Blog

Lung function or pulmonary function tests can be performed in children over the age of five and are a valuable resource in the diagnosis and treatment of asthma. The most common test performed on children is called a spirometry test, which determines how well the child’s lungs are working. This type of test measures how much and how quickly a child can move air in and out of the lungs. What is asthma? Asthma affects nearly 5 million children in the United States. This chronic problem is characterized by narrowing and swelling in the airways, which can make breathing difficult. … Continue Reading

Respiratory problems can be very bothersome for individuals. Symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and breathing difficulty can significantly affect quality of life and the ability to participate in certain leisure activities and hobbies. Lung function testing is a great way for us to diagnose a variety of respiratory problems. By identifying the cause and severity of your issue, we are able to come up with a treatment plan that can relieve your symptoms. Understanding Lung Function Before diagnosing respiratory problems, it is important to understand how the lungs and the rest of the respiratory system work together. The respiratory system … Continue Reading

If you are having difficulty breathing, there is a common test performed in office that can help diagnose your condition. Lung function testing, called Spirometry, evaluates how your lungs are working and can help check for chronic diseases such as asthma, COPD, and Emphysema. How lung function testing works: Lung function testing focuses on testing the amount and speed of air that you can inhale and exhale. The results, when compared with other people in your age and gender group can help determine whether you are in a normal range. The test is done with a spirometer. Prior to taking … Continue Reading

At the Crystal Lake office of Advanced Allergy & Asthma Associates and Food Allergy Center of Illinois, we offer a vital procedure to help determine the functionality and ability of your lungs. If you suffer from asthma or allergies, you may have experienced one or more symptoms that have lead you to have a lung function test. Having a lung function test performed can help diagnose a variety of causes including asthma, allergies, emphysema, bronchitis, chronic cough and other respiratory disorders. This test, also called spirometry, delivers data to an analytical machine called a spirometer by ways of you breathing … Continue Reading

April is Primary Immunodeficiency (PI) month, a time when we can put a spotlight on the disorders that make up primary immunodeficiency diseases. These conditions can affect nearly anyone, and can greatly impact quality of life. While all the diseases are different, they have one thing in common: they are a product of improper functioning of the immune system. Since the immune system’s role is to keep us healthy from infection, patients who have PI are more susceptible to infections, recurring health problems, and serious illness. With quality treatment, patients living with primary immunodeficiency diseases can go on to live … Continue Reading

There are certain things in life that you don’t want to trust to just anyone. You wouldn’t seek legal advice from your dentist, or try to get your car repaired by a general contractor. In the same manner, it wouldn’t be prudent to see anyone but a specialist to diagnose and treat allergic symptoms. Families in the area of Elgin and Crystal Lake, IL trust in their pediatric/allergy immunology specialist at Advanced Allergy & Asthma Associates/Food Allergy Center of Illinois for expert advice and treatment for conditions such as asthma, allergies, and immunodeficiency disorders. Why specialized care matters In order … Continue Reading

Seasonal allergies, also called hay fever, can put you on the sidelines, feeling miserable. The condition known as allergic rhinitis causes a number of very unpleasant symptoms, including: Coughing and sneezingRunny noseCongestionItchy, watery, irritated eyesAn itchy throat or nose, and itchy skinSore throatCongested earsHeadaches It is not so much the presence of these symptoms, but their persistence and severity create problems. They occur in response to triggers such as mold, pet dander, and pollen. Hay fever is a seasonal allergic rhinitis that occurs on dry, hot, windy days when pollen is abundant in the air. How your Elgin, IL pediatric/allergy … Continue Reading

Hay fever, or seasonal allergic rhinitis, is a common condition that is often triggered by pollen in the air. Other forms of rhinitis exist and they can be caused by indoor allergens. In a normal immune system, there is no response to the allergen. For sufferers of allergenic rhinitis, the immune system responds to the allergen (pollen) by releasing histamine and other chemicals that cause allergy symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, coughing, or itchy and watery eyes. Hay fever symptoms can range in severity from annoying, to grossly affecting daily life. During the spring, hay fever is most commonly … Continue Reading

For patients who suffer daily from allergies, allergy shots, often referred to as immunotherapy, are the closest available thing to a cure. The goal of immunotherapy is to train the immune system not to react to the substances that are causing allergic reactions. Allergy shots are effective for allergens such as pollen, mold, and pet dander, but are not yet proven effective for food. The overwhelming majority of patients who undergo immunotherapy have a marked reduction in allergy symptoms. Treatment can reduce the need for allergy medications and can help reduce the risk of developing additional allergies. When deciding to … Continue Reading

For patients who are suffering from allergies, immunotherapy treatment (allergy shots) may be the best solution to drastically reduce or eliminate allergic symptoms. This is an excellent option for patients who are not seeing a response to medications or who are having persistent symptoms several times throughout the year. It can help some patients wean off medications. Allergy shots are an effective course of treatment for patients suffering from asthma, nasal congestion, runny nose, itchy eyes, rashes, or venom sting allergies. They are not effective for food, latex, or drug allergies. To begin, allergy shots are administered one to two … Continue Reading