Allergies and Asthma

• Asthma an Often Unrecognized Risk for Older People

  

  Posted 5:25 PM 5/4/2012

  May 4, 2012 -- Asthma is not just dangerous for kids.

  People over 65 also have asthma and often face an uphill health battle as a result, a new study suggests. Once hospitalized, these individuals are 14 times more likely to die from asthma than younger adults. What's more, asthma increases their risk for impaired lung function and a worse quality of life.

  Part of the reason for the poor outcomes is that asthma is often misdiagnosed and undertreated (More)
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• The Worst Cities in the U.S. for Asthma

  

  Posted 6:20 PM 5/1/2012

  May 1, 2012 -- Memphis residents may have a new reason to sing the blues, if they can catch their breath.

  A new report ranks the southern city as the most challenging city in the U.S. to live with asthma, followed closely by New Haven, Conn., and Knoxville, Tenn.

  The 2012 list of "Asthma Capitals" takes into account factors like prevalence of asthma, poor air (More)
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• Worst Cities for Spring Allergies in 2012

  

  Posted 11:06 PM 3/20/2012

  March 20, 2012 -- The third time is said to be the charm. But it's doubtful the allergy sufferers in Knoxville find it charming that for a third consecutive year their East Tennessee city has earned the No. 1 spot on the list of the worst places to live with spring allergies.

  Knoxville natives have had plenty to sneeze at each spring. In 2009, Tennessee's third largest city placed second in this annual ranking of the 100 "most challenging places to live in (More)
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• Study Links Common Household Products to Asthma

  

  Posted 4:02 AM 3/8/2012

  March 8, 2012 -- Many cleaning and personal care products contain chemicals linked with asthma flare-ups or hormone disruption, according to new research.

  On the list: sunscreens, vinyl shower curtains, and fragranced products.

  "Consumer products in the home can be a significant source of hormone-disrupting chemicals and asthma-associated chemicals," says Robin (More)
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• Farm Life Linked to Fewer Allergies, Less Asthma

  

  Posted 8:57 PM 3/7/2012

  March 7, 2012 (Orlando, Fla.) -- Could the older, more rustic Amish lifestyle hold the key to preventing allergies?

  An Indiana researcher thinks so. His research suggests that children who grow up on Amish farms are less prone to allergies and hay fever than Swiss (More)
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• Relieve Ragweed Allergies Without Shots

  

  Posted 9:41 PM 3/5/2012

  March 5, 2012 (Orlando, Fla.) -- For many allergy sufferers, getting shots is a pesky, even painful part of ragweed season. Now, researchers report success testing an under-the-tongue tablet as an alternative to injections in people with ragweed allergies.

  In a study of more than 500 people with ragweed allergies, people who took the experimental tablets had less nasal (More)
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• Can Herbs Fight Asthma?

  

  Posted 7:10 PM 3/5/2012

  March 5, 2012 (Orlando, Fla.) -- A traditional Chinese herbal remedy known as kampo helped to relieve daily asthma symptoms in nearly all of more than 200 people studied, Japanese researchers report.

  North American allergy experts tell WebMD that although they find the preliminary findings fascinating, further study is needed before they would recommend the (More)
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• Spring Allergies Strike Early This Year

  

  Posted 4:38 PM 2/17/2012

  Feb. 17, 2012 -- Got a stuffy nose, sore throat, watery eyes, or throbbing head? In February, those symptoms are usually caused by a cold or the flu, but this year, the culprit could be allergies.

  Thanks to a mild winter, spring allergy season got started nearly (More)
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• Antibiotics Do Not Reduce Symptoms of Sinus Infection

  

  Posted 9:32 PM 2/14/2012

  Feb. 14, 2012 -- Patients may want to pause before asking for antibiotics to treat a sinus infection.

  A new study involving more than 150 patients ages 18 to 70 suggests that the antibiotic amoxicillin may be no (More)
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• Are Vacuum Cleaners Bad for Your Health?

  

  Posted 6:22 PM 1/6/2012

  Jan 6, 2012 -- You vacuum your house religiously to get rid of all the dust, dirt, and bacteria and make sure your indoor air is up to snuff.

  But new research suggests that some vacuum cleaners may actually be making things worse, not better.

  Certain vacuum cleaners spit fine dust and bacteria back into the air, where they can spread infections and trigger (More)
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