Archive for the ‘Diseases’ Category

Andrew: I have a question about supplements. Anyone with a chronic condition always wonders about vitamins or herbal remedies, alternative medicines--where do they come into play? Dr. Shapiro: There isn't a lot known about any positive value of vitamins for asthma or allergic disease. People try all sorts of things. Unfortunately, the alternative medicine world hasn't done a lot of good controlled trials ... Full story

Andrew: Let's talk about treatment. Many people see commercials on TV or on radio, and head to over-the-counter medications. How far can those OTC medications go if you have a chronic condition, and how should proceed as far as seeing if they need something more like ... Full story

Erin: In terms of helping to prevent asthma, should people be screened for this gene, and, if so, should their test results be reported to their health insurance companies? Dr. Holgate: Again, a good question to ask because, in addition to ... Full story

Rick: We'll go to a question on the telephone, and it is from Michelle, who joins us from St. Louis. Go ahead with your question. Michelle: Thank you. It seems that there is a hormonal relationship, some ... Full story

Andrew: Dr. Lanier is there now a new medication that may help children control their asthma and still sleep well at night, or function better at school? Dr. Lanier: Yes. One of the new advances in asthma has to do with cleaning up actually an old compound. I mean, people have ... Full story

Asthma and chronic sinus disease Erin: I have a sneaking suspicion that I have asthma, but my doctor hasn't seemed too willing to talk about that as a possibility. I have allergic rhinitis. I get this strange sickness about once every six weeks that starts as a sinus infection, and then falls into my chest, leaving me with a terrible, creepy, ... Full story

Gina: Is it true that we're seeing an increase in asthma, and why would that be? Dr. Redding: It's very clear that asthma prevalence, that is, the commonness of asthma, is increasing over time and has done so for the last ... Full story

Among the other things that we have talked about in multiple sclerosis are some of the gender differences and the differences in ethnic groups, and it's been very interesting because as a lot of us know, you see more MS the farther away you get from the equator. Despite that, there are certain groups, even those far away from ... Full story

Ryan: I have a few questions. I have a moderate case of asthma and I've been taking Primatene tablets for about six years now. I'm trying to find an alternative and I've heard a lot about these different bronchodilators and anti-inflammatories or whatever, and I don't know which one to do. The Primatene really it makes me nervous and I can't ... Full story

Joanne: My asthma is triggered usually only when I have a cold. This happened in January, and I was using albuterol at that time, and four puffs of Flovent--two puffs in the morning and two in the evening. When I recovered and didn't need my albuterol any more, and I wanted to reduce the Flovent, I wondered if it is like prednisone where the amount ... Full story