If you love being outdoors, no doubt you’re all too familiar with bugs. Creeping, crawling or buzzing insects of every shape and size populate our gardens, fields and woods. Most are harmless and good for the environment. Some, like mosquitoes, inflict painful or irritating bites and spread diseases. A few produce venom that can trigger life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). Read the rest of this entry »

Do 12-hour bronchodilators help or harm patients with asthma?  They can help reduce asthma symptoms, but do they increase the risk that an episode will become severe? At a two-day public hearing last December, experts on three Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory Panels met to weigh the products’ risks and benefits, something the FDA has been studying since 2005.

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Getting babies to sit still during nebulizer treatments can be challenging. This mesmerizing, 10-minute video calms and reassures little ones by turning their attention to other babies doing the same things they do. A real anxiety reliever for everyone! Read the rest of this entry »

Temporary black henna tattoos may contain a chemical called para-phenylenediamine (PPD) that can cause allergic dermatitis, eczema and even scarring, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. PPD, commonly used for black hair dye, is sometimes added to natural henna to increase Read the rest of this entry »

A new Practice Bulletin from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says women with asthma should continue to use their asthma medications during pregnancy – work with your physician on the lowest dose needed – and physicians should monitor the women and fetuses closely throughout pregnancy (Obstetrics & Gynecology, February 2008). Read the rest of this entry »

Researchers in Europe have found that adults who experience more than 8 years of rhinitis (itchy, runny nose often – but not always – caused by allergy) are significantly more likely to develop asthma than those with clearer breathing. Read the rest of this entry »

Metered-dose inhalers are more complicated than swallowing a pill - but, if used properly, they put the medication right where it is needed and can go to work quickly:  the airways of the lungs Read the rest of this entry »

Earlier this month, my husband and I went to the Food and Wine Festival in Charleston, SC. While he stood in line to pick up our tickets, I ducked into the BB&T sponsor tent where Bobby Flay was signing cookbooks. Three steps inside, I felt the air thicken in my throat and nose. Read the rest of this entry »

What Is a Peak Flow Meter?
A peak flow meter is a handheld device that measures the peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), or the volume of air that can be forcibly expelled from the airways. Read the rest of this entry »

So you have allergies - and the sneezing, itching, runny nose and nasal congestion that come with them. What can you do to relieve symptoms and avoid that groggy medication haze? Nasal corticosteroids might help.

Corticosteroids are a class of medication developed to reduce tissue inflammation (swelling). Inhaled

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