Allergies

• 10 – 30% of adults in the U.S. have allergic rhinitis
• More than 25% of households are affected by allergies
• A single Ragweed plant can release 1 million pollen grains in just one day
• In children, if left untreated, nasal allergies can lead to facial growth issues and orthodontic problems
• If both your parents have allergies, your risk of developing allergies is greater than 50%
• 90% of all fatal food allergic reactions are from peanuts and nuts— Don’t take this allergy lightly!
• Allergy shots (immunotherapy injections) are the only “disease-modifying” treatment for environmental allergies; the effect can be long lasting, even after the injections are discontinued.
• Honey bees sting once (barbed stinger), while yellow jackets, wasps and hornets can sting multiple times (no barb on stinger)….. yikes!
• Penicillin allergy resolves spontaneously in 75% of patients after 15 years of avoidance—- good news!
• IgG testing for allergies is inappropriate and wastes your time and money

Asthma

• The most effective treatment for persistent asthma is inhaled corticosteroids, i.e.  Qvar, Asmanex, Pulmicort...
• Patients only take their corticosteroid inhalers 44 – 72% of the time.
• Mold allergy is a risk factor for severe, life-threatening and fatal asthma— Good info to have!
• During pregnancy, a mother’s asthma may get better (⅓), worse (⅓) or not change in severity (⅓)
• You don’t have to have an “attack” to have asthma; symptoms can be subtle and variable.
• Some people with asthma only cough and do not have wheezing, shortness of breath or chest tightness.
• Only 10% of children and adults have correct inhaler technique (doctors are not much better!)
• Most children who develop asthma have symptoms before 3 years old.
• Study finds 65%-75% of asthmatic adults have an allergy.
  

Feel free to use these facts in trivia games or water cooler conversations.  Awareness precedes enlightenment!