Archive for the ‘Asthma’ Category

Colleen: I have a three-year-old with asthma-related symptoms. Is this a real syndrome, and if so, does it mean it will definitely turn into asthma? Also, I quit smoking through my first two pregnancies, and they are fine. I did not quit until my 8th month in my third pregnancy ... Full story

Alois: Well, my child is an asthmatic and she has serious coughing attacks instead of the typical wheezing. I would like to know, how can I tell if she's having an asthma attack or allergy attack, compared to a cold? Dr. Ayars: First of all, how old is your child? Alois: She's 8. Dr. Ayars: Well, I'll ... Full story

Dick: Is what is happening with asthma at all similar to what happens with cystic fibrosis? Dr. Berger: Well, cystic fibrosis is a different type of disease, and again, it is genetic. It's one of the more common genetic diseases, but the difference is that in cystic fibrosis, it has to do with an abnormality in the mucus formation. It's very ... Full story

Affecting an estimated 12 million Americans, asthma accounts for 15 million annual visits to the physician and 1.2 million visits to the emergency room. If you suffer from asthma and want to better manage your symptoms, We suggest you ask the following questions the next time you visit your doctor. What can I do to help prevent an attack? Is there something in the new National Institutes of ... Full story

Well, one of the things that's always been of interest to most allergy and asthma specialists is trying to find the cause of the allergic response. Why are people having this problem? With the medications that we have available now are treating the symptoms. In other words, inflammation is the end result of an allergic reaction. Now, allergic reactions occur because, ... Full story

Andrew: Dr. Shapiro, how can a person determine when to see their primary care physician and when to seek out a specialist? Dr. Shapiro: If you are finding that you need escalating amounts of medication and you're starting to be concerned about side-effects of medication or you're not getting good management of the problem, you should certainly suggest that you would like to ... Full story

Andrew: Over the years that we've been producing the Asthma Education Network, I've noticed that there are many people with asthma who seek information, but some people are rather complacent about it. As an asthma specialist, are you concerned that some asthmatics may not be doing all they can to manage their illness? Dr. Shapiro: Oh, yes, it's a major problem! As I ... Full story

Imagine the terror a parent feels, and many of our listeners can relate to that, when you're told your two-year-old child has severe asthma. The trips to the emergency room or the doctor, your child gasping for breath, and knowing asthma can be a killer. we're visiting with Linda and Ron Pawlak and their 12-year-old son Justin. This Harleysville, Pennsylvania family has ... Full story

Dick: Why do you think we are having such a hard time, sir, getting asthma under control? Dr. Berger: Well, there are many reasons. The background on this is that we've seen a doubling of the number of people who have asthma from 1980 to the present time, from ... Full story

Andrew: Does oil heat have any adverse effect on patients with asthma? Is gas or oil heat less likely to cause irritation for asthma patients? Dr. Shapiro: Forced air, gas and electric are all fairly good ways to heat the home. Propane heaters and kerosene and fumey agents that give off chemicals are not good. But oil heat is usually confined in a ... Full story