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! |
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