This spring, protect yourself from those triggers that you know will make you uncomfortable.
Photo: Corina/Pixabay
by Paul Arco OSF Healthcare
ESCANABA, MI - If you grew up without suffering from seasonal allergies, consider yourself one of the lucky ones.
But if you’ve reached your 40s or 50s and are now feeling miserable during the spring and fall months, welcome to the club. Adult-onset allergies are a real thing. And it happens to a lot of people.
Nearly 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. have seasonal allergies, eczema, or food allergies, according to recent data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nearly 75% of those are older than 45. Many of those people developed allergies in adulthood or were not diagnosed until they were adults.
Experts are unclear why or how allergies develop in adulthood. Some theories include moving from one geographic region to another, having a reduced immune system or owning a pet for the first time in your life. There is a belief, however, that having one severe allergic reaction or symptoms during childhood can increase your chances of developing allergies as an adult.
Breanne Gendron OSF Nurse Practitioner
Many people who develop allergy symptoms early in life will outgrow their allergies by their 20s or 30s. But, really, it’s possible to develop an allergy to something – whether it’s an animal or pollen – at any point in life.
“People will have them as kids and sometimes grow out of it,” says Breanne Gendron, a nurse practitioner with OSF HealthCare. “Then the alternative happens, where something starts bothering you as you age. That’s when we teach you about all the different medications you can use to control your symptoms.”
Gendron says most people are bothered by things that bloom and that includes trees and grass in the spring. Ragweed pollen or other weed pollen are problematic in the fall. Spores from molds and fungi are typically around in warm-weather months. And don’t forget about house dust mite allergens, which tend to be present throughout the year.
Most allergy symptoms, while annoying, are mild. Examples are sneezing, itchy eyes and runny nose. In her practice, Gendron notices more adults suffering from sinus infections with their allergy issues, more so than her younger patients.
“The dilemma about having untreated allergies is that you can get extra congestion in your sinuses, which could lead to a sinus infection,” Gendron says. “When you get pressure in your face, and you generally feel a little rundown, then we want to treat you for that.”
Gendron recommends treating allergies with a combination of oral antihistamines, eye drops and steroid nasal sprays. Allergy shots may be in order as well. But first, talk to your doctor to see if you are a candidate for a skin test to determine your specific allergies. “Once the medication gets your symptoms to calm down, you can generally keep it in check with less medication,” she says.
There are other things you can do to help minimize your symptoms. Gendron recommends things like eliminating carpet in your bedroom and washing your sheets regularly to eliminate dust. Consider taking a shower before bedtime, especially after being outside, and keep the windows closed at night to prevent pollen from entering the home.
This spring, protect yourself from those triggers that you know will make you uncomfortable.
“If you are bothered by something in the environment and you know that it bothers you, such as mowing the grass or raking leaves, do yourself a favor by wearing a mask to prevent yourself from breathing in more allergens,” she adds. “And take your allergy pills before you do those things, to make sure that you're going to have less of a reaction.”
PEORIA - A Tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in Kansas City, Kansas, has people on edge, with not much public knowledge about the disease or how to prevent it.
The Kansas Department of Health & Environment reported as of January 31, 67 people were infected in the latest outbreak. Two people died and roughly half have finished treatment and are considered cured.
What is Tuberculosis?
Dr. Sharjeel Ahmad OSF Healthcare
“TB is referred to as ‘the great mimicker,’ says Sharjeel Ahmad, MD, a staff physician of infectious disease with OSF HealthCare, meaning the signs and symptoms are like many other viruses and bacterial infections people get.
“Tuberculosis is a very contagious bacterial infection,” Dr. Ahmad says. “It’s caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is spread when people cough, sneeze or spit. So, if you cough, spit or sneeze, you generate tiny particles. When someone else inhales that, you can get infected by TB.”
While active TB disease cases are rare, Dr. Ahmad says it's likely that one in four people worldwide have been exposed to this bacterium. In Peoria, Illinois, OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center treated six TB patients in 2024. The bacteria can be transmitted easily, with the infectious dose being a single live bacterium sufficient to infect people. The infection is transmitted airborne, through droplets and aerosol.
Tuberculosis signs and symptoms
“Warning signs include, but are not limited to, unexplained fever, night sweats and unintentional weight loss,” Dr. Ahmad says. “The infection is spread through inhaling, so the lungs are the primary site for infection”
Lung symptoms include a chronic cough that doesn’t go away, along with vague chest aches and pains. You may have phlegm, which could sometimes have blood in it.
What you should know:
Tuberculosis outbreak was reported in Kansas City, Kansas
The disease is not common in the United States
There is a vaccine, but its efficacy is questionable
Symptoms can be unexplained fevers, night sweats, and weight loss
The disease is spread airborne through respiratory droplets
“The Vampire Effect”
Dr. Ahmad says, "Before the Industrial Revolution, folklore often associated tuberculosis with vampires. When one member of a family died from the disease, the other infected members would lose their health slowly. People believed this was caused by the original person with TB draining the life from the other family members".
"It can be deadly if it's left untreated. It was colloquially referred to as 'the consumption,' way back when because it consumes the body, and the body can get overwhelmed by it."
The youngest and oldest populations are both at high-risk for TB, along with those who have been around an infected person.
"This is a disease of overcrowding and poor hygiene," Dr. Ahmad says. "It's been around in humans forever. It's transmitted from person to person via the respiratory route."
People with a weakened immune system are also at risk of developing the disease if they are exposed to it. This could include people with diabetes or HIV. Patients who take medications that suppress the immune system – including patients with autoimmune diseases, transplants, and cancer patients are also more at risk. Patients with prior history of lung disease/damage are also at risk.
Dr. Ahmad adds that homeless shelters, correctional facilities and those with substance use disorder are also at-risk for becoming infected with TB.
How TB is treated in the hospital
Dr. Ahmad says care teams use "airborne precautions," including rooms with special ventilation systems in the hospital. TB patients are kept in these "negative pressure rooms" away from others to prevent the spread of infection. The entire care team wears personal protective equipment, including gowns, gloves and N95 masks, while in the room with the patient.
The medication regimen for TB patients is intense. Traditionally, four different antibiotics will be used for the first two months. "Once we have the antibiotic susceptibility results, and everything looks good, we can drop the patient down to just two antibiotics until we reach six months’ duration of treatment for lung TB," Dr. Ahmad says. If TB spreads outside the lungs, treatment can be even longer.
While therapy can be initiated at the hospital, the patient does not have to stay in the hospital for the whole duration of treatment. Once a care plan has been formulated, it is coordinated with the local health department to ensure there are no gaps in care during the transition, the patient continues to have access to the medication, and they do not pose a public health risk to others. The aim is to limit the patient's interaction with others inside and outside the hospital until they are deemed non-infectious, meaning they cannot transmit the infection. The hospital infection control/prevention team and county health department also remain vigilant, ensuring any potential exposures are traced and screened.
Temperatures may be warming, but Awad Alyami, MD, an OSF HealthCare pediatrician, says we’re still in the peak season for sore throats. Many cases have time-tested treatments, but some can have serious complications.
Dr. Awad Alyami
Dr. Alyami says a sore throat is an infection that causes inflammation in your throat. They’re annoying and painful, bringing symptoms like difficulty swallowing or talking and swelling of glands and tonsils. Causes can include tonsil stones, heartburn and allergies. But most commonly, causes break down into two groups: viral and bacterial.
Viral infections
Dr. Alyami says many viruses can cause sore throats – the common cold, influenza, coronavirus and others. Dr. Alyami says if your sore throat comes with coughing or a runny nose, that’s a sign it’s a viral infection. You can start treatment at home with over-the-counter medicine like Tylenol and ibuprofen. You can also gargle salt water and, generally, stay hydrated. Water is good for all ages, and Pedialyte can help hydrate kids.
If your symptoms include fever and neck swelling, it’s a more serious situation. You should see a health care provider.
Bacterial infections
The main bacterial infection that causes sore throats is group A streptococcus (commonly known as strep or strep throat). Strep throat may bring the hallmark sore throat symptoms, but you should also watch for fever and white patches toward the back of your mouth.
“This is a bacterial infection that’s common in kids,” Dr. Alyami says of strep throat. “About 30% of sore throats are strep, and about 70% are viral. It’s a big deal. We need to treat to prevent complications.”
The most common complication is dehydration, Dr. Alyami says.
“The sore throat is so bad, the child doesn’t want to eat or drink,” he explains.
Other times, untreated strep throat can lead to abscesses, or pus pockets.
“If that abscess gets big enough, it can go toward other structures in the body that are very important. That infection can spread and progress very quickly,” Dr. Alyami says. Life-threatening conditions like difficulty breathing can result.
Dr. Alyami says providers can diagnose strep throat with a throat swab. They treat strep throat with 10 days of antibiotic medication, either injected or taken orally. He says most kids will take the medicine orally unless that’s troublesome. For example, some kids have a tough time swallowing pills due to throat pain.
Prevention
It’s advice you’ve heard before, but it’s worth repeating. Dr. Alyami says good hand hygiene goes a long way to preventing sore throats. Wash your hands thoroughly, and keep them away from your face.
Early detection is also key.
“If the child is sick, especially with symptoms that could be strep, it’s better to get them to a health care professional early,” Dr. Alyami implores. “They can get checked and isolated for 12 to 24 hours before they start antibiotics.
“If you’re sure about what they have, it’s better to just bring them in and get them checked,” he adds.
Evergreen Park - During the winter months there is typically a spike in seasonal illnesses such as common colds, flu, and pneumonia. While there are tips and tricks forkeeping seasonal illnesses at bay, they are sometimes unavoidable. And for those with other health conditions a simple cold can be so much more than that.
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), when someone who has diabetes gets sick with things like colds or the flu, the illness and stress cause their body to release hormones that raise blood sugar (blood glucose) levels, making it harder to keep their blood sugar in their target range. The ADA adds that while having diabetes in and of itself does not necessarily make someone more likely to get a cold or the flu, it does raise the chances of getting seriously sick. Some people may not even know they have diabetes until a severe illness occurs.
“If you have poorly controlled or undiagnosed diabetes and develop symptoms of something like the flu, you will have increased risk factors of severe illness. I would encourage those people to get quickly examined at an urgent care or their primary physician,” says Mohammed Khan, M.D., an OSF HealthCare family medicine physician.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that nearly a third of people with diabetes do not know they have it, and someone can go years before getting a diagnosis. The reason diabetes can fly under the radar is because the symptoms can be minor, especially early on.
“When patients have certain symptoms like more frequent urine and going to the restroom more often, losing weight, having lack of energy, having dry mouth, feeling thirsty and drinking more often, having recurrent infections like skin and urine infections – those are the things that indicate a screening for diabetes,” explains Dr. Khan.
He adds, “People who have diabetes sometimes ignore the symptoms and think they are not affected which is why it is a silent killer. The body is getting destroyed from the inside and many do not notice it unless you go to regular health exams or are screened for it. Diabetes is also one of the most common causes for chronic kidney disease. For a lot of people who develop problems like kidney failure or needing dialysis, the root cause for that most of the time is diabetes.”
Dr. Khan advises people who do have diabetes to keep it under control as best as possible, as well-controlled diabetes helps manage seasonal illnesses when they do occur. However, serious illness can still occur.
“With diabetes, your immune system goes down which is a risk factor. If you have diabetes, you want to make sure you are fully vaccinated and get the flu shot and are up to date on COVID vaccinations. If they are at a higher risk factor due to age and are in the age group to receive the pneumonia vaccination, we encourage get that as well, Dr. Khan advises.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a pneumonia shot for anyone age two or older who, because of chronic health problems (such as diabetes) or age, has a greater chance of getting pneumonia, and urges all eligible individuals who are six months and older to get their annual flu shot.
If you have diabetes, have a kit on hand with the following items in it: A glucose meter, extra batteries, supplies for your insulin pump or continuous glucose monitor, ketone test strips, a week’s worth of glucose-lowering medication (but don’t store these longer than 30 days before use), glucose tabs or gels, and flu or cold medications that won’t disrupt your diabetes management.
If you do end up with a seasonal illness, keep track of your symptoms and let your primary doctor know if they get worse. If your symptoms become severe or unmanageable, go to the nearest urgent care or emergency department.
If you have not been diagnosed with diabetes but are exhibiting any possible signs and symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor.
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