Forced Air Heaters and Stuffy Noses

We are seeing lots of stuffy noses and nighttime asthma problems lately with the colder weather and use of forced air heaters in the home.  Air ducts that have not been cleaned in the past few years may have dust or mold in them, and when you turn that heater on for the first time, expect a big puff of whatever is in the ducts to be in your bedroom.


Solution?  If you cannot clean the ducts immediately, close off the vent in your bedroom and use a radiant space heater instead.  Or, you could use a vent filter in the register itself to trap some of the particulates.   Taking an antihistamine at night or running your bedroom HEPA filter may also be helpful.

Childhood Asthma and Reflux

Esophageal acid reflux can trigger asthma at any age.  A study recently published in the in the Journal of Asthma suggested that children with higher intensity acid reflux (with abnormal results on esophageal pH monitoring) had more frequent or difficult-to-control nighttime asthma attacks.

It is important to consider GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux, in young children with asthma whose nighttime asthma control is difficult, especially if they are found to have no underlying allergies triggering their asthma.   The age of onset of nighttime uncontrollable asthma was younger for children with abnormal pH results:  3.63 vs. 5.77 years.

This study raises the possibility that some asthmatic children may have coexisting GERD in need of treatment.

Kwiecien J, Nachura E, Halkiewicz F, et al: Clinical features of asthma in children differ with regard to the intensity of distal gastroesophageal acid reflux.  J Asthma. 2011; 48: 366-373.

How Do Kids Describe Their Asthma Symptoms?

It is often difficult to tell what a child is feeling, and they may have a hard time describing symptoms to a parent or the doctor.  A recent study published in the medical journal, Chest, looked at the most common words used by children with moderate to severe asthma, ages 8-15 years, to describe their symptoms of moderate to severe asthma.

The most common descriptions were "My chest feels tight" and "I cannot get enough air in".  This is very similar to the way adults describe their breathlessness.  

But it is important to watch for nonverbal cues that asthma is causing trouble for your child.  Look out for night cough, or a cough triggered by cold drinks, laughter, or running.   Remember also that cough is a more common symptom of asthma than wheezing, which may or may not be heard without the aid of a stethoscope.

Harver A, Schwartzstein RM, Kotses H, et al: Descriptors of breathlessness in children with persistent asthma.  Chest. 2011; 139: 832-838.

Sinus infection, a cold, or allergies?

The phrase "I have sinus problems" has become so common, it is hard to know what it means.  Here are some tips to tell the difference between sinus pressure due to true sinus infection, a cold, or allergies:

SINUS INFECTION (BACTERIAL SINUSITIS):  This is a bacterial infection in the sinuses (which are areas behind the facial bones that should be filled with air).  Signs can range from a wet cough, thick mucus in the throat, discolored (green, yellow, brown or grey) mucus that persists for more than a week or progresses over that time, pain in the upper teeth or cheeks, tenderness between the eyes or a chronic headache, and nasal congestion -- especially if symptoms are on one side only.   Kids tend to cough or vomit mucus as their only symptom.

A COLD (VIRAL RESPIRATORY INFECTION):  Sometimes difficult to distinguish early on from a sinus infection, the tip offs are that multiple people in the household start with similar symptoms within a week of each other (viral infections spread easily), there is a worsening within a few days then gradual improvement, and there may be fever or muscle aches associated for one or two days.

NASAL ALLERGIES:  The biggest clue here is itching of the nose, eyes, ears, or throat.  Repeated sneezing is also more likely to be due to allergies but can happen with colds as well.  Runny nose is usually clear and watery, not discolored.  But congestion and headaches can be just as bad as with sinusitis or viral respiratory infections.

Treatment is different for each of the above, so it is important to make the distinction.  If you have persistent symptoms and need some help with figuring out the reasons, make an appointment and we'll do our best to help you!  Send us a message from our "contact us" page at southbayallergy. com.

Ingredient alert - Burger King onion rings

Burger King resturants would like to inform you that the new onion rings that became available in November contain wheat and milk ingredients. All ingredient declarations are available online on www.bk.com in the nutrition and allergen download section. This nutrition page provides the most up-to-date listing of all ingredients, allergens, and general nutrition information. For more information, contact Burger King at (305)378-3535.

Fires in So Cal and Santa Ana winds make things tough for asthmatics

There are a few very predictable triggers of asthma, and smoke from wildfires is one of them.  With current wildfires popping up around the So Cal area this week, and Santa Ana winds whipping up pollens as well as the fires, this would be a good day to stay indoors if you have asthma.  Even if you are on good controller medications, these conditions can trigger an asthma flare.  So keep safe and enjoy the weekend with some nice indoor plans!

Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free Pumpkin Dip

1.8 oz. package of Tofutti Better Than Cream Chesse non-dairy cream cheese alternative

10 drops liquid stevia herbal sweetener (or substitute other sugar-free sweetener to taste)
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. vanilla extract
chopped pecans (optional, use only if not tree nut allergic)

Mix first six ingredients well. If used, top with chopped pecans. Serve with sliced apples.

Delicious and healthy!