Northeast Allergy, Asthma and Immunology News
High Pollen Counts This Week
This week we're experiencing one of the highest pollen counts to date in the Boston area, so please be sure to keep up with any allergy medications and take precautions such as showering after working in the yard, etc. The chart from Pollen.com shows the week's...
Your Vacuum and Allergies
With allergy season around the corner (or already here for some of us) your vacuum can make a big difference at home. If your vacuum is bagless, empty the canister outside. Also, scrubbing it down should be on your spring-cleaning list. Use a damp cloth to wipe the...
Welcome Dr. Mudita Gogna
Dr. Gogna has been practicing for 15 years and was working as a chief resident in Mumbai (India) before she moved to the US. She completed her residency at Sinai hospital of Baltimore and then worked as an Assistant professor in Pediatrics at Health Alliance (UMASS)...
Plan Ahead to Manage Allergies
With the warmer temperatures this week, it’s a reminder that allergies may start earlier this year. Despite last weekend’s cold, it’s been a mild winter and may mean higher spring pollen counts. The best way to manage your allergies is to get ahead of them. Don’t wait...
Managing Allergies at Home
Did you know the bedroom is a hiding spot for dust mites? If you typically wake up feeling stuffy, your bedding may be an issue. One way to control dust is covers for your pillows and mattress (look for ones that say they are “impervious” to dust mites or allergens)....
How can you keep children with asthma healthy?
Asthma affects more than 6 million American children and is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. When airways are provoked they narrow, which reduces airflow. Typical asthma symptoms are shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing, and a tightness in the...
Allergy Apps for Your Smart Phone
Did you know there are apps for your smart phone that can help you find allergen free foods and restaurants? You can learn more here: http://www.techlicious.com/…/apps-gluten-free-allergen-fre…/
Doing Yard Work?
After doing yard work, it's best to remove your clothes and put them in the laundry and leave your shoes by the door. Also, consider wearing a mask for raking and doing it later in the day when the pollen counts are lower.
Are Fall Allergies Different From Spring?
Have you ever wondered how fall allergies different from those in the spring? This article takes a look the similarities and differences in the allergies we can suffer during these two seasons. File: Allergy Newton, Allergy Leominster, Allergy Sudbury
The Pumpkin Rule for Fall Allergies?
Many allergy medications will work better if you start them before experiencing symptoms. A good way to think about it is when the coffee shops start rolling out pumpkin lattes and muffins it's time to make sure you're managing your allergies. Give us a call in...
Flu Vaccine Expected to Be Effective
An analysis of the most common strains of flu virus circulating the United States found they match this year's vaccine, the federal CDC said. The CDC recommends flu vaccinations for people six months and older. The flu season can start as early as October and stretch...
Thinking About a Pet?
About 12 percent of us are allergic to cats and another 12 percent to dogs, according to the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. But if your family would like to have a pet, what should you keep in mind? Also, learn about some common myths like...
Ragweed Allergies on the Way
Ragweed is one of the biggest allergy triggers in the fall. The plant usually starts releasing its pollen with the cool nights and warm days of August and can last into September and October. Unfortunately, most of us who are allergic to spring plants are also...
Summer Allergies or Asthma?
Many of us think of allergies as a spring and fall phenomenon, but there also many allergy and asthma triggers during the summer, such as the hot weather we've been experiencing this week. A rise in temperature and humidity can cause an asthma attack. So can walking...
Be Aware of Potential “Second” Reactions
About 15 percent of children who have a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) may have a second one within a few hours. The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology says the message for parents is to administer epinephrine at the first sign of a severe...
Studies Are in On Dissolving Tablets
If you have an allergy to grass pollen but have resisted getting allergy shots, you might have cheered last year when the FDA approved a daily tablet that dissolves under your tongue. Unfortunately, an analysis of 13 controlled clinical trials published this week...
Allergies Vary From Year to Year
Seasonal allergies, which affect some 30% of Americans, vary from year to year. A professor of biology explains why last summer’s weather is critical to this spring’s pollen in this article from the Wall Street Journal.
Can Honey Help Allergies?
Many of us have heard that eating local honey can help your allergies, but it turns out not to be true. Even if honey were full of pollen, it wouldn't offer protection against allergies. It turns out to be the wrong kind of pollen. See the full article here.
Peanuts and Asthma in Children
Sensitivity to peanuts could be more common among children with asthma, but parents may be unaware of this, according to a new study. Approximately 20% of the children tested had sensitivity to peanuts. However, more than half of the families didn't know until tested....
Managing Your Spring Allergies
Dr. Jordan Scott urges everyone to get an early start (see the video):
Spring Allergy Predictions
Despite chilly weather, spring is actually finally springing.Recent years have been marked by milder winters nationwide which meant tree pollen -- and spring allergies -- arrived earlier. Experts are saying that because this year's winter has been colder and longer in...
Spring Allergies on the Way
Spring allergies are making their way up the coast, despite snow on the ground here. South Carolina reported an uptick in allergies 2 weeks ago, and New Jersey reported the same last week. Call us in Newton at (617) 765-0228 or Leominster and Sudbury at (978) 537-4805...
Spring Allergies
With all the snow this year, it's hard to believe that March is the beginning of the spring allergy season. If you normally have spring allergy symptoms, now is a good time to make an appointment and get ahead of them before the daffodils and the tree buds arrive....
More on New Pediatric Peanut Allergy Study
Local public radio station WBUR 90.9 FM "On Point" with Tom Ashbrook takes a look at the research on infants and preventing peanut allergies that's been receiving a lot of attention nationally this week. You can hear the show here.