hours if at room temperature or eight hours if refrigerated. Because of these requirements for preparation and the high cost of the drug, some practitioners require patients to schedule appointments for injection, and many do not prepare the injection until the patient arrives. This results in visits that take 60 minutes or more, since 30 minutes of observation is recommended after the injection. In general, current asthma symptoms are not a contraindication to the administration of omalizumab.

Total serum IgE levels will generally increase during treatment, because of the presence of circulating IgE–anti-IgE complexes.33 An investigative method for measuring free serum IgE levels has recently been reported and may provide an opportunity for monitoring optimal omalizumab dosing.33 In addition, recent in vitro studies of the effect of omalizumab on the accuracy and reproducibility of assays of total and allergen-specific IgE antibodies34 suggest that the use of a specified commercial assay may help optimize dosing and maximize omalizumab therapy. There is, at present, no reported clinical experience with such approaches.

Cost

Omalizumab is considerably more expensive than conventional asthma therapy. The cost of treatment may range from $4,000 to $20,000 per year, depending on the dose,35 with an average of approximately $12,000 per year. This compares with approximate costs per year of $1,280 for montelukast (Singulair, Merck), $2,160 for the combination of fluticasone dipropionate and salmeterol (Advair, GlaxoSmithKline), and $680 for extended-release theophylline (Uniphyl, Purdue).

Response to Treatment

Response to treatment can take several weeks to become apparent.13 Among patients in a clinical trial who had had a response to omalizumab by 16 weeks, 87 percent had done so by 12 weeks.30 These data suggest that patients should be treated for at least 12 weeks before efficacy is assessed. Given that serum IgE levels and the numbers of FcεRIs increase after therapy is discontinued,36 it seems that treatment needs to be continued for efficacy to persist, but no studies have been reported on the duration of effects after discontinuation. If treatment is interrupted before nine months have elapsed since the last injection, treatment should be resumed at the dose initially prescribed. Dosing may need to be adjusted in the event of substantial changes in body weight (Table 1).

Adverse Effects

Potential safety concerns identified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in reviewing trial data on omalizumab included risks of the development of cancer and anaphylaxis. Cancer developed in more patients exposed to omalizumab than in those who received placebo (20 of 4127 [0.5 percent] and 5 of 2236 [0.2 percent], respectively).37 They were predominantly epithelial or solid-organ cancers; one case of hematologic or lymphatic cancer was noted. Since the majority of patients treated with omalizumab have been observed for only a year, the effect of longer exposure or of use in patients who are at increased risk for cancer is not known. Therefore, omalizumab probably should not be used in patients with a history of cancer or a strong family history of cancer until this risk relationship is better understood.

Omalizumab is intended to prevent any risk of anaphylaxis, since the agent cannot interact with IgE that is already bound to cell surfaces. However, in clinical trials, three patients (<0.01 percent) had anaphylaxis.37 Two of the reactions were temporally associated with omalizumab administration; the reactions were not immediate but occurred within two hours after the first injection.

Other adverse events seen more often with omalizumab than with placebo in clinical trials have included rash, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, epistaxis, menorrhagia, hematoma, and injection-site reactions.37 The most common adverse events were viral infections, upper respiratory tract infections, sinusitis, and headaches, but these were not more common with omalizumab than with placebo and therefore are unlikely to be side effects of the drug. An analysis of the safety data among children after the use of omalizumab for 1 year, which included a 28-week core study and a 24-week open-label extension,24 showed upper respiratory tract infections and headache to be more frequent in the omalizumab group than in the placebo group. Eleven patients (4.9 percent) in the omalizumab group had urticaria; only one case was severe enough that the patient discontinued participation in the study.38

Theoretically, the administration of omalizumab could induce antibodies to the murine components of the drug. However, no immune complex–mediated pathologic conditions that might develop as a result of the formation of such antibodies have been observed. Also, the potential for omalizumab to interfere with the role of IgE in the clearance of parasitic infections is a possible concern. Although no clinical problems related to such an effect have been seen, this might be a potential concern in specific populations. Further information is needed on the safety profile of omalizumab after long-term use.

Areas of Uncertainty

The clinical trials of omalizumab enrolled patients with precisely defined characteristics of asthma, including sensitivity to specific perennial aeroallergens (i.e., dust mites, cockroaches, and dog or cat dander). The role of omalizumab in patients with asthma who have allergies to other aeroallergens, such as molds or pollens, or who have negative allergy skin tests, has not been defined. It is also not clear to what extent omalizumab might be effective in patients with total serum IgE levels outside the trial ranges (30 to 700 IU per milliliter for patients 12 to 75 years of age).

In clinical practice, there is considerable variability of response to omalizumab therapy. The reasons for this variability have not been established; studies are needed to determine whether specific characteristics of individual patients may help to predict response.

The clinical trials performed to date have evaluated omalizumab only as adjunctive therapy with inhaled corticosteroids as compared with placebo. They have not evaluated the relative benefit of this agent in comparison with other available therapies, such as leukotriene modifiers or theophylline. Also needed are comparisons with asthma therapies that are available for patients for whom low-dose inhaled corticosteroids do not control the asthma and who need step-up management (i.e., an increased dose of the corticosteroid or the addition of another medication).28,29 Furthermore, the clinician should give consideration to the actual clinical relevance of the moderate corticosteroid-sparing effects observed in the trials, even if these reductions were significant, as well as to the substantial improvements noted in placebo groups. Given that the cost of omalizumab is substantially greater than that of conventional asthma therapy, the potential cost-effectiveness of this form of treatment will be important to assess.

The efficacy and safety of omalizumab have not been established for durations of treatment that exceed one year, and it is not known how long clinical effects may persist after therapy is discontinued. Since asthma is a chronic disease, long-term studies, especially in children, are needed to evaluate the effect of serum IgE suppression throughout development; adverse effects may become apparent only with follow-up into adulthood. We know of only one study to date that has been performed exclusively in the pediatric age group.24 Efficacy and safety studies are also needed for geriatric and nonwhite patients.

Guidelines

The most recent formal asthma management guidelines of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute were published in June 2003, the same month that omalizumab received FDA approval.29 These guidelines made no recommendation regarding the use of omalizumab, although they did note that “because of the importance of IgE to the pathogenesis of allergic diseases and inflammation, the development of humanized monoclonal antibodies has become a possible treatment.”

Recommendations

The patient in the vignette has clinical characteristics consistent with those of the patients in the clinical trials of omalizumab. However, we would recommend careful evaluation of his compliance with his current regimen of medications before making any change in therapy. In addition, because omalizumab is so expensive, we would consider a trial of therapy with a leukotriene modifier or extended-release theophylline. If these measures do not prove effective, we would recommend the addition of omalizumab to his current regimen. His total serum IgE level (436 IU per milliliter) would indicate a dose of omalizumab of 300 to 375 mg subcutaneously every two weeks, depending on his weight. We would observe his response to a stable dose of inhaled corticosteroids for 16 weeks; if he had a substantial reduction in the frequency of exacerbations of asthma, we would then recommend gradual reduction in his inhaled corticosteroids to the lowest dose that still produces consistent asthma control.

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Source Information

From the Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis.

Hayfever Symptoms And Remedies.

2010-11-29T02:14:00.000-08:00

Hay fever or allergic rhinitis is an allergic inflammation where the individual nasal airways becomes blocked when dust, allergen or pollen grains attack the nasal path. Most of the time, people with weak immunity are more susceptible to pollenosis. When the pollens or dust goes into the the body, it triggers the production of antibodies.

These antibodies contain histamine is a nitrogen compound that regulates the physiological function and acts as neurotransmitter in the physiology. The pollenosis is classified in various categories such as tree pollen allergies, pollen allergies, animal allergies, dust mite allergies, perennial allergic rhinitis and seasonal allergic rhinitis.
Symptoms of Allergic Rhinitis

Hay fever is quite common these days. The natural existence environment and the genetic of the person plays a major role in making the person susceptible to the infection. Sometimes, the allergic rhinitis does not require medical attention as well. It is supposed that every person in their life suffers from this allergic reaction. swollen nose, middle ear effusions, nasal lateral crease, lower eyelid venous stasis and erythema are the main allergic rhinitis allergy indications. Sometimes people are caught unaware when then develop cross – reaction. In cross reaction allergy, the same person is susceptible to get other form of allergies at the same time. For example, if the person is allergic to birch pollen, the same person might be allergic to potato peels as well. Lack or delay in medical care can result in the formation of several other health complications such as asthma, depression, migraine and eczema.

Medical Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis most of the time Allergy relief does not requires any medical cure or diagnosis. If at all treatment is required, the allergic individual can go for self care treatment at home or seek for allopathic medical attention.

During home care, the primary step is to leave those food items which are causing the allergy. Later, the hay fever treatment includes gargling with warm salt water. Ideally, mix 2 tablespoons of salt in 8 ounces of water and treat the throat. Gargling gives relief to the throat and if the problem continues along with stuffy nose then one can take a combination of decongestant and antihistamines that a doctor recommends. The antihistamines are given to put a stop to pollenosis allergic symptoms. When the patient is advised intake of antihistamine doses, the person should refrain from drive cars or any other mechanical object because it makes you feel drowsy.

If the home treatment does not bring about significant change then conventional medical care is suggested. Firstly, doctors prescribe antihistamines and if the signs prove to be not so complicated the symptoms are cured within few days. If a child is suffering from pollenosis then the child should be immediately taken to a medical doctor. At the onset of every hay fever cycle, adults can take an injection for prevention.

In the end, hay fever allergy is not a serious health issue as compared to other health issues. Almost 4 out of every 5 individual suffer from hay fever once in their lifetime. Home rest and medical care is important.

Eye Allergies

2010-11-22T07:04:00.000-08:00

An eye allergy that affects the conjunctiva, a clear layer of skin overlying the eyes, is commonly referred to as allergic conjunctivitis.

Allergic conjunctivitis is divided into several major subtypes, but the most common subtypes are seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) and perennial allergic conjunctivitis (PAC). SAC and PAC are triggered by an immune reaction involving a sensitized individual and an allergen. Simply stated, this means that if you are allergic to a particular substance and then come into contact with it, you experience an allergic reaction (symptoms like itching and sneezing).

Although it frequently occurs, allergic conjunctivitis is most commonly seen in areas with high seasonal allergens.

Causes of Eye Allergies

Eye allergies often affect the conjunctiva, a clear layer of skin overlying the eyes. This clear layer of skin is the same type of skin that lines the inside surface of the nose. Because these two areas are so similar, the same allergens (substances that induce an allergic reaction) can trigger the same allergic response in both areas.

Common eye allergy triggers include:

Pollen
Grass
Weeds
Dust
Pet dander

The main difference between SAC and PAC is the timing of the symptoms.

If you have SAC, you generally have problems for a short period of time.

You may be bothered in the spring by tree pollen, in the summer by grass pollen, or in the fall by weed pollen.
Generally, your symptoms resolve during other times of the year, especially in the winter.

If you have PAC, your problems probably last throughout the year.
Instead of outdoor allergens, you have problems with indoor allergens, such as dust mites, cockroaches, and pet dander.

Seasonal outdoor allergens may worsen your problems if you are sensitive to them as well.

Eye Allergy Symptoms

SAC and PAC have identical symptoms, only the timing of the symptoms is different.

With SAC, your symptoms are generally limited to a particular season (usually spring, summer, fall)
With PAC, your symptoms probably last all year.

Almost always, the symptom of itching indicates an allergic reaction. This is true of allergic conjunctivitis, where the primary symptom is itchy eyes. In addition to itchy eyes, you may experience the following symptoms:

Redness
Tearing
Burning sensation
Blurred vision
Matting and/or mucous production

When to Seek Medical Care for Eye Allergies

If you suffer from eye allergies but can identify and avoid whatever you are allergic to, your allergies should improve markedly. If you are unable to identify or avoid the allergens, seeking care for your eye allergies from an ophthalmologist (a medical doctor who specializes in eye care and surgery) may help to make them more bearable.

If you have SAC, you may want to make an appointment with your ophthalmologist prior to the season in which you suffer from allergies in order to start treatment before your symptoms from ocular allergies begin.
If you have PAC, routine appointments with your ophthalmologist may be helpful to monitor your eye allergies. Occasional flare-ups of your symptoms may require more frequent visits. Consultation with an allergist may be very beneficial.
Is there a specific, identifiable cause of my eye allergy?
How can I reduce my eye allergy symptoms?

Eye Allergy Exams and Tests

Frequently, your ophthalmologist is able to diagnose an eye allergy from your complaints alone. Your eyes are examined to help rule out other problems.

The front of your eyes are examined using a special microscope, called a slit lamp. Using the slit lamp, your ophthalmologist checks your eyes for dilated blood vessels, conjunctival swelling, and eyelid swelling, all of which are indicative of an allergic reaction.
Rarely, scraping of the conjunctiva is performed to check for eosinophils. Eosinophils are certain cells that are commonly associated with allergies; however, they are only found in the most severe cases.

Treating Your Own Eye Allergies

With eye allergies, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Avoidance of your triggers is the mainstay in the treatment of allergies. If you can identify and avoid the particular agent that you are allergic to, your symptoms will improve dramatically.

To further help alleviate your symptoms, you may want to try these tips for self-care at home.

Reduce the allergen load by minimizing clutter where allergens can collect.

Limit pillows, bedding, draperies, and other linens, such as dust ruffles and canopies.
Reduce the number of knickknacks that collect dust.

Minimize carpeting that can harbor dust mites.
Clean regularly and thoroughly to remove dust and mold.
Eliminate water leaks and standing water that encourage mold growth.
Use barriers and filters.

Cover mattresses and pillows with allergen impermeable covers.
Use allergen filters in both the furnace and the air conditioner in your home. Also, be sure to change them regularly.
Keep outdoor allergens outdoors by keeping windows and doors closed.

Avoid pet dander and other irritants.

Unfortunately, avoidance of the allergen(s) is not always easy or possible. In this case, the following at-home treatments may provide you with some relief from your eye allergies.

Apply cold compresses to your eyes to help reduce the allergic reaction.
Use artificial tears/lubricating eye drops as needed to help flush out allergens that get into your eyes.
Use over-the-counter medications, such as allergy eye drops and oral antihistamines, as directed for mild allergies.

Medical Treatment for Eye Allergies

Numerous over-the-counter medications, such as allergy eye drops and oral antihistamines, can be used as directed for mild allergies. In addition, many prescription eye drops are also available to help reduce eye allergies.

Drugs for Eye Allergies

Prescription eye drops are generally very effective for eye allergies, and, because they are applied topically, eye drops are usually free of many systemic side effects. Most eye drops are used twice a day, and many can be used to prevent the allergic reaction in the first place. Some common allergy eye drops include:

Nedocromil (Alocril)
Ketotifen (Zaditor)
Olopatadine (Patanol)
Azelastine (Optivar)
Pemirolast (Alamast)
Epinastine (Elestat)

Your ophthalmologist may prescribe cyclosporine A (Restasis). By helping to reduce the inflammatory and/or allergic reaction, cyclosporine A may help decrease your symptoms.

For more serious cases, topical ophthalmic corticosteroids can be used; however, many of the older corticosteroids are associated with ocular side effects with long-term use. The newer ophthalmic corticosteroids have a much lower risk of ocular side effects. Some common topical ophthalmic corticosteroids are:

Loteprednol 0.02% (Alrex)
Loteprednol 0.05% (Lotemax)
Prednisolone (AK-Pred)
Rimexolone (Vexol)
Medrysone (HMS)
Fluorometholone (FML, FML Forte, FML Liquifilm)

Other Therapy for Eye Allergies

To identify those substances that you are most allergic to, skin testing by an allergist may be helpful.

Next Steps - Follow-up

Follow-up appointments for your eye allergies are scheduled as needed.

For mild cases of PAC and SAC, annual follow-up visits with an ophthalmologist may be appropriate.
For more severe cases or for intermittent exacerbations of normally mild disease, more frequent visits with an ophthalmologist may be required.

Asthma And Panic Attacks

2010-11-22T05:59:00.000-08:00

Asthma and panic attacks often go hand in hand. Studies have shown that there is a strong relationship between the two and people having asthma are often more prone to panic attacks. The finding is significant in the sense that it could pave new ways for asthma treatment. According to these studies, a person with asthma is 4.5 times more likely to have panic attacks than those who do not have the disease. Vice versa, people who suffer panic attacks are more likely to develop asthma in course of time.

The problem here is that it is often difficult to distinguish between asthma and panic attacks. Panic attacks are not life-threatening, but asthma is. So, if a person has both, he or she should be extremely careful. It has been observed that an asthma attack can cause such anxiety that it may easily cause a panic attack, making the asthma attack even worse and forming a terrible cycle. In both asthma and panic attacks, the victim finds breathing difficult and loses the ability to think and remain calm.

It is, therefore, sensible to be careful if one is aware of what triggers his/her asthma. It is undoubtedly a difficult task, but a little preparedness may reduce of one's troubles. Smokers and those have a family history of allergies are prone to both asthma and panic attacks. So, giving up or reducing smoking can help the person.

Following the findings of such studies, doctors are now taking a look at asthma and panic attacks as a combined health issue and trying to devise a simultaneous treatment for both conditions. This is even more significant as panic attack sufferers are actually developing asthma. This is alarming because people prone to panic attacks are becoming more susceptible to asthma.

There is another school of thought among doctors that this relationship between the two in reality could be a misdiagnosis and some of the symptoms could lead to confusion. For example, hyperventilation is common in both asthma and panic attacks. If doctors fail to know that their patient is suffering from chronic panic attacks, they may wrongly diagnose the case as asthma when that is not true. .

So, it is wise for anyone having either asthma or panic attacks to consult with their doctors to ensure that the original diagnosis is correct and that they are getting the appropriate treatment for their condition. Setting aside the consideration of misdiagnosis, it is better to have some treatment for both these problems at the same time. As drugs are used for both these conditions, they might lead to some side effects causing fresh concern. In such cases, alternative methods may be needed for treating both asthma and panic attacks.

Alternative methods, such as the use of natural remedies and therapies are sometimes very effective in the treatment of asthma and panic attacks. The use of these methods eliminates the chances of any harmful side effects. But alternative methods may not be suitable for everyone who has both asthma and panic attacks. It is advised not to self-medicate because that could be risky. It is wise to consult a specialist in that field before you decide what should be done.

WeatherMD Helps You Manage Environmental Triggers of Disease

2010-11-19T03:26:00.000-08:00

AccuWeather is now offering an iPhone app that helps translate current and forecast conditions into medically relevant information. WeatherMD provides weather/health maps and charts that predict how conditions will influence people with a number of relevant ailments. Probably most useful for people with conditions like hay fever, asthma, and arthritis, it is also practical for anyone planning to exercise outdoors. The app costs $4 and currently only provides info for US locations.

You'll appreciate accurate forecasts and current conditions that include wind speed and direction, sky conditions, as well as AccuWeather.com patented RealFeel temperature, Healthy Heart Exercise, and Running indices so you know how to plan and dress for your daily run or bike ride.

Do you suffer from chronic health challenges? WeatherMD helps you manage multiple conditions from which millions of Americans suffer. WeatherMD helps you determine how weather conditions might impact your conditions and comfort level if you suffer from arthritis, asthma, migraines, allergies, sinus problems and much more.

Features Include:

Patented, easy-to-read health indices for Arthritis, Asthma, Cold, Flu, Migraine, Sinus, Air Quality, UV, Lawn Mowing, Mosquito (forecast conditions up to 15 days)

Patented, easy-to-read exercise indices such as Healthy Heart Exercise, and Running indices (forecast conditions up to 15 days)

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Neti Pot for Sinus

2010-11-19T01:47:00.000-08:00

With increasing pollution and chemicals in our environment, there is an enormous rise in the number of people who suffer various forms of nasal congestion and respiratory illnesses.

Alternative health practitioners throughout the world recommend the regular practice of nasal cleansing using a saline solution as part of a regular regimen of health and wellness, a basic health-maintenance activity equal to flossing your teeth.

Neti is a gentle, safe, efficient way to deliver a good cleansing dose of saline to the nose. Although the practice of nasal irrigation originated in India, today there are numerous people in Europe and the United States who use this simple technique as part of their daily routine.

People practice Neti on a daily basis to help keep their sinuses clean and to make their breathing easier and more free. Once they try it, most people find Neti to be a soothing and pleasant experience.

If, like a lot of people, you find that your nasal passages are blocked because of pollution, pollen, dust and other irritants, you may find this simple nasal irrigation technique to be of invaluable benefit to you.

The practice of nasal cleansing - known as Neti - has been used by practitioners of Ayurveda and Yoga in India for thousands of years. Neti is one of the 6 purification techniques performed prior to practicing yoga as a way of preparing the body for the yoga practice.

While there exist advanced techniques using various herbal oils and herbs, the simplest Neti technique uses water for the irrigation process. Lukewarm water is used to gently cleanse the nasal passages. A soothing, gentle stream of salt water, the same concentration as tears, flows through your nose, washing away pollens, mucus, viruses and bacteria. Use of a neti pot is recommended to ease this process.

Many health practitioners consider the nasal passages to be the doorway for most diseases. The nasal passage, with its finely-tuned mechanism of hairs and mucus membranes, which are intended to catch and restrain foreign entities from entering our bodies, actually is one of the ways nature protects us from diseases. Unfortunately, this filtering mechanism can become overloaded through high exposure to pollution, chemicals, fragrances, pollen and dust. Cleansing this filter regularly allows it to operate more efficiently.

A simple yet very powerful technique, neti works wonders for chronic sinusitis, and allergies. It has a remarkable effect on upper respiratory tract infections, especially hay fever. In fact, neti is so beneficial that responses usually change from "YUK, there is no way I am ever going to try that" to "WOW. That is fantastic. I am hooked for life" after just one trial.

Your neti pot should be right for YOUR nostrils: Choose a neti pot with a smoothly tapered conical tip at the spout end. This facilitates support on the nostril walls of varying sizes. More importantly, this minimizes spillage as it 'plugs' the inlet nostril.

How Neti is done

A neti pot is filled with warm, slightly salted water and the spout of the pot is inserted into one nostril. The position of the head and pot are adjusted to allow the water to flow out of the other nostril.

The technique is not as uncomfortable or difficult as you may think at first. You will be pleasantly surprised at this simple and effective practice for maintaining your health.

Once learnt, neti can be done in about 3 minutes and is easily integrated into a daily routine of body cleansing such as showering or brushing your teeth.

Neti pot instructions:

Prepare the saline solution with lukewarm water and fill the neti pot. Hot water is irritating and dangerous. Cool water is not soothing.
Tilt your head to the side as shown in the picture at the beginning of this article.
Insert spout of neti pot gently into the raised nostril creating a seal between the neti pot and the nostril. If it drains out of your mouth, lower your forehead in relation to your chin. Relax. If you are calm, the water flows right through. But if you aren't, it just won't flow. If you keep breathing through your mouth, relaxed, the water should gently flow through the nose on its own. There's no forcing it.
Raise the neti pot slowly to develop a steady flow of saline solution through the upper nostril and out the lower nostril.
During the process breathe through your mouth.
When you're done, exhale firmly several times to clear the nasal passages.
Reverse the tilt of your head and repeat the process on the other side.

Asthma Differs in Rich, Poor Countries

2010-11-19T01:23:00.000-08:00

The link between childhood asthma and allergies may be twice as strong in rich nations compared with poorer countries.

That's according to a new study from researchers including Gudrun Weinmayr, PhD, of Germany's Ulm University.

They gathered data on more than 54,000 children aged 8-12 in 22 countries worldwide, including study centers in the U.K., Ghana, India, Brazil, China, Sweden, and Ecuador.

Some of the kids lived in big cities. Others lived in rural areas. Their parents reported the children's asthma symptoms. More than half of the kids also got allergy skin tests.

Asthma symptoms, such as wheeze, varied widely among the countries, ranging from less than 1% in Pichincha, Ecuador, to more than a quarter in Uruguaiana, Brazil.

The researchers checked the countries' gross national income and found a wealth gap in the asthma data.

Overall, in wealthier countries, kids with asthma were twice as likely to test positive for allergies as those in less affluent nations.

The numbers varied a lot from nation to nation. Near the extremes are Mumbai, India, where only 2% of kids with tested positive for allergies, compared with nearly 59% in the Netherlands.

The reasons for that pattern aren't clear. The researchers didn't have details about all the factors that could make a child more or less likely to develop asthma and allergies.

But nutrition, pollution, housing conditions, exposure to microbes, and other factors may play a role, Weinmayr's team suggests.

The findings only apply on a global scale. So don't make assumptions about links between personal wealth and children's allergies and asthma, the researchers warn.

Spray Cleaners May Up Asthma Risk

2010-11-19T00:25:00.000-08:00

Using spray home cleaning products, even as little as once a week, may increase an adult's risk for developing asthma symptoms, a new study shows.

Frequent use of aerosolized chemical cleaners has previously been linked to asthma in cleaning professionals. But the new study is the first to examine the impact of exposure to spray cleaners on home users.

Researchers concluded that use of spray household cleaners may be an important contributor to asthma in adults.

The risk of developing asthma increased with the frequency of use and the number of different products used, but on average regular use of spray cleaners and air fresheners was found to be associated with a 30% to 50% increase in asthma risk.

Researcher Jan-Paul Zock, PhD, says this finding means that as many as one in seven asthma cases in adults may be caused by the use of spray cleaners.

"These findings must be confirmed, but it is clear that people need to use caution when they use these products," he says.

Cleaners and Asthma

Zock and colleagues used data from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey, one of the largest population-based studies of airway diseases ever conducted.

The study included more than 3,500 adults across 22 centers located in 10 European countries who reported doing the bulk of cleaning in their homes.

None of the participants -- two-thirds of whom were women -- had asthma when they entered the study, but roughly 6% had developed asthma symptoms after an average follow-up of nine years.

The subjects were asked at follow-up interviews how often they used 15 types of cleaning products.

The use of cleaning sprays at least once a week was associated with a roughly 50% increase in asthma symptoms or use of asthma medication and a roughly 40% increase in wheezing.

Use of spray cleaners and air fresheners at least four days a week was associated with a doubling of the risk of physician-diagnosed asthma.

The use of non-aerosolized cleaning products and air fresheners was not linked to a rise in asthma risk.

The study is published in the October issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

No Proof of Cause and Effect

The findings come as no surprise to environmental and occupational medicine specialist Kenneth D. Rosenman, MD, who wrote an editorial accompanying the study.

He points out that at least six previous population-based studies, as well as numerous case reports, have found an increase in asthma and respiratory illness among cleaning professionals.

"The unique thing about this study is that it expands the population at risk for asthma from exposure to these products," he tells. "We have known that workplace exposure can cause asthma. Now we know that anyone who uses these products may be at risk."

But a spokesman for a trade group representing manufacturers of commercial cleaning products says population studies like that of Zock and colleagues often suggest cause and effect relationships that don't exist.

"By its very nature, the cleaning process brings people into contact with known asthma causes and triggers, i.e. the biological contaminants (mold, insect parts and excrement, animal dander, etc.)," Bill Lafield of the Consumer Specialty Products Association tells WebMD. "Higher exposure to these contaminants could result in higher than normal occurrences of asthma."

Zock says people can minimize potential risks by using non-aerosolized cleaning products, by limiting their use of products containing bleach and ammonia, and by never mixing cleaners that contain the two chemicals.

In his editorial, Rosenman called on federal regulators to test the chemicals used in cleaning products for their potential to cause asthma.

The lack of such oversight has led to at least one recall of a carpet powder and spray specifically marketed to people with asthma, according to Rosenman.

"It turned out that this product caused asthma," he says.

Source: WebMD

Wheezing With Colds Raises Risk of Asthma

2010-11-18T11:50:00.000-08:00

Infants and toddlers who wheeze when they are sick with colds have a big risk of developing asthma later in childhood, a new study shows.

Wheezing with rhinovirus infection during the first three years of life was associated with a tenfold increase in asthma risk by age 6, researchers from the University of Wisconsin report.

Nearly 90% of the children in the study who wheezed with rhinovirus infection during their third year of life had a diagnosis of asthma three years later.

There are more than 100 identified rhinoviruses that are known to cause colds, but until now, these viruses have not been strongly associated with asthma risk, the study's principal investigator tells WebMD.

Instead, much attention has been focused on another common infectious agent, known as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Young children who are hospitalized with RSV infections have a high risk of developing asthma later in childhood.

"When we started this study we fully expected to find that RSV was the big culprit, but that is not what we found," says Robert F. Lemanske Jr., MD.

Colds, Wheezing, and Asthma

Wheezing occurs as a result of airway narrowing, and it is characterized by a whistling sound in the lungs during breathing.

As many as half of children will wheeze with respiratory illness at some point during their first three years of life, but many of them will not go on to develop asthma.

Early respiratory illness is a well-recognized risk factor for childhood asthma, but the impact of specific respiratory viruses on the airway disorder is not well understood.

In an effort to better understand the relationship between virus illness and childhood asthma, Lemanske and colleagues closely followed 259 children from birth through their sixth birthdays.

The children were considered at high risk for developing asthma because one or both parents had asthma or respiratory allergy.

By age 6, 28% of the children had been diagnosed with asthma.

Children who wheezed while sick with colds during the first year of life were three times more likely than children who did not wheeze while sick to develop the respiratory disease.

Wheezing with rhinovirus infection during the second year of life was associated with a sixfold increase in asthma risk, and wheezing with infection during the third year of life increased asthma risk about 30-fold.

By comparison, wheezing with RSV infection during the first three years of life was associated with a threefold increase in asthma risk, and RSV-associated wheezing during the third year increased asthma risk tenfold.

Wheezing with rhinovirus infection was identified as the most significant predictor of asthma in these high-risk children.

Wheezing With Colds Should Raise Suspicion

The next step, Lemanske says, is to examine specific rhinoviruses to see if some are more closely linked to asthma risk than others.

"Not everybody who gets a cold develops asthma," he says. "Are there certain strains that are more pathologic? We don't know."

He adds that the message to parents and pediatricians is that any wheezing associated with respiratory illness should raise suspicions about asthma.

"We would argue that kids who wheeze with rhinovirus need to be followed closely," Lemanske says.

American Thoracic Society past president John Heffner, MD, agrees.

"We have known that respiratory infections that lead to hospitalization are associated with increased asthma risk in children," he tells WebMD. "But now we know that the risk extends to common infections that don't often lead to hospitalization."

Electrical Stimulation Eases Asthma Attack

2010-11-18T11:34:00.000-08:00

Here’s a shocking way to help asthma patients catch their breath during a sudden and severe attack: Deliver tiny electrical impulses under the skin in the neck.

Researchers from five U.S. institutions have found that electrical stimulation can safely be used to open the airways during an acute asthma attack when traditional medications do not work. According to the American Lung Association, about 23 million Americans are living with asthma.

The small study involved four conscious and responsive adults aged 26 to 58 who visited a hospital emergency room during a moderate-to-severe asthma attack and whose symptoms did not improve after using inhalers and powerful anti-inflammatory (steroid) medications. Such treatments were considered a failure if the patient scored 70% or less on a lung function test that measured how much air could be forced out of the lungs after taking a deep breath. This is called force expiratory volume, or FEV. The amount of air forced out in the first second is known as FEV1.

The electrical stimulation technique is a minimally invasive procedure that is done while the patient is awake. Anesthesia is applied to the neck, and then the doctor inserts an electrode under the skin into the tissue surrounding the carotid artery and vagus nerve. Live ultrasound images are used to help guide the placement.

The study participants received mild but continuous electrical pulses for three hours, ranging from 1-12 volts. The voltage was increased until symptoms improved or the stimulation triggered muscle twitching or discomfort.

Researchers compared breathing measurements taken before the stimulation to those obtained every 30 minutes during the procedure and after the stimulation was complete.

A half-hour into the treatment, the patients could blow more air out of their lungs after taking a deep breath. Their FEV1 scores remained increased for 30 minutes after treatment.

The study team says electrical stimulation may provide a drug-free and non-airflow-dependent method of opening the airways in critical asthma attack situations. They will announce their findings in San Diego this week at CHEST 2009, a meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians.

How to use a Nebulizer

2010-11-18T10:07:00.000-08:00

A nebulizer turns your asthma medicine into a mist. It is easy and pleasant to breathe the medicine into your lungs this way. If you use a nebulizer, your asthma medicines will come in liquid form.

With a nebulizer, medicine goes into your lungs when you take slow, deep breaths for 10 to 15 minutes.

Many patients with asthma do not need to use a nebulizer. Another way to get your medicine is with an inhaler. Inhalers work just as well, and they are easier to use.

Most nebulizers are small, so they are easy to carry with you. Most nebulizers use air compressors. A different kind uses sound vibrations. These are called "ultrasonic nebulizers." They are quieter, but they cost more money.

It takes some time to keep your nebulizer clean and working properly.

These are the basic steps to set up and use your nebulizer:

Connect the hose to an air compressor.
Fill the medicine cup with your prescription.
Attach the hose and mouthpiece to the medicine cup.
Place the mouthpiece in your mouth. Breathe through your mouth until all the medicine is used. (Most times, this takes 10 to 15 minutes). Some people use a nose clip to help them breathe only through their mouth. Small children usually do better if they wear a mask.
Wash the medicine cup and mouthpiece with water, and air dry until your next treatment.

10 Things You Can Do to Make Your Home More Asthma Friendly

2010-11-18T09:46:00.000-08:00

Allergens are one of the most common reasons asthma symptoms flare. Importantly, there are a number of things you can do in your home to prevent your asthma from worsening. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, these 10 things will help keep your asthma in check:

Take it outside. Secondhand smoke is a common asthma trigger. Encourage people to quit and make sure they smoke outside, not in your home or car.
Good night, little mite! Dust mites are also common asthma triggers. Covering mattresses and pillows with dust-proof zippered covers and washing all bedding once a week in hot water will help keep the mites at bay.
Play it safe. Poor air quality with high levels of ozone and particle pollution can worsen asthma symptoms and trigger asthma attacks. Watch for the Air Quality Index (AQI) during your local news or check out this daily map with warnings for cities having a poor AQI day. If the AQI in your community is poor, consider limiting outdoor activities.
A little goes a long way. Regularly dusting with a damp cloth and vacuuming carpet and fabric-covered furniture when asthma sufferers are out of the house can reduce dust exposures. Using a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuum cleaner and filters can reduce exposure to dusts that may make your asthma worse.
Stake your claim. Household pets can trigger asthma with dander, skin flakes, urine and saliva. While its best to keep the pets outside, keep them out of the bedroom if this is not possible.
Uninvite unwelcome guests. Cockroaches are a pain to get rid of- they have been here for thousands of years. Don't make things worse by by leaving food or garbage out. Always clean up messes and spills and store food in airtight containers.
Think before you spray. Instead of pesticide sprays, control pests by using baits or traps. If sprays are necessary, always circulate fresh air into the room being treated and keep asthma sufferers out of that room for several hours after any spraying.
Break the mold. Mold is another common asthma trigger. If you can control the moisture in your home, you can control the mold. Wash and dry hard surfaces to prevent and remove mold. Make sure to replace moldy ceiling tiles and carpet.
Air it out. Reducing the moisture will control asthma triggers like mold, cockroaches and dust mites. Use exhaust fans or open windows when cooking and showering. Fix leaky plumbing or other unwanted sources of water.
Plan before the attack. Work with the doctor or health care provider to develop a written asthma management plan that includes information on asthma triggers and how to manage them.