NYC Allergist | NYC Allergy Doctor

Forbidden Fruit in the Spring Allergy Season

birch tree in spring I saw several youngsters this past week in my office, ages 5 to 13, really getting pounded with allergies. One boy’s face was swollen and his eyes were red and tearing. Another girl couldn’t stop sneezing and her nose was bleeding from constantly blowing to ” get out the snot” as she put it. Another boy said his throat was itching him a lot, and he wished he could reach down his throat to scratch it. I think you get the picture: it was a tough week if you are allergic to tree pollen. Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Oz and Dr. Dean Agree: Sublingual Allergy Drops Can Help Allergy Patients!

I watched with excitement last Tuesday as Dr. Oz presented his show:

The Worst Allergy Season Ever!

I was curious if he was just going to make his viewers aware that pollen allergies can be severe this year, or whether he was going to introduce a new remedy. I watched with amazement as he asked the allergist on the show, “what about all this talk on Allergy Drops?” My colleague, Dr. Bassett, mentioned that he was aware that allergy drops are now being used to help children and adults with all types of airborne allergies. I was so excited to see this happen on national television. Finally, Allergy Drops are getting the attention they deserve! Read the rest of this entry »

Doctors Thinking About You

We’d like to invite you to sample our newly designed newsletter Doctors Thinking About You… The name is inspired by a joke we often share with patients:

“When you make an appointment with one of us, you are actually getting 2 doctors thinking about your case.”

Even when you’re not here, we are thinking about you. You see, we always confer on cases as a team, and this collaboration gives us more successful outcomes. Read the rest of this entry »

The Worst Allergy Season Ever! Don’t Worry, My Tips Will Keep You Protected

The Worst Allergy Season Ever seems to be the headline every spring. It alarms those that typically suffer with pollen allergies, and it worries others who think it’s contagious. The real secret to getting through a bad allergy season is to take some precautions before the season ever begins. The other key is to use the correct medicines when certain symptoms begin, and to not let allergic inflammation get too advanced. Some unfortunate individuals suffer from both tree pollen AND grass pollen allergies. Read the rest of this entry »

Food Allergy Treatment: “Failure is Not an Option!”

Today’s New York Times Magazine (March 10, 2013) has a lead story on the work of Dr. Kari Nadeau at Stanford and her ground-breaking research on food allergy. I had the pleasure to hear Dr. Nadeau lecture at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology meeting in Orlando in 2012. I met with her after the lecture and got the sense she was determined to treat children with food allergies and give them hope. Until now, the party line in medicine for food allergies is avoidance. This is obvious, and you don’t need a doctor to tell you that. But now, there is clear evidence that children can be desensitized to food either by oral or sublingual allergy immunotherapy. Read the rest of this entry »

New Food Allergy Device that will Save Lives!

I was reading the New York Times Business section on Saturday and learned something I hadn’t seen in a medical journal: a new breakthrough device to help children and adults treat a severe allergic reaction from a food or insect sting with more peace of mind. The device, called Auvi-Q, is an epinephrine injection with automated voice instructions. Read the rest of this entry »

Don’t Be Flu-ish: Allergies and Immunity regarding the Flu Vaccine

I meant to say, “Don’t be foolish!” The influenza virus is spreading at alarming speed, and only recently are New Yorkers and other states taking it seriously. There is almost no good reason to not get an influenza shot or nasal mist. Unless a child has asthma, the flu mist is a must to prevent the more severe symptoms that can accompany this virus. Children and adults with asthma are advised to get the flu shot which for them is considered safer. The only relative contraindication to the influenza vaccine is a severe egg allergy, in individuals that have had anaphylaxis. Read the rest of this entry »

Allergy Prescriptions for Back to School: Information Every Parent Should Know

This time of year I get lots of calls and forms to fill out from parents who have children in school that need their allergy prescriptions filled out for the school nurse. The main prescriptions are for the EpiPen, which is the injectable adrenaline used for severe allergic reactions to foods or insect stings. The other prescriptions are for asthma inhalers, in case a child experiences an acute asthma attack. This is routine for my office- but it should be anything but routine for parents whose child needs to have these medications available and be used in case of an allergic or asthmatic emergency. Read the rest of this entry »

Egg Allergy Relief: Tests Show Oral Immunotherapy Works!

Allergy drops have been and found effective for many people tested for egg allergies.

The New England Journal of Medicine published an article this week titled “Oral Immunotherapy for Treatment of Egg Allergy in Children“. The lead author was Dr. Wesley Burks, president of the Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. The significant finding is that oral immunotherapy can desensitize a high proportion of children with egg allergy. In the long run, oral immunotherapy can induce long-standing protection against egg sensitivity so that children can continue to eat eggs after the treatment is stopped. Read the rest of this entry »

Women Olympians Diagnosed with Asthma…Who Later Found Out They Didn’t Have Asthma

An Olympic athlete needs all the oxygen they can get to perform at their peak.

It’s very exciting with the Olympics just a few weeks away to watch these incredible athletes, who have devoted their lives to this moment, get a chance to perform their exercise genius. I also find it interesting to hear the different stories from these Olympians and the challenges they have had to overcome to reach their goals. One of the most difficult challenges for any Olympian has to be a medical condition that interferes with their endurance. A breathing disorder, like asthma, is an incredible challenge physically and mentally to any athlete. Read the rest of this entry »