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Health and Wellness
Gentle Dental of Branchburg * "' ( '! $%& ! )"'$ "#& "!% % ( % & $ %"!% "$ & &$ & !&% ( $ " ! + "'& %& $ ! '$ ((( !& !& " $ ! '$ " “Thank you for voting us Top Dentists in NJ Monthly Magazine” ! ! % & ! ! ! ! % &" ' "'& & & "!% ALLERGIC RHINITIS By: Kristine Krol, M.D. Board Certified Allergist, Allercare Have you ever had a cold that just won’t go away? Has your child been put on antibiotics month after month for treatment of recurring ear infection? Have you suffered from many sinus infections every year? Do you know someone who does not smoke, yet has a chronic cough? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be sur- prised to find out that the underly- ing cause of each of these condi- tions could be allergies. What is an Allergy? To have an allergy means to be affected by something that is harmless to most people. The substance causing the allergic reaction is called an aller- gen. People can be allergic to all sorts of things, including pollens, molds, dust mites, animals, certain foods, insect sting or medications. It is generally accepted that the tendency to have allergies is linked to heredity. Rhinitis : The symptoms of rhinitis includes inflammation inside the nose, sneezing, congestion, runny nose, nasal itching, burning palate and throat, and headaches. Rhini- tis has many causes. Some people have allergic rhinitis, which is a term used to describe allergic reac- tions that take place when an air- borne allergen is inhaled. This allergy was first called “hay fever” because it was thought to be caused by pollen from hayfields. While a hay allergy is possible it is now known that pollen produced by any plant as well as other aller- gens can cause allergic rhinitis. There are two types of allergic rhinitis: seasonal and perennial. Pollen from trees, grasses or weeds are usually to blame for seasonal symptoms in Spring and Fall, whereas dust mites, mold and pets are the usual triggers of year-round (perennial) allergic rhinitis. Some common complications or rhinitis include infected ears, fluid in the ears and infected sinuses. How does an allergy cause ear infections? When the nose is inflamed due to allergic rhinitis, it is common for the Eustachian tube and ear to become involved in that inflammation. The Eustachian tube can swell to the point of complete closure, trapping air in the middle of the ear cavity. Fluid then accu- mulates in the middle ear. This is called infection-causing agent such as a virus or bacteria is trapped in the middle ear cavity, the result will be an infected middle ear, or otitis media. If a patient is desensitized to their allergies with allergy injections or sublingual immunotherapy (drops under the tongue) they will defi- nitely see a decrease in the number of ear/sinus infections. Please call Dr. Krol at 908-725- 8666 if you are interested in more information about Allergic Rhinitis or if you would like to make an appointment for an evaluation to see what treatment is right for you. Somerville Location: 177 W. High St. Somerville, NJ 08876 (908) 725-8666 Bedminster Location: 2345 Lamington Rd. Suite 107 Bedminster, NJ 07921 (908) 781-5550 Staten Island Location: 4634 Amboy Rd. Staten Island, NY 10312 (718) 948-1868