Dr. Michael Zacharisen

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

No: Aspergillus is a common fungus and the vast majority of individuals have no reaction or infection to aspergillus. Allergies to aspergillus mold are f... Read More

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5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 41-year-old member asked:

What are the allergy treatments for people allergic to cats?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Several available: Avoidance is the most effective, but that means not having a cat in the house and limiting contact. Antihistamines can help minimize symptoms, but nas... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 27-year-old member asked:

How can you tell if you have fungal sinusitis?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Tests needed: Fungal sinusitis can be allergic or invasive. Allergic fungal sinusitis is associated with one-sided nasal polyps, thick discolored nasal mucus, decr... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 23-year-old member asked:

What are the common inhaled steroids?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

5 available: The common inhaled steroids are: qvar=beclomethasone alvesco=ciclesonide flovent=fluticasone pulmicort=budesonide asmanex=mometasone most of t... Read More

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5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Aaron Milstone agrees1 doctor agrees

A 34-year-old member asked:

If allergic to the olive trees, are you allergic to olives themselves?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

No: Olive tree allergy such as european olive tree typically refers to pollen produced by the tree and shed during the spring. The edible olive should no... Read More

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4.2k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged

Dr. Marsha Davis agrees1 doctor agrees

A 51-year-old female asked:

My grandson has abad cough what do i need to do.?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Identify trigger: The way to approach a cough is to determine the trigger or cause of the cough. There are multiple potential reasons ranging from infections to allerg... Read More

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5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Charlene Sojico agrees1 doctor agrees

A 36-year-old member asked:

What's an immune response?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Multiple layers: It is the body's response to attacks from foreign material. The response is typically the production of igg, igm and IgA antibodies to fight infectio... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 25-year-old female asked:

What caused my allergic reaction?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Common question: An allergist is frequently asked to identify the cause of the allergic reaction. Reviewing the symptoms is a good start---cough, wheezing, runny nose... Read More

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5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 29-year-old male asked:

I took zyrtec at 5 pm and benadryl (diphenhydramine) 9 pm is that ok?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Yes but why?: While there shouldn't be an issue with these 2 antihistamines, it would be helpful to know what the underlying trigger is in an effort to avoid needin... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

11 thanks

A 29-year-old member asked:

Is it ok to take ventolin and if i have an asthma attack while pregnant?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Yes: Ventolin (albuterol) is a quick relief medication for the treatment of cough, wheezing, chest tightness and/or shortness of breath due to bronchospasm... Read More

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5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 41-year-old member asked:

Always have a congested nose, unless i take nose spray containing oxymetazoline?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Overuse addiction: Topical nasal decongestants containing oxymetazoline are notorious for leading to rhinitis medicamentosa. This is a type of addiction where use of th... Read More

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5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 40-year-old female asked:

Cotton feeling throat and lungs. cannot breathe in cold air cough like seal. when sleeping wake up coughing sometimes, is this asthma?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Maybe: Asthma symptoms are cough, wheeze, shortness of breath and/or chest tightness that is recurrent. It typically worsens at night and with exercise. Th... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Nela Cordero and another doctor agree2 doctors agree

15 thanks

A 20-year-old female asked:

I have a stuffed up nose sore throught can't speak in the morning cough mucus in lungs in morning. i'm miserable help i also have asthma?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Don't delay: Asthma is not a disease to take lightly or ignore. If night time symptoms occur more than twice a month or day symptoms more than twice a week, asthm... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 47-year-old member asked:

Can having a milk allergy cause circles to form under the eyes?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Less likely: Typically dark circles under the eyes, termed infraorbital darkening or allergic shiners, is due to environmental allergies with nasal congestion and ... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 25-year-old female asked:

I had a cough since january and wont go away. its a dry cough and every time i do right side of my chest hurts. its been hurting more even if breathin?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Chronic cough: Cough that is persisting could indicate a serious problem. Asthma is a frequent cause of cough and chest tightness. One sided chest pain suggests e... Read More

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5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 56-year-old female asked:

How to fix allergy tiredness?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Excellent question: Allergic rhinitis is associated with fatigue, tiredness, and irritability in addition to the usual nasal and eye symptoms. By treating the allergies ... Read More

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5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Nayla Mumneh and another doctor agree2 doctors agree

A 26-year-old female asked:

Sharp chest pain right side. cough, sore throat, & stuffy nose last 10 days. negative strep & chest xray. what's causing chest pain? lungs? ribs?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Pleurisy: A condition called pleuritis or pleurisy is inflammation of the pleura (lining between the lung and the chest wall). This pain can be more one-sided ... Read More

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5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

5 thanks

A 25-year-old female asked:

My 3yr old woke up wheezing, complaining about his throat and tummy hurting. he has a bad bad cough and runny nose what do i do? & what does he have

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Possible virus: Wheezing, cough and runny nose can be symptoms of a virus. Frequently there is fever as well. If these symptoms have occurred before or become recur... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Martin Raff agrees1 doctor agrees

A 28-year-old male asked:

What is the definition or description of: malabsorption syndrome?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Not absorbing well: Malabsorption is the diminished absorption of dietary nutrients from the intestine. The primary symptom is diarrhea. There are multiple causes of d... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A female asked:

Why do my hives turn into whiteheads?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Reconsider hives: Hives are round to oval, raised, red, itchy welts that can occur anywhere on the body. Sometimes the middle of the raised hive appears lighter in col... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Joel Selter and another doctor agree2 doctors agree

5 thanks

A 52-year-old female asked:

Chronic hives treatment

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Many options: First try to identify the trigger. Some patients are sensitive to nsaids like ibuprofen. Stress, heat and hormones may aggravate symptoms. See an a... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 17-year-old male asked:

Does keratosis pilerius cause itchiness all over with red bumps on hair follicles?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Yes, sometimes: Keratosis pilaris is the accentuated hair follicles and are small raised and frequently red. Sometimes they itch, but many times there is no itching.... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 35-year-old member asked:

What would having low complement levels indicate?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Low complement: Low levels of complement are seen in persons with complement deficiency who are prone to recurrent infections as well as in certain autoimmune conditi... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Kenny Chuu and another doctor agree2 doctors agree

A 28-year-old male asked:

What is the definition or description of: zyrtec (cetirizine) d?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Allergy medicine: Zyrtec (cetirizine) d is an over the counter preparation approved for the treatment of seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis in persons over 12 yea... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Anifat Balogun agrees1 doctor agrees

A male asked:

Can the allergie medicine zyrtec (cetirizine) cause constant ringing in the ear?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Possible but rare: Zyrtec is an antihistamine and in about 1.26% of users had tinnitus or ear ringing. This should resolve when the drug is stopped. High doses of Aspi... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 43-year-old male asked:

Can i take allegra (fexofenadine) d 24 hour with nyquil cold flu?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Allegra (fexofenadine) D : For treating allergies, Allegra (fexofenadine) d has been shown to be effective and safe. There is likely not much to be gained with adding nyquil ex... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

6 thanks

A 34-year-old male asked:

My daughter who is eleven has oozing blisters on her hands that itch and hurt she also has a sore throat and runny nose?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Hand-foot-mouth : Hand-foot- mouth disease starts with fever, low appetite, feeling unwell, and sore throat. 1-2 days later, painful sores develop in the mouth with bli... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 19-year-old male asked:

18m child had previous 3 attacks of urticaria and received oral steroids but not investigated, are there any useful investigation to be advised

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Testing options: If hives have been going on longer than 4-6 weeks, there may be usefulness to perform laboratory tests. If the hives have been intermittent, the bes... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Jeffrey Rosch agrees1 doctor agrees

A 25-year-old male asked:

A.o.a sir my lymphocytes high 42.3 and neutrophils low 38.2 and i am allergic to dust mites ..?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Need allergy test: The lymphocyte count and neutrophil count as obtained on the CBC (complete blood count) are not sufficient to identify dust mite allergy. These numb... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 26-year-old female asked:

Can allergic reaction to fruit cause a pea-size lump inside my tongue? it's tender but not painful, slight swelling. what can i do?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Sounds unusual: Many allergic reactions cause mild swelling and frequently cause itching. Tenderness or nodules is not a common symptom of allergic reactions. A tho... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Barry Lycka agrees1 doctor agrees

A 39-year-old female asked:

My daughter is 16 and has asthma and receives injections every two weeks called xolair and has been on her period for 3 months. her menstrual cycle has been extremely heavy with clotting at times. she has an appointment with a gynecologist. just wanting s

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Unlikely Xolair: Xolair is a monoclonal antibody treatment for asthma and chronic hives. It has a low risk of severe allergic reactions so good to have an EpiPen avai... Read More

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360 viewsReviewed Jun 22, 2021

Dr. Timothy Perozek agrees1 doctor agrees

A member asked:

Can i take azitromicina and clarinex (desloratadine) together? sinus infection

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Yes: Azithromycin is an antibiotic and is used for treating sinus infections. Clarinex (desloratadine) is a new generation antihistamine and will neither ... Read More

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5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Nayla Mumneh agrees1 doctor agrees

A 44-year-old male asked:

My sense of smell is not good. i can smell some odors just a little. i have allergies to pollen during march. are my allergies the reason. why?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Maybe allergies: A decreased sense of smell can be related to significant nasal congestion and obstruction from allergies during your allergy season. Another possibil... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Brant Ward agrees1 doctor agrees

A 45-year-old member asked:

I don't have asthma and recently had an upper respiratory infection. how can i get rid of it?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Sinus infection: Most viral respiratory infections will resolve spontaneously after 7=10 days. Persistent cold like symptoms is suggestive of sinus infection. Freque... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Thomas Klein agrees1 doctor agrees

A 28-year-old male asked:

Please describe the medication: vistaril (hydroxyzine)?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Old antihistamine: Vistaril (hydroxyzine) is Hydroxyzine (aka atarax) a first generation antihistamine that is used as a sedative to treat anxiety and tension. It is st... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Gary Steven and 3 doctors agree4 doctors agree

A 38-year-old female asked:

Currently taking claritin and benadryl (diphenhydramine) for allergies. would it be safe to instead take clairtin and chlorpheniramine? should be temporary.

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

If necessary: All the medications mentioned are antihistamines. Claritin (loratadine) is a new generation one and Benadryl (diphenhydramine) and chlorpheniramine a... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 35-year-old female asked:

What is the normal range for ige in an adult?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Very low: Ige is the immunoglobulin (ig) present in the lowest concentration in normal serum. At levels of 0 to 0.002 mg/ml, it represents only about 1/100th ... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Thomas Klein agrees1 doctor agrees

A 32-year-old female asked:

Can i take allegra and claritin (loratadine) together?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Not necessary: Both Allegra (fexofenadine) and Claritin (loratadine) are new generation antihistamines. There is no particular advantage to taking both together. O... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Alan Ali and 2 doctors agree3 doctors agree

24 thanks

A 32-year-old female asked:

I'm 3 and a half months pregnant, can i take over-the-counter allergy or cold medication?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Yes, some: Both Claritin and zyrtec are rated category b for pregnancy. These antihistamines can be effective and lack the drowsy side effects of medication li... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 32-year-old male asked:

Am hypersensitive to cats dogss perfume candles lotion s soaps etc dr did bloodwork negative for dogs dust cats trees grasses im 6 months post partum?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Skin tests?: There can be falsely negative results with allergy blood tests to pollen and animal dander. For these, a skin test could add more information and pot... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 27-year-old female asked:

I have been stuffy, sneezing, coughing, watery eyes runny nose and sore thrat all day. i have taken nyquil. now i am having sharp chest pain. why?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Couple possibilities: Sharp chest pain can be a symptom of asthma especially since the other symptoms of runny nose and watery eyes suggest allergies. Asthma and allergies... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Michael Sparacino and 2 doctors agree3 doctors agree

A 22-year-old female asked:

My little boy has got a really bad cough which lasts 2-3mins at a time runny nose and temp?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Cold virus: Symptoms of cough in the context of runny nose and fever suggests a viral illness. The cough should improve as the cold does as well. The cough coul... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Darrell Herrington agrees1 doctor agrees

A 38-year-old female asked:

I have a faint rash to my neck/cheek, asthma diagnosis 2 yrs ago requiring freq streriods, migraines, and chronic neck/upper back pain. could this be lupus?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Need evaluation: Lupus is an autoimmune disorder where the body "reacts against self" for unknown reasons. Lupus can be difficult to diagnose and requires blood tests... Read More

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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. David Rosenfeld agrees1 doctor agrees

A member asked:

What is the relationship with high neutrophil and asthma? i have had morning cough from nov-jan. chest x-ray is clear; wheezing and sob on exam.

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Not too much: A high neutrophil count on a CBC (complete blood count) can be found after a patient has taken Prednisone (oral steroids). It can also be seen under... Read More

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5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Ed Friedlander and another doctor agree2 doctors agree

A 20-year-old female asked:

How well tolerated is claritin (loratadine) reditabs. are there any serious side effects that would include breathing problems ? how rare is it

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Well tolerated: Claritin reditabs (loratadine) is an over-the-counter newer generation antihistamine that is usually very well tolerated. Difficulty breathing should... Read More

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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

A 32-year-old female asked:

My 6 month old has dark brown ear wax in her right ear. we were just at the dr for her check up, no problems. could it be an infection w/o a fever?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Not necessarily: Ear wax or cerumen has many colors. Sometimes it is yellow o white but frequently it is dark brown. If there are no other symptoms suggestive of inf... Read More

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5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

1 comment

A 32-year-old female asked:

Can allergy shots cause headaches/migraines shortly after injection?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Possible: The most common adverse reactions following allergy immunotherapy (allergy shots) is a small local reaction at the site of the injection. There is th... Read More

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5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Nayla Mumneh agrees1 doctor agrees

12 thanks

A 30-year-old member asked:

Is it possible for a milk allergy to come out as gas in your joints?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

No: Milk allergy manifests as hives, itching, worsening eczema, vomiting, diarrhea, anaphylaxis, occasionally as bloody stools in newborns and rarely as "... Read More

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5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Kristin Sokol agrees1 doctor agrees

A 40-year-old member asked:

What are the best ways to lower the chances of me getting the flu?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Influenza vaccine: The best way to prevent the influenza virus infection is to receive the influenza vaccine as well as good hygiene (hand washing etc) and staying away ... Read More

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5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Henry Selke agrees1 doctor agrees

A 23-year-old female asked:

I gave my 6 year old daughter claritin (loratadine) this morning at 10 a.m. and now it is 5 p.m. can i give her childrens muciex right?

Allergy and Immunology 35 years experience

Yes: There is no drug interaction between Mucinex (guaifenesin) which does not contain an antihistamine and Claritin (loratadine) which is an antihistamine... Read More

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5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago