Chronic cough is one of the most frequent conditions that we see in our practice and can often be very frustrating to deal with! It can result due to a large number of conditions (or even a combination of multiple!); some of which include postnasal drip, infection, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), certain medications, or silent (cough-variant) asthma.
A drug allergy can occur due to the immune system recognizing a drug as foreign, and triggering an immune system that can range from a rash to more severe, systemic reactions that can be life threatening. Penicillin allergy is of particular importance for patients. More than 80% of people that have a true penicillin allergy will have lost the sensitivity in 10 years. Penicillin is associated with the least amount of complications and an important tool to keep or reintroduce into your arsenal against fighting infection.
Eosinophils are a white blood cell that is an important part of the immune system, especially in regards to allergies and defense against parasites. Their elevation can also be the sign of more serious underlying conditions due to their overstimulation or build up in various organs in the body.
Allergic rhinitis, or nasal allergies, are inflammation of the nasal passages as a result of our body’s immune system inappropriately responding to certain particles in the air, such as pollen, dust mite and pets. Symptoms can include a variety of annoying symptoms, including sneezing, itching, nasal congestion, runny nose, and postnasal drip.
Chronic Rhinosinusitis involves inflammation of the nasal passages as well as sinuses, which are air-filled cavities located in the bones around the nose and eyes. It can present with or without nasal polyps. Symptoms usually include feeling like having a sinus infection that never fully resolves, or recurrent sinus infections. Oftentimes, nasal allergies occur with chronic rhinosinusitis.