Middletown, NY (PRWEB) may 07, 2012

a stuffed nose, sneezing, a persistent cough, breathing difficulties— it must be spring. Parents often scratch their heads when a child complains of these symptoms. are they the sign of a common cold or seasonal allergies? Hudson Valley Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) reminds parents it may not be easy to figure out specifically what is bothering a child and whether it requires a visit to the doctor.

“This year is unusual in that allergy season started early because warm weather forced plants to bloom and flower weeks ahead of schedule,” explains Dr. Virginia E. Feldman, MD, an allergy specialist at Hudson Valley Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT). “At a time when colds are highly common, children also have symptoms that could be caused by seasonal allergies to grass, weeds, trees, and dust. “A long, dry allergy season like the one we are experiencing this year means that the various allergens remain in the air week after week rather than getting washed away.”

While people think of typical allergy symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes, symptoms also can include headache, lethargy, a scratchy throat, the sensation of a lump in the throat, ear popping, and decreased hearing. More seriously, untreated allergies can contribute to asthma, ear infections, chronic fluid in the ears, enlarged adenoid and tonsils, and sinus infections.

Over-the-counter medications may bring some relief, but a trip to the doctor might be necessary if breathing continues to be difficult or symptoms don’t improve. if allergies are suspected, an allergy specialist can identify which allergens are problematic and how to best handle them.

“Many patients can be managed with medications that help control symptoms,” says Dr. Feldman. “Allergy shots, also called immunotherapy, may be needed against particular allergens if medication doesn’t help. But with proper treatment, allergy symptoms and related complications will be much improved.”

Hudson Valley Ear, Nose & Throat, P.C. is located at 75 Crystal Run Road, Building B, Suite 220, Middletown, NY. for more information, please call 888.350.1368 (ENT) or visit hudsonvalleyent.com.

About Hudson Valley Ear, Nose & Throat Hudson Valley Ear, Nose & Throat, P.C., has been redefining the healthcare experience in the Hudson Valley for more than ten years. Its board-certified physicians, supported by licensed audiologists and dedicated staff, have established a reputation for superior care in treating patients with allergies, gastroesophageal reflux, thyroid and parathyroid disorders, hearing and balance disorders, nasal and sinus disease, head and neck cancer, sleep apnea, snoring, and pediatric ear and throat disorders. Hudson Valley Ear, Nose & Throat utilizes state-of-the-art technology to make the patient experience as efficient, comfortable, and caring as possible.

Read the full story at prweb.com/releases/2012/5/prweb9482119.htm

Friday, October 14, 2011

Dealing with allergies

St. Luke?s Health Watch

By Dr. Julie Lyons

Ahhchew! It’s that time of year again: allergy season. each year during the spring and fall, our clinic sees a burst of patients suffering from typical allergy symptoms: itchy nose, eyes and throat, sneezing and wheezing, cough and fatigue. as a sufferer myself, I know just how burdensome allergies can be.

Allergies are common in the United States; up to 40 percent of children and 10-30 percent of adults suffer from them. in Blaine County, the common culprits are sagebrush, which blooms in the fall, ragweed, which blooms in the late summer and fall, and willow, which blooms in the spring. Some exotic and invasive grasses also cause our residents trouble. Indoor triggers include dust mites, animal dander and mold spores.

There are several known risk factors that predispose us to developing allergies. these include family history of allergies, male sex, early introduction of food and formula, birth during pollen season, early use of antibiotics, smoking exposure during the first year of life and firstborn status. Allergies are less common in children under 5, and become more common as children start to enter school. in early adulthood, we also see a rise in allergy prevalence.

The more you are exposed to an allergen, the more sensitive you become. over time, less allergen is needed to cause significant symptoms, and the nose becomes more sensitive to all sorts of substances, including tobacco smoke, perfumes and chemicals. Allergies can significantly decrease a patient’s quality of life. Children with allergies may have more fatigue, decreased test scores during allergy season, higher rates of attention-deficit disorder, poor concentration and lower self-esteem. in adults with allergies, work productivity is decreased and patients have higher rates of anxiety and depression.

So how can allergies be treated? The first step is to accurately diagnose the disease. sometimes your primary care provider can do this based on history alone; do you sneeze every time you play in a sage field in the fall? Then maybe you have allergies. if the diagnosis is not clear, or a patient is not getting better with routine treatment, then skin testing may be helpful. Skin testing is the most convenient and least expensive screening method to detect allergic sensitization. Blood tests (traditionally called RAST testing) provide similar information as that obtained with allergen skin tests, though they are more expensive and less sensitive for the diagnosis of allergy to inhalant allergens.

once a diagnosis is made, there are three main components of treatment. The first is to avoid allergens. for some of us, that may be difficult; maybe we don’t want to give away the family dog or perhaps we work outside near sagebrush. The second part of treatment is pharmacotherapy (using drugs). The most effective single therapy is intranasal glucocorticoid sprays (like Flonase). Over-the-counter antihistamines can also help some patients with mild symptoms, but the older ones, like Benadryl, can cause significant sedation. Antihistamine nasal sprays are sometimes prescribed when other medications are ineffective. Steroid shots are no longer indicated for the routine treatment of allergies due to their potential for harmful side effects.

for the patient with severe allergies that does not respond to traditional treatments, immunotherapy is available. Gradual administration of increasing amounts of allergens over time helps to decrease immune response and alleviate allergic symptoms, but this takes one to two years of frequent shots to become effective.

Dr. Julie Lyons is board certified in family medicine. she is seeing patients at St. Luke’s Clinic in Hailey.

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