Allergy,
Sinusitis, and Asthma Newsletter
Table of Contents:
1. From the Editors
2. News Links
3. Allergy, Sinusitis, and Asthma Articles
4. Sinusitis Experience - Acupuncture for Sinusitis
5. Feature - New Asthma Study
FROM
THE EDITOR
Welcome
to another edition of the Allergy, Sinusitis, and Asthma newsletter.
And happy Memorial Day Weekend for our US readers.
In
the last issue I asked people if they had an Allergy Plan and
if they cared to share. One person, Tom Hefter shared with me
an article he had written titled "76 Tips to Reduce Dust
Mites and Indoor Allergens." You can read it by clicking
here (this takes you to the article on his Website).
Another
reader, James O'Grady sent us his plan:
"First
and foremost... Go to my doctor to get a check-up. He gives
me an allergy shot, and decides what medication I should be taking.
For now I take an OTC allergy pill and Nasonex and Patonal eye
drops.
Second...
Spring cleaning. open the windows, dust down the house making
sure ceiling fans, shades and windows are clean. Put new filters
in the furnace. Clean out the electrostatic filters.
Third...
Make sure the air conditioner is ready to go, especially if the
pollen count starts popping up.
Fourth...
Take a bath or shower after exposure to allergens. This eases
the itching around the eyes."
Thank
you for that, James!
We're
looking for more Allergy Plans readers may have that we can share
with our readers. Just write down the steps you take to battle
allergy season and send them to us so that we can share them
with other readers.
And
now, on to the rest of this issue's updates...
Cheers,
Joe Tracy,
editor
ASA Newsletter
NEWS LINKS
Here
are the most recent major media articles concerning
allergies, asthma, and sinusitis:
The
TimesPlus : Don't
Blow Off Help for Sinusitis
Quote: "...your physician can help determine
if there is an underlying cause of the rhinosinusitis,
such as a deviated septum, nasal polyps, or poorly
managed allergies. From surgery to polyp removal
to allergy medication, the path of treatment
varies depending on the diagnosis...."
Joplin
Globe : Pollen
Makes May Difficult for Asthma Sufferers
Quote: "...There’s no doubt the effects
of springtime allergies can be frustrating — but
for millions of asthma sufferers nationwide, the
pollen can trigger a potentially deadly reaction.
Pollen is one of many triggers of asthma..."
The
Enquirer: Blood
Test Detects Allergies
Quote: "...Updated technology lets doctors use
a blood test to check patients for hundreds of possible
allergens. For some patients, it’s a more comfortable
alternative to the old standby skin-prick test, in
which tiny amounts of suspected allergens are scratched
onto the skin’s surface..."
ALLERGY,
SINUSITIS AND ASTHMA ARTICLES
Here
are the most recent articles, published by NEWSdial.com, that
deal with allergies, sinusitis, and asthma:
Asthma
Sufferers May Soon Have New Option
A new asthma study has revealed some effective
results from use of a daily pill versus twice a day
use of inhaled steroids to help control the disease... Click
here to read the
entire article.
Owning
Cats Increases Allergy Risks
A new study contradicts other studies about cat
allergies and children. This newest study reveals
that young children are at a higher risk of allergies
when there is a cat in the household... Click
here to read the
entire article.
Balloon
Sinuplasty is Safe
A study released last year shows that Balloon Sinuplasty
is a safe and effective procedure for sinusitis
sufferers... Click
here to read the
entire article.
SINUSITIS
EXPERIENCE - Acupuncture for Sinusitis
...I
had extensive sinus surgery (not endoscopic) that removed the "windows" between
my sinuses. I continued to have sinusitis for five years. I was constantly
on broad spectrum antibiotics and exhausted all the time... Click
here to read the entire experience.
FEATURE
- New Asthma Study Survey Results
A
new survey released this month by the National Consumers League
shows that asthma sufferers in the United States are not exactly
breathing easy these days.
Four
in ten asthma sufferers understand asthma medication categories
somewhat or not at all, and the more recent the diagnosis, the
less knowledgeable adult patients tend to be about asthma. In
addition, 62 percent of adults with severe asthma report being
in fair or poor health, and one quarter of all asthma sufferers
report their condition limits their ability to participate in
sports.
Asthma,
which affects an estimated 20 million Americans, is a condition
of the lungs that, for different individual patients, ranges
from minor inconvenience to serious health threats. As nearly
6 million asthma sufferers are under age 18, it is the most common
chronic childhood disease.
The
National Consumers League commissioned Harris Interactive to
probe into the asthma sufferer experience, researching depth
of knowledge, effects of symptoms, and degree to which treatment
is being pursued. The results are nothing short of troubling.
The survey of 1,105 adults, made up of both asthma patients and
parents of child sufferers, reveals that many asthma sufferers
are experiencing troubling asthma. It sheds light on a disconnect
between how patients rate their asthma condition and the severity
of specific symptoms, and reveals differences in symptoms, treatment
and information-seeking among various demographic populations.
"Asthma
is a highly personal, challenging condition that non-sufferers
may not even be able to fathom. It's an overwhelming, isolating
disease that requires heavy patient involvement and medication
management," said National Consumers League President Linda
Golodner. "It is our hope that our new consumer materials
will help asthma sufferers live well with their asthma."
Major
Findings Asthmatics: A Vulnerable Population:
> Exposure
to triggers. About a third of adult (29 percent) and parents
of child sufferers (35 percent) report living in a household
with at least one smoker.
> Lack
of guidance. Nearly two-in-ten (17 percent) parents of child
sufferers and one-in-ten (10 percent) adult sufferers who have
a medical professional currently managing their asthma, do
not have an asthma treatment plan.
> More
than two-in-ten adult sufferers (22 percent) have not received
any information at all about lifestyle changes they can make
to improve their asthma condition.
> General
Health. 62 percent of adults with severe asthma report being
in fair or poor health.
There
appears to be a disconnect between how adult or parents of child
asthma sufferers describe the severity of their or their child's
asthma and the frequency or severity of symptoms asked of respondents:
> While
88 percent of adult asthma sufferers indicate their asthma
is moderate or mild, at least one-quarter of adult sufferers
report experiencing shortness of breath (29 percent), coughing
(28 percent), and difficulty falling or staying asleep (28
percent) on a weekly basis. Additionally, 31 percent of adults
report having a flare up within the last week.
> Similarly,
90 percent of parents report their child's asthma as mild or
moderate, but nearly 20 percent report their child has very
severe or extremely severe coughing (20 percent), difficulty
breathing (19 percent), wheezing (18 percent), tightness in
chest (18 percent) and difficulty falling or staying asleep
(19 percent).
> The
perceived mild symptoms may translate into underdosing: of
those taking less than the prescribed dose of their fast-acting
inhalers during a flare up, more than six-in-ten parents of
child (67 percent) and adult sufferers (61 percent) do so because
they do not feel their flare up is severe enough.
In
regards to medication use:
> Overdosing.
Of those asthma sufferers who report taking more of their fast
acting inhaler than prescribed, more than half (51 percent) do
so because the prescribed dose took too long.
> Switching
medications. Nearly half of asthma sufferers (43 percent) have
switched controller medications. Almost a quarter (23 percent)
switched because they heard about a better controller medication.
According
to adult asthmatics and parents of child sufferers, asthma is
a condition that limits activities and affects job and school
performance.
> One-quarter
(26 percent) of all asthma sufferers report asthma limits their
ability to participate in sports.
> About
one-in-ten of all asthma sufferers report that their asthma
impacts certain aspects of their work and school performance.
Comparing
the experiences of adult sufferers with parents of child sufferers
reveals a greater level of involvement, concern and anxiety on
the part of parents, who may feel they are advocates for their
child's health:
> Parents
of child sufferers (34 percent) are more likely to contact
their physician than adults (11 percent) when they have questions
between doctor visits.
> Parents
describe their child as having mild (46 percent) or moderate
asthma (44 percent), which is very much under control or completely
under control (75 percent). However, nearly 20 percent experience
some very severe symptoms, and 35 percent report their child
experiences asthma-related symptoms year-round.
> Parents
are more likely to seek all types of information about asthma
than adult sufferers, and parents of child sufferers are more
likely to make lifestyle changes because of their asthma than
are adult asthmatics.
> 63
percent of parents say they understand their children's condition
very or extremely well (compared with 57 percent of adults),
but only 17 percent report that their child currently uses
a Peak Flow meter.
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