Asthma Expert James Thompson, MD shares Asthma management news and commentary at MyAsthmaCentral.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313 http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313 http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/89474/asthma-checklist Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:17:00 -0400 James Thompson, MD For many of us, it's hard to believe the summer is over. Actually, those of us in the Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States aren't certain when summer 2009 began. October is typically my busiest month for managing patients with asthma. The return of children to school, the arrival of cold and flu season, the use of forced air heating systems, the increased indoor activities, the return of quilts and comforters to the bedroom, and... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/89474/asthma-checklist http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/76509/asthma-medication Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:24:00 -0400 James Thompson, MD This is a common question in my office and invariably leads to several minutes of discussion with asthma patients and parents. There is no cure for asthma and, contrary to widely held belief, people do not "outgrow" asthma. It took a long time for me to convince my asthmatic wife that asthma is life-long but, with good treatment, it may go into remission (our two adult children have asthma too). The good news is that more than 95% of the time it... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/76509/asthma-medication http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/72302/sensitivity-thought Tue, 26 May 2009 09:03:00 -0400 James Thompson, MD "Doc, I don't have cockroaches. Why is my skin test to cockroach positive?" A downtown Chicago businessman who owns a home in an upscale Chicago suburb asked this question earlier this year.   I'll start with an update on this topic Recent asthma research has focused on a common allergen often briefly discussed in reports on indoor allergy triggers. Cockroaches are considered the most disgusting creatures that may co-inhabit our... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/72302/sensitivity-thought http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/66948/tobacco-tobacco Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:29:00 -0400 James Thompson, MD There are more than 400,000 tobacco-related deaths annually in the U.S. Health statistics estimate about 3,000 teenagers try and then regularly smoke cigarettes on a daily basis. It's been well documented that passive exposure to tobacco smoke increases the risk of asthma attacks, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer, upper-respiratory tract and ear infections.   For years, doctors have addressed the different types of smoke... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/66948/tobacco-tobacco http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/62416/linked-nose-stomach Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:01:00 -0400 James Thompson, MD Asthma has impacted the lives of millions of people for centuries. Many millions of research dollars have unlocked some of the mysteries of how and why the lungs make you cough, wheeze, short of breath or feel tight. Several medications have been developed to remedy this sometimes life-threatening disorder yet many people still suffer.   Why? I think Dr. Paul Greenberger, an Allergy and Immunology Specialist at Northwestern University,... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/62416/linked-nose-stomach http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/57941/escalating-asthma Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:21:00 -0500 James Thompson, MD Okay, the economy is tanking, job security for many people is at an all-time low, cost of health insurance is increasing and medication costs are sky-rocketing. My comments will address healthcare expenses with emphasis on medication costs.   What can you do?   For many asthma sufferers the disappearance of generic albuterol has been a double whammy. The new HFA-based inhalers cost more and yet some people say they don't seem to... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/57941/escalating-asthma http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/53716/asthma-medications Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:45:00 -0500 James Thompson, MD A cure for asthma is not likely. That's the bad news. The good news is that asthma deaths have decreased and advances in medications over this decade offer a chance for improvement in prevention and control of this disease that affects more than 20 million people in America.   In this post I will discuss 5 emerging asthma treatments which have contributed (or will contribute) to improved asthma... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/53716/asthma-medications http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/52387/symbicort-committee Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:08:00 -0500 James Thompson, MD Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) listened to presentations and comments from several members of an expert FDA advisory committee regarding the benefit-to-risk ratio of Long Acting Beta-agonist drugs (LABAs) -- namely Serevent (salmeterol), Foradil (formoterol), Advair (a combination of fluticasone and salmeterol) and Symbicort (a combination of budesonide and formoterol).   The FDA advisory panel voted, unanimously, that... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/52387/symbicort-committee http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/51205/christmas-making Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:28:00 -0500 James Thompson, MD Doc, I get sick every Christmas and end up missing a few days of work. I take my family out to pick a live tree the weekend after Thanksgiving every year and 1-2 weeks later my asthma flares up. Could I be allergic to my Christmas tree?     The Christmas holiday season brings more than song and joy to asthma and allergy sufferers across the nation. After Thanksgiving, for many families the next order of business is to hunt for... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/51205/christmas-making http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/44571/faqs-season-2008-9 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:15:00 -0400 James Thompson, MD As millions of Americans endure the surge of colds and sinus infections typical of the fall, flu season rapidly approaches. Tens of thousands of people in the U.S. die from influenza each year. There would probably be many more deaths if it weren't for aggressive vaccination strategies led by national health departments and healthcare providers.   Every year I advise my patients to get their flu shots before the start of flu... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/58313/44571/faqs-season-2008-9