Until this month, I only associated the word ‘bootleg’ with the era of ‘Prohibition’ (of alcohol) during the ‘Roaring Twenties’ (1920s) and with a quarterback play during football games. However, historians and those with allergies and asthma will record and remember this month for the ‘Bootleg Fire’—named for the location in...
Earlier this month, a physician whom I’ve known since our high school days called me to ask my thoughts about a chronic bumpy rash on sun-exposed areas of one of his co-workers. Besides quoting the phrase ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ (which, by the way, is attributed to an early 20th century American advertising manager),...
Approximately 50% of households have pets based on statistics from animal food suppliers. The dander from the pet is the major culprit that causes allergic symptoms. Dander is composed of microscopic skin cells shed by cats, dogs, rodents and birds. The American Lung Association describes pet allergens as light in weight and jagged in...
More than a few patients ask us if buying an air cleaner or air purifier helps control allergic symptoms. Running an air purifier can help to improve indoor air quality by filtering the air to remove odors and animal dander. The Air Purifier Buying Guide of March 2020 from Consumer Reports states that portable air purifiers with HEPA...
In a few hours, we enter a new year and a new decade (depending on whether one counts from zero to nine or from one to ten) with hope for the world and for ourselves. The new year is also the start of people being able to buy marijuana in Illinois for recreational use. According to yesterday’s Chicago Tribune, two business chains that...
In June, I discussed the topic of whether there are hypoallergenic dogs. The question should probably be whether the person is hypoallergic. Scientific studies do not support the existence of a hypoallergenic breed of dog. However, wide variation between individual dogs within a breed exists. The variation may allow a dog-allergic...