SALT LAKE CITY — Cedar, oak, birch, cottonwood.

They’re a big part of the local landscape, but they’re also causing Utahns a lot of trouble lately.

“We had a relatively warm winter and what might be perceived as an early or mild spring and this has promoted very high pollen counts,” said Dr. Charles Rogers, a board-certified allergist with Allergy Associates of Utah and Intermountain Medical Center. Rogers works out of two offices and definitely keeps busy this time of year.

Pollen counts for a variety of trees are already way above average, “extra high,” according to Intermountain Allergy and Asthma, which produces daily measures of what’s in the air in the Salt Lake Valley.

“This year is the same or worse than other years,” Rogers said. “But it has come on somewhat earlier.”

Tree pollens are typically bad from March through June, grass pollens pick up in late April and are prevalent through July, and weed season is worst from July to October. this year, many trees have been pollinating since February.

“These things have a tremendous negative impact on quality of life,” said Dr. Craig Moffat, a board-certifed allergist at Alta View Hospital and the Intermountain Sandy Clinic. He said allergies have a tendency to interfere with school, work and daily life, often leading to decreased productivity and absenteeism.

“The best treatment is to change your parents or change your genes,” Moffat joked. “But since we can’t do that, there’s actually really good therapy available.”

Allergies, he said, are inherited from a person’s parents. if one parent has allergies, children have a 33 percent chance of also having allergies. The percentage increases to 66 percent when both parents suffer from allergies. Moffat’s family history (he has one parent with allergies) actually helped him determine his own career path, as he wanted to help others find relief.

Children aren’t typically affected by seasonal allergies until age 5, and Moffat said symptoms continue to get worse through a person’s 20s and 30s, when they peak and eventually fade away at age 70 or 80.

Both doctors said initial appointments with an allergist or a primary care physician involve recording a patients’ history and examining symptoms.

Typical symptoms for seasonal allergies, Moffat said, include red, itchy, watery eyes and runny nose, sneezing and itchiness.

“It is the leading cause of school absences among children,” McKinley said, adding that missed work hours, as well as prevention and treatment efforts for asthma, makes the disease very costly for Americans. Costs have been on the rise for at least the past decade.

“It’s a chronic disease that doesn’t go away,” she said. “And there is no cure for it.”

McKinley and Intermountain’s Dr. Alyson Edmunds, also a pediatric hospitalist, will be featured during Saturday’s Deseret News/Intermountain Healthcare Hotline, where they will take questions about RSV and pediatric asthma and provide advice free of charge. From 10 a.m. until noon, people can call 1-800-925-8177 or post questions on the Deseret News’ Facebook page, facebook.com/desnews.

Asthma is a disease of the respiratory system that affects everyone differently. it is typically caused by genetics and/or environmental factors. Attacks, in which a person cannot draw in enough air, can be triggered by any number of things, including a virus, air pollution, dust and animal dander, second-hand smoke, mold and mildew and even insects and cockroaches in a person’s living space.

The goal, McKinley said, is to identify those triggers and keep airways from becoming inflamed in the first place, thus preventing attacks and maintaining a normal lifestyle as much as possible.

Treatment and management of the disease is much the same for adults as it is for children, however in small children, good habits need to be encouraged early on. Physicians have a number of tools to help children with asthma to develop a plan of action. the plan often includes identifying when a rescue inhaler, containing the broncho-dilator albuterol, is necessary, as well as when triggers are present and affecting their airways.

Children older than 5 years of age can participate in pulmonary testing to determine their level of control of the disease. It’s typically a good sign if asthma attacks are rare.

Symptoms that end up being persistent, such as coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, as well as fatigue or irritability, usually lead to the need for long-term medication or more intense treatments.

The ultimate goal, however, is to avoid hospitalizations and having to fight for air.

You just took a breath and didn’t even notice. Dealing with asthma is a little like having to breathe through a straw. It turns out that every breath we take is a memorable event when we have to work for it, which is why most asthma sufferers keep their stash of meds close.

Though asthma is considered an incurable disease, it is very manageable thanks to steroids. I’m asked all the time, “Aren’t there any other options?” the answer is yes.

Take my husband, for example, who is a longtime sufferer. his steroid stash is expiring in a drawer because of non-use. his asthma didn’t go away; he simply found a better way to manage it.

I don’t advocate getting rid of any options that enhance breathing, but there certainly are some powerful alternatives for those interested in something less intrusive than pharmaceuticals.

It’s always wonderful to discover yet another herb that works so well, and khella falls into that category. Khella is a species of a flowering plant in the carrot family. It’s known by many names. One is toothpick weed and — you guessed it — toothpicks are also made from the stems of the plant in the Middle East. It can be found throughout the world, but is native to Europe, Asia and North America.

If you find khella growing in a field, it looks like celery or wild parsley. It has wispy soft, fine feathery leaves with clusters of white flowers. tiny fruits have grey seeds used to make khella tincture. It takes about two months for khella to grow flowers and when the flower heads turn brown, the seeds are ready for harvest.

The biological action of khella works as a vasodilator and reduces blood pressure by inhibiting calcium influx into the cell. Khella is effective as a smooth muscle relaxant, and the asthma drug cromolyn is a synthetic derivative of it. when an herb is used, the synergistic components are a big reason why side effects are rare as compared to a drug made from an herb. when drugs are made from herbs, only the active ingredient is used, leaving the synergy out and creating side effects.

Khella also has antibacterial, antifungal and preservative properties. Besides being used for asthma and cardiac problems, khella has been shown effective in treating bronchitis and emphysema. It increases HDL (the good cholesterol); helps diminish risk of stroke and heart attack, spasms and constriction of the urinary tract and bladder; relieves gallbladder pain and helps with passage of gallstones.

If you have an allergic reaction to Khella, you could experience nausea, vomiting or changes in vision. all of these symptoms disappear with discontinued use. Khella should not be used in conjunction with blood thinners such as warfarin and calcium channel blockers that lower blood pressure. Do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not use if you have liver disease, and always check with your doctor before adding a supplement to your regimen.

Precautions are always necessary because interactions are possible. Khella is another powerful example of nature’s pharmacy and is an alternative for many asthma sufferers.

Dr. Linda Johnson is a naturopathic doctor based in Alamogordo. Contact her at 434-6400 or via e-mail at balancedhealth@live.com.

Could I have asthma? As I stated in my other question about my coughing, could that be an early symptom of asthma?

Symptoms of asthma include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.

Coughing wheezing difficulty if breathing. Smoke bothers you more than before. cold air bother and effects your breathing

I have mild asthma and would like to know how long it takes for the Ventolin (blue) and Qvar (brown) inhalers to work once I use them.

Its pretty much instant when i was younger i had to carry mine everywhere and when i used it i was like 3 or 4 seconds before i could breath. but mine was just one white inhaler, and don't remember what it was.

blue works almost immediatly, get iy right in your lungs,

as Dan said the brown is not for relieft but to help prevent and can take a week or so to get into your system

Roche?s investigational treatment for asthma met its primary endpoint in a phase II study

Lebrikizumab has potential to be the first personalized treatment for asthma

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced that a phase II study of its investigational treatment lebrikizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody designed to block interleukin-13 (IL-13) cytokine, met its primary endpoint. In the study, lebrikizumab treatment resulted in a statistically significant increase in FEV1 (measure of lung function) in adults with asthma whose symptoms were inadequately controlled with inhaled corticosteriods (ICS). The overall frequency of adverse events was similar in both the placebo and the treatment group. The results of this study, known as ?MILLY?, are being published in the new England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) today.

IL-13 is a key contributor to the features of asthma and increases periostin, a protein which can be measured with a blood test. In the study, patients with high pre-treatment periostin levels had greater improvement in lung function with lebrikizumab compared to patients with low periostin levels.

?The findings of the MILLY study, and the development of a potential biomarker, have shown that we may be able to select appropriate asthma patients for lebrikizumab therapy,? said Richard Scheller, Executive Vice President, Genentech Research and Early Development (gRED). ?These results support further investigation of lebrikizumab as a personalized medicine for patients who suffer from moderate to severe uncontrolled asthma.?

The study also showed a trend towards a lower rate of severe asthma attacks (known as exacerbations) in patients treated with lebrikizumab, although the study was not powered to detect a reduction of these. these data are encouraging as severe asthma attacks, characterized by shortness of breath and chest tightness, are potentially life threatening.

Lebrikizumab may benefit patients with a high unmet medical need who have uncontrolled asthma with existing treatment options.

About lebrikizumab

Lebrikizumab, which was developed by Genentech Research and Early Development, is a treatment being investigated for patients with uncontrolled asthma. It is a humanized monoclonal antibody designed to block the IL-13 cytokine (proteins that serve as messengers between cells) and reduce inflammation in the lung. IL-13 overexpression results in airway inflammation which is a feature of asthma.

About the Phase II study (MILLY)

The MILLY trial (a global phase II randoMized, double blInd, placebo-controLled study to evaLuate the safetY, tolerability and efficacy of lebrikizumab in adult patients with asthma who are inadequately controlled on inhaled corticosteroids) is a Roche/Genentech sponsored study to evaluate the safety profile, tolerability and efficacy of lebrikizumab in adult patients whose asthma is inadequately controlled on inhaled corticosteroids, a common treatment for asthma. Lebrikizumab was dosed every 28 days subcutaneously at 250mg, for a total of six doses. a total of 219 patients were randomized, one patient was not treated. 106 patients were randomized to lebrikizumab and 112 patients were randomized to placebo.

The primary endpoint of the study was a measure of lung function called the ?pre-bronchodilator Forced Expiratory Volume 1 (FEV1)?. FEV1 is the volume of air that can be forced out in one second after taking a deep breath.

The primary endpoint of the trial showed that at week 12, lebrikizumab-treated patients had a 5.5% (95% CI, 0.8% to 10.2%; P=0.02) greater increase in pre-bronchodilator FEV1, from baseline than placebo-treated patients (lebrikizumab, 9.8%?1.9%; placebo, 4.3%?1.5%). Lebrikizumab-treated patients in the high-periostin subgroup experienced an 8.2% (P=0.03) relative increase from baseline FEV1, compared with placebo. Lebrikizumab treated patients in the low-periostin subgroup experienced a 1.6% (P=0.61) relative increase in FEV1, compared with placebo. Periostin was measured in serum using a protein assay.

Secondary pre-specified outcomes included the rates of protocol-defined exacerbations and severe exacerbations (worsening of asthma) through week 24. although the study was not powered to detect a reduction of exacerbations, there was a trend towards a lower rate of severe exacerbation in patients treated with lebrikizumab.

The overall frequency of adverse events was similar in both the placebo and the treatment groups. Serious adverse events (SAEs) were observed in 4 lebrikizumab treated patients; 2 events of patients experiencing an asthma attack, community acquired pneumonia and traumatic pneumothorax (a collection of air inside the chest, between the lung and inner chest wall, which causes the lung to collapse) related to a car accident.

The most common side effects were infections (lebrikizumab 48.1%, placebo 49.1%), which included upper respiratory infections (lebrikizumab 12.3%, placebo 14.3%) and sinus infections (lebrikizumab 9.4%, placebo 8.0%). The overall frequency of adverse events was similar in both treatment groups (lebrikizumab, 74.5%; placebo, 78.6%), as were the frequencies of serious adverse events (lebrikizumab, 3.8%; placebo, 5.4%). Musculoskeletal events were more common with lebrikizumab (lebrikizumab, 13.2%; placebo, 5.4%). Twenty-five patients (11.5%) discontinued the study early, including 12 placebo and 13 lebrikizumab-treated patients.

About asthma

Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways that makes breathing difficult and is a major public health problem affecting millions of people worldwide.1 a feature of asthma is inflammation of the air passages resulting in a variable airflow to the lungs. This results in recurrent attacks of coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness thus requiring continuous medical care. Therapies such as inhaled corticosteroids are intended to ease airway inflammation and airway narrowing. Despite treatment with inhaled glucocorticosteroids (ICS), many patients continue to have uncontrolled asthma that requires the use of more intensive therapy. 2

About Roche

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a leader in research-focused healthcare with combined strengths in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is the world?s largest biotech company with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, virology, inflammation, metabolism and CNS. Roche is also the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics, tissue-based cancer diagnostics and a pioneer in diabetes management. Roche?s personalised healthcare strategy aims at providing medicines and diagnostic tools that enable tangible improvements in the health, quality of life and survival of patients. In 2010, Roche had over 80,000 employees worldwide and invested over 9 billion Swiss francs in R&D. The Group posted sales of 47.5 billion Swiss francs. Genentech, United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche has a majority stake in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. for more information: roche.com.

No there is no definite test they monitor you over a period of time and then diagnose asthma if you have the same symptoms.

Survey Shows Many Americans Confuse Allergies and Sinus Infections

May 18, 2011 — Many people misdiagnose themselves as having allergies when they actually have sinusitis, a survey shows, and skip a visit to the doctor.

The survey was conducted by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).

The AAFA says that when people confuse sinusitis symptoms with signs of allergies, they often suffer longer than they would if they visited a doctor, who could make a proper diagnosis.

The AAFA says symptoms of sinusitis are similar to signs of allergies, but that too many people try to diagnose themselves.

According to a survey of 621 people, conducted online from a database of asthma and allergy patients, about 70% of sinusitis sufferers most trust a primary care doctor to correctly diagnose symptoms, yet only 36% go to one for help.

Self-Diagnosis Can be Counterproductive

Among the findings of the survey:

• 47% of respondents with sinusitis admit to self-diagnosing when they have symptoms.
• 37% are doing more self-diagnosing now than they were five years ago.
• 41% of those who say it is not easy to distinguish signs of allergies from signs of sinusitis still go ahead and diagnose themselves when they have symptoms.
• 51% admit they have misdiagnosed themselves as suffering from allergies when the cause turned out to be sinusitis.
• 39% say they think it’s hard to tell the difference between the symptoms of a cold, flu, allergies, and sinusitis.
• 55% of people who have heard of chronic sinusitis underestimate the minimum number of weeks this condition may last; 39% admit they don’t have a clue about duration.
• Only 26% of respondents who had heard of chronic sinusitis were aware that a minimally invasive treatment option exists for the condition.
• 49% of respondents have never seen an ear, nose, and throat doctor about their sinusitis.

Allergies vs. Chronic Sinusitis

Mike Tringale, vice president of external affairs at the AAFA, says in a news release that there’s a key difference between allergies and chronic sinusitis.

“If you have allergy-like symptoms that last longer than 12 weeks, or symptoms that occur more than three times per year, with symptoms usually lasting more than 20 days despite treatment attempts, you may have chronic sinusitis and should see a doctor for a correct diagnosis and the right medical solution,” he says.

About 7 million Americans suffer from chronic sinusitis, resulting in some 32 million cases reported by doctors and other health care providers every year.

The survey was released to coincide with the peak of spring allergy season, which makes it important for people with symptoms to see a specialist, says the AAFA.

Stacey Silvers, MD, of Beth Israel Hospital in New York, says chronic sinusitis has been underdiagnosed for many years.

Because so many people are confused about treatment of the chronic sinusitis and more than 50% of people do not respond adequately to medications, “it’s important that they consult with an ear, nose and throat physician to get the most appropriate treatment to alleviate long-term suffering,” she says.

Common symptoms of sinusitis include: 

• Facial pain
• Nasal congestion
• Yellow or green mucus in the nose
• Fever

Some cases of chronic sinusitis due to infection are treated with antibiotics.

It doesn't occur every night, but I often get wheezy and have to use my inhaler right before I go to sleep or else I'll be up all night. it occurs even more during the seasonal changes. otherwise, my asthma stays in check. does anyone have any recommendations as to how to deal with this?

asthma symptoms scrapblog.info/361727/asthma-symptoms

I have excersize induced asthma, but I am very athletic. I already take an inhaler before I excersize, but I still have symptoms. I have had allergy tests that say I'm not allergic to anything, and I have tried other asthma medications, but it still effects my athletic performance in soccer and cross country. I would like to try alternatives to over the counter medications. Any help would be much appreciated!

Chinese medicine treatment
Traditional medicine: Lord of the lung for gas, the kidney is the root of gas. When the asthma attack, pulmonary channel is not the main gas, kidney can not be satisfied that the gas, the gas against the last, and made the Chuanji. Spleen as the source of biochemical, spleen phlegm, phlegm airway, so see cough, shortness of breath. Thus, asthma is the kidney, lung, spleen, three imaginary of the disease. Chinese medicine treatment of bronchial asthma by the state into the Spark Program "heterophylla cough and asthma. " Indications herbs: heterophylla, Cordyceps sinensis, Zhejiang Fritillaria, Trichosanthes, betel nut, Baiji, licorice and so on. Life note: avoid tobacco, alcohol and spicy, cold, greasy food.