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Dermographism: I scratch, therefore I hive!
Dermographism literally means “skin writing.” While firm stroking of the skin usually leaves some redness and occasionally mild raised areas, about 5% of normal young people have a conspicuous and exaggerated response called simple dermographism. There is no associated itching and this is in the …
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Beware of those exotic nuts!
More nuts (actually they are seeds from a botanical standpoint) can trigger food allergic reactions: Hazelnut: Corylus avellana is also known as filbert nut or cobnut. They are very common in the U.S. diet and used to make pralines, nutella spread and Frangelico liqueur. It only …
Nut allergy
An estimated 1.8 million Americans (between 0.4%-0.6% of the population) have an allergy to tree nuts. About 35-50% of peanut allergic patients can also be allergic to at least one tree nut. In culinary terms, these foods are called nuts, but botanically they are seeds. The …
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Fatal peanut allergy
It has happened again. Last month, 11-year old Tanner in St. George, Utah, died from a severe anaphylactic reaction due to peanuts. He bit down on, but did not ingest, the peanut butter-stuffed pretzel. Within minutes, his tongue and throat began to swell. While being …
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Eosinophil awareness!
The number of individuals being diagnosed with eosinophilic disorders especially eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is on the rise! This is a challenging disorder that frequently requires the expertise of several specialties including GI physicians, allergists and nutritionists. The eosinophil is one of the white blood cells …
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Raise Your Hand for Anaphylaxis Awareness™ $15,000 grants available!
Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis™ has launched Raise Your Hand for Anaphylaxis Awareness™ - a community-driven competition designed to bring attention to the issue of life-threatening allergic reactions, or anaphylaxis. Sponsored by Mylan Specialty L.P., the Raise Your Hand initiative is a unique competition to raise awareness and preparedness for severe …
Can a person be allergic to coffee or caffeine?
We love our coffee! Approximately 1.4 billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide every day. The coffee we drink is rich in anti-oxidants and may have positive health effects. But, can coffee cause allergic reactions? Allergic reactions to coffee typically occur in workers handling green …
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Milk Allergy: By the Numbers
Milk allergy is one of the most common food allergies in U.S. children; affecting 1 to 5% of children. Symptoms of milk allergy can range from mild to fatal. A study in the May 2013 issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology reports: 20%: …
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Aspirin Allergy
Aspirin can save lives! Aspirin allergy can take lives! What happens if I’m allergic to aspirin? Several types of adverse reactions can occur after taking aspirin. Aspirin-Induced Asthma also known as AERD (Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease): within 3 hours of taking aspirin or NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory) …
That white cottony stuff blowing around in the air is not pollen!
But it is impressive! Those fluffy white “parachutes” are the fruit capsule with numerous “hairy” seeds from the Salicaceae family of trees. While they are very visible and frequently blamed for allergy symptoms, the allergy sufferer is most likely reacting to less visible (microscopic size) …