Breathing and Allergies

Your symptoms sound consistent with upper respiratory infection rather than allergy. The negative allergy test confirms this. These infections are treated according to symptoms. Medications can include Tylenol ... continue reading  about  For 15 years I've gotten sinus infections in spring and fall. Symptoms include sore throat, fever, nasal drainage, respiratory infection, and rash. I've been tested for allergies (negative). Do you have any idea what this is and how I can treat it?

A cold will typically start with a sore throat, then lead to thick yellow or green mucus and possibly a cough. The symptoms last about seven to 10 days. Allergy symptoms include itchy eyes and throat, and clear... continue reading  about  My 6-year-old daughter has recently been sneezing, coughing and is tired. How can I tell if this is caused by allergies or if it's a common cold?

There are two reasons that bee pollen would not be expected to help with allergies:The type of pollen that bees carry is not the kind of pollen that causes allergy. It's the wind-transported pollen that causes ... continue reading  about  Does bee pollen help reduce allergies?

Mild intermittent asthma is defined as:One bronchodilator (Proventil) usage no more than twice a week ANDWaking up at night with asthma no more than twice a month ANDExacerbation of asthma resulting in an unsch... continue reading  about  My asthma is intermittent and mild. Is the Proventil inhaler the best treatment? Are there any side effects? Is there a more natural method to manage asthma? And are there effective dust and other airborne allergen removers?

Black mold can look menacing, but generally is benign. The primary symptoms that could occur would be from inhaling mold, including nasal stuffiness, nasal mucus drainage, cough, and occasionally shortness of b... continue reading  about  I found alot of black mold in my home. What are symptoms that mold is affecting me?

Neti pots use normal saline to rinse the nose of excess mucous. Normal saline is water to which salt is added and has the same degree of saltiness as your body's fluids. Saline rinses temporarily relieve nasal ... continue reading  about  A friend uses a neti pot and swears that it has reduced her allergies (sinus congestion and headaches) by 75 percent or more. How does the neti pot work and is it safe?

The tendency to be allergic is inherited, but the specific allergens that one is allergic to are not necessarily inherited. For instance, one family member can be allergic to pollen and another to dust mites, f... continue reading  about  Are some allergies and asthma inherited? My sister and I seem to be allergic to the same foods and pollens. Also do children ever outgrow these conditions?

The mechanism for spring and fall allergy is the same but the triggers are different. Spring allergy in Northern California is mainly caused by tree and grass pollen. (Read our article on Central Valley Allerg... continue reading  about  What are the differences between spring and fall allergies in Northern California? Are there different triggers?

I have always recommended using distilled, bottled, or filtered water for nasal rinses. An alternative could be boiling tap water for at least five minutes. Municipal tap water should also be safer than well wa... continue reading  about  I was alarmed by an article about deaths related to using tap water in a neti pot. I have been using only tap water. Should I change to filtered, bottled or distilled water?