Allergy-Associates – Page 38 – 6294 1st Ave N., St Petersburg, FL 33710 (727)345-1900

This dizziness can be relieved

June 12, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is by far the most common type of dizziness, affecting 3 -to-4 percent of the population at some point. Some people have a single, brief attack, whereas others can have repeated and sometimes prolonged episodes. The condition is more common in people over 50, in women more than in men (3:1), in persons with osteopenia or osteoporosis and those low in vitamin D. Dizziness typically occurs while rolling over in bed, getting in or out…

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New psoriasis treatment effective

June 12, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Good news for the roughly 50 percent of psoriasis sufferers whose current treatment fails to control their chronic itching — a novel therapy has been re- ported by researchers at Temple University. Instead of indirectly combatting the itching through steroid creams that reduce skin inflammation, their drug goes right to the specific cause of the itch. The new cream, only called CT327, inhibits TrkA kinase, a compound responsible for pruritis (itching). In the Temple research study there was a 60…

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Dear Doc: Is there such a thing as allergy to ‘cold’?

June 12, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Dear Dr. K.: In cold months I get episodes when my hands get red, swell, itch and burn for days at a time. The problem was even worse when I visited my daughter in Toronto. Could I be allergic to cold? The answer to your question is yes, but I don’t think that is the actual cause of your problem. In the past 20 years there has been an extensive amount of research on a group of conditions called “physical…

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Q – Tips: flu and Q Fever

June 12, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Q-Fever is a flu mimic that causes prolonged flu- like symptoms and pneumonia. It is caused by a small bacterium Coxiella Burnetii, which is re- leased from infected female mammals, especially when they give birth: cattle, sheep, cats, dogs and rabbits. There was a recent series of cases at a Florida school, where a classroom rabbit had bunnies, exposing the children.

Q – Tips: FODMAPS

June 12, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Avoiding carbs known as FODMAPS (trust me, you don’t have to know the acronym’s long name), may help prevent irritable bowel syndrome. Vocabulary words to remember for these short-chain carbohydrates include fructose, lactose, fructans (found in wheat), galactans and polyol sweeteners. Remembering this list is important in fending off this painful syndrome because the body has a hard time absorbing these items. They remain in the GI tract and become a source of “GI tumult” when the gut bacteria ferment…

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Q – Tips: Seeds and health

June 12, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Seeds can be a concentrated source of health. Flax seed lowers blood pressure and reduces risk for breast and prostate cancer. Sunflower seeds have also been linked to reduced risk for breast cancer. Other studies show benefits for improved cognitive function. Pumpkin seeds raise the good cholesterol (HDL) and also re- duce breast cancer risk.

Balancing act’s role in prevention

May 1, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

A number of immune-modulator drugs are used today with good success in treating rheumatoid arthritis. The object of a study recently written up in Arthritis Research and Therapy was to see which ones reduced the benefit of flu vaccine. As it turns out the drugs that work on tumor necrosis factor (TNF) had only a mild effect in reducing antibody production from flu vaccine. These drugs include Humira, Enbrel, Remicade and Cimzia. Drugs that severely reduced antibody production were Rituxan…

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Histamine therapy for eczema back in favor after research

May 1, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Eczema affects up to 20 percent of the population and its incidence is steadily increasing. Eczema is often difficult to treat because it is a multi-factorial disease with numerous causes and triggers. One therapy that has gone in and out of favor is the use of antihistamines. Proponents argue about their benefit based on positive responses in many patients. Detractors argue that they don’t help everyone, and that all they are capable of doing is controlling the itch, not really…

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Mastering asthma rescue dose technique a ‘must’

May 1, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Dear Dr. K: How can I be sure my four-year old asthmatic daughter actually gets her rescue inhaler dose? That is an excellent question and one that all parents of asthmatics should ask themselves. There are actually several ways to answer your question. On a very practical level, if the symptom you were treating (cough, wheeze, shortness of breath) goes away within a few minutes of the treatment, then most likely, your daughter got the medicine and it helped. Also,…

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New approach works on virulent TB type

May 1, 2014 Stephen J. Klemawesch, MD

Patients afflicted with multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis – 170,000 of whom died in 2013 of this untreatable (at least with antibiotics) form – may take hope from new research reported in Lancet this month. New studies are investigating a novel therapy using infusions of autologous mesenchymal stromal cells (AMSC) to improve immune response against this virulent strain. The new therapy is actually working for many patients.