Severe chronic forms of asthma should be evaluated for acid reflux which might be playing a role in keeping their asthma uncontrolled.

Have you ever used a nasal decongestant spray like Afrin? If you have, you may have noticed the warning on the labels or from a physician stating that you should not use this product for more than 3-5 days at a time. That is because it can cause a rebound nasal congestion that can complicate your troubles more and be difficult to resolve. The active ingredients in nasal sprays that you should look out for are: Oxymetazoline, phenylephrine, xylometazoline and naphazoline. You have to look out for...

In this article, discover what’s the truth Data about Antibiotics and Sinus infections Is Sinus Infection Viral or Bacterial? What is the Appropriate use of Antibiotics?Data about Antibiotics and Sinus infectionsPatients with painful sinus problems often plead with me to give them an antibiotic for sinus pressure. About 90% of adults seen in the U.S. by a primary care provider do end up getting an antibiotic for acute sinusitis. Acute sinusitis is a sinus infection that last...

Many of you have realized, weather from checking pollen counts, seeing blooming trees or having an increase in allergy symptoms, that spring is here and pollen in in the air!If you have tree allergies, it is helpful to know when the trees you are allergic to are pollinating so you can do the best you can to avoid heavy exposure of that particular pollen. Here at The Allergy Group, we have an excellent pollen counter, Brian Ayers who provides a thorough, meticulous pollen count for you. We update...

When spring rolls around do you get itchy or runny eyes or nose? Do you sneeze or cough more than usual? If so, you may be suffering from seasonal allergies. These develop when your body’s immune system becomes sensitive and then overreacts to something in the environment. Generally, spring allergies last from February to June but can continue longer due to excessive rainfall leading to rapid plant growth and higher pollen counts. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and I...

Spring is here and so is the sneezing and runny nose! It's only the middle of March, but spring allergies are already on the rise… and are real! Over at our office at The Allergy Group, I am already seeing an increase in the phone calls of people complaining of allergies. Symptoms of runny nose, itchy eyes, watery eyes and intense sneezing… and so on. Do you wonder if the mild winter the cause of early sneezing and runny nose… Well, you may be right! Mild winters have gi...

Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide- A tool for measuring asthma severity There is a new tool that is showing to be very helpful in measuring asthma called Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO). This is a machine that you breathe into and it gives you a number based on inflammation in the lungs. This value can help you and your doctor understand if your asthma is well controlled. It significantly correlates to hyperactive airways and allergic triggers. It is helpful to: Measure response to steroid ...

Mold allergies exist year-round and the symptoms are similar to seasonal allergies. Hence, the people struggling with year-round allergy symptoms will be amazed to learn that the origin of their problems could be inside their house. Allergy symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, runny nose and itchy, watery eyes, and asthma symptoms, like wheezing and tightness of chest, that extend beyond the traditional spring and fall allergy seasons might indicate that the source is mold. Mold is a fungus that...

Finally some good news! After decades of rising levels in the United States of children being diagnosed with asthma, we are finally seeing numbers falling according to a Center for Disease control. NPR interviewed Lara Akinbami of the National Center for Health Statistics who declares that, “we have been expecting the increase in childhood asthma to continue but in fact we saw the opposite.” Akinbami and her colleagues detected the first change in that trend when they analyzed data f...

When we the weather gets cold and things start to freeze, we all hope our allergies will get better. But 2/3rds of allergy sufferers have symptoms year-round. Even after the pollen season dies down, there are environmental triggers to deal with—things like mold, dust and pet dander. Here are some tips and things to look out for to avoid increasing problems with you allergies and asthma: 1) Part of enjoying the holidays is being outside and enjoying winter sports and activities. But if you ...