A new technique to dilate the eustachian tube, pioneered at Stanford University, might bring relief to some families of young children with frequent ear infections. Among the sufferers are some with anatomically small or scarred eustachian tubes who experience repeating ear blocking and ear fluid. Until now the only help was putting tubes through the ear drum
Allergic diseases arise in response to normally innocuous environmental agents, including airborne allergens and the foods we eat. Why does the immune system cause this mischief and why is it becoming so prevalent? The answer to both these questions is T-regs. T-regs, better known as T-regulatory lymphocytes, were first discovered about 20 years ago. However, over the past 10 years scientists have learned the vital role they play in causing allergy. As their name implies, these cells regulate the immune…
Dear Dr. K: I’ve always heard that carbon monoxide is deadly, but then I read it’s being researched as a transplant medicine. What gives? What gives is the dynamic of toxic levels versus helpful levels. There are many examples of this in the history of medicine. For example, in the pre-antibiotic era, heavy metals such as gold, silver and arsenic were used to treat infections, in very controlled doses. Even oxygen, which we breathe every day, and can be supplemented…
DRESS, a helpful acronym for Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms, is a newly recognized form of allergic reaction. Potentially quite severe, it is important to recognize and stop the offending medication and start proper treatment. The exact pathogenesis is still not fully understood, but it seems to occur because of immune response and reactivation of a latent herpes virus. A form of rash with facial redness and swelling is common, but a measles-type rash also can occur. Other…
Harvard researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital recently finished a detailed study of the use of acetaminophen in asthmatic children. The outcome allows for a sigh of relief. In 2000 British researchers questioned whether acetaminophen use led to exacerbation of wheezing in children. The concern arose because when children are sick with respiratory infections, this common, over -the-counter drug is frequently used to treat fever. So, the question arose: was it the illness itself or, perhaps, the acetaminophen that caused worsening…
What do fireflies, poisonous toads and foxglove flowers have in common? Natural cardiac glycosides. These are cardiac stimulants that can be lethal to humans or pets if they ingest them.
Sambucol elderberry is a natural source of immune enhancement. It seems to have value for helping the immune system fight viral infections.
Sitting too long turns off the enzyme lipoprotein lipase. In sedentary people this enzyme doesn’t break down fat into energy so the fat gets “stored.”
Foods known to induce migraine headaches include cheeses (especially aged cheeses), chocolate, chicken liver, beer, wine, nuts, mushrooms, smoked/pickled meat and fish, bouillon cubes, yoghurt, eggs, soy sauce, MSG and foods with nitrites (hot dogs, bacon, deli-meats).
Dear Dr. K: A while ago you wrote about a British physician who ingested worms to treat his asthma. I recently read a report about “worm therapy” for arthritis. Is this for real? Believe it or not, the answer to your question is yes. Despite the growing sophistication of immunologic research, there are still lessons to be learned from mother nature. Two-billion humans are infected with some form of worm. The main reason for this is poverty and a lack…