The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology estimates that "between 14 and 15 million people have asthma, and many may not know they have the disease or how to control it." Hospitalizations and deaths due to asthma are increasing... (Read More)

Ginkgo biloba is one of the most popular botanical medicines in both Europe and America, but Chinese healers take the prize. They have been using this ancient tree for thousands of years to treat asthma and cold injury to fingers... (Read More)

Molds and pollen from grasses and trees trigger allergies that cause a lot of misery. Red, itchy eyes and runny noses are often accompanied by cognitive fogginess. Judgment may be affected. But the common treatments, especially OTC antihistamines, may not... (Read More)

Q. I was on atenolol for high blood pressure and kept complaining to my doctor about fatigue, tiredness, light-headedness and swelling feet and ankles. I couldn’t breathe or walk up a flight of stairs without stopping to catch my breath... (Read More)

Q. I'm surprised you haven’t mentioned an important issue facing asthmatics. The FDA has decided that generic albuterol inhalers should be taken off the market. The result is that these stalwarts of asthma relief will no longer be available. Instead,... (Read More)

Q. I was prescribed Advair for asthma. It worked well for my breathing problem but my skin became thin and I started bruising badly. Then I experienced horrible damage to my skin with deep gashes from a slight bump. One... (Read More)

The history of asthma medicine is a tale of woe and intrigue. In the 1960s there was a surprising increase in deaths from asthma over previous decades, especially in Australia and England.Many patients were found dead with their inhalers clutched... (Read More)

Q. Is it true that coffee can help an asthma attack if you don't have your medicine handy?A. Caffeine acts somewhat like a traditional asthma medicine (theophylline). A review of the scientific literature says that caffeine modestly improves airway function... (Read More)

What should the FDA do when a drug might make someone depressed or even suicidal? The agency has wrestled with this dilemma for decades.When reports surfaced in the 1990s that the antidepressant Prozac might trigger “intense, violent suicidal preoccupation,” the... (Read More)