Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/60679
4A Daily News – Tuesday, April 3, 2012 Vitalityfitness health Skin prick test can verify a shellfish allergy K: I've always loved shellfish. But lately when I eat it, I break out in hives. Could I be allergic? DEAR DOCTOR You sure could be. Such an allergy could cause more symptoms than just a rash, includ- ing low blood pressure and difficulty breath- ing, so you need to find out if you are allergic to shell- fish. See an allergist, a doc- tor who specializes in diag- nosing and treating aller- gies. DEAR READER: Dr. K by Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D. allergy. Before your appoint- ment, put together a description of your symp- toms and the situations that triggered them. For exam- ple, are there foods other than shellfish you might be allergic to? Are there any other things that cause a rash — medicines, skin creams or deodorants, exposure to particular ani- mals or plants? Jot down what you think are the like- ly allergens. alternatives to a skin prick test, although they aren't as reliable. One test measures levels of spe- cific antibodies to the suspect- ed food. A cer- tain amount of antibodies indicates an tive blood or skin test is not as straightforward as you might think. Even a posi- tive test doesn't prove that you will have a reaction if you consume the food. A more reliable test is a food challenge. You eat small amounts of a sus- pected food until you begin to have an allergic reaction. If you can eat a normal serving without conse- quences, the doctor can rule out an allergy to that food. Food challenges should But interpreting a posi- allergist agree on a list of suspects, it's time for aller- gy testing. Testing usually begins with a skin prick test. This is safe, easy and inexpen- sive, and the results are apparent within minutes. For this test, your doctor will puncture the skin on your forearm. He or she will then put a small amount of the allergen being tested onto the punc- ture site. If an allergic reac- tion is triggered, you'll have an itchy, swollen, red spot on your forearm with- in 15 minutes. Several types of blood test are sometimes used as Once you and your & Oft-misunderstood lupus comes out of the shadows DETROIT (MCT) — The day Sharon Harris graduated from Florida A&M University was sup- posed to be one of jubila- tion. But Harris was exhaust- ed and weak. She attributed it to the stress of final exams, preparing for graduation and working three part- time jobs. to detect it, and partially because several celebrities — among them Seal, Lady Gaga, Toni Braxton and, most recently, Nick Can- non — have been diag- nosed with it. But the moment her mother arrived from Detroit that December day in 2001, she knew some- thing was seriously wrong. Just one look at her daugh- ter's face told her it could- n't be only stress. In addi- tion to exhaustion, Harris's skin was blotchy and dis- colored. When she and her mother returned home, Harris — now 33 — went to see a dermatologist who immediately suspected lupus. asked. always be done by experi- enced clinicians in medical facilities that can treat life- threatening allergic reac- tions. We have more informa- tion on food allergies in our Special Health Report, "Food Allergy, Intolerance and Sensitivity." You can find out more about it at my website. shellfish allergy, avoid eat- ing shellfish — no matter how tempting it may be. Until you get tested for a Dr. Komaroff is a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School. Go to his website to send questions and get additional information: www.AskDoctorK.com. redbluff.mercy.org www.redbluff.mercy.org Wednesday & Thursday April 18-19 Main hospital hallway 529-8002 Grief Support Group Cardiac Support Group Childbirth Class Community Basic Life Support 6:00pm-10:00pm 4/10 Tuesday Waterbirth Class 12:00 noon May 5th 6:00pm-8:30pm 4/9 2nd Monday Columba 6:30pm-8:30pm Happy Feet Sale 3:00pm-5:00pm 6:30pm-8:30pm 4/11 2nd Wed. Thursdays Columba Columba Columba Spring Luncheon Saturday www.redbluff.mercy.org Active Senior Citizens A Retirement Community for the ◆ Independent Living ◆ Private Apartments ◆ Three Nutritious Meals Daily ◆ 24 Hour Secure Environment ◆ House Keeping Services ◆ Warm & Friendly Staff Thursdays Coyne Center 528-4207 527-5077 529-8026 529-8026 529-8026 call 529-8002 for location and tickets! TEHAMA ESTATES PROVIDES: ◆ Recreational Programs ◆ Scheduled Transportation ◆ Private & Formal Dining Rooms EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY 750 David Avenue, Red Bluff • 527-9193 "What is lupus?" Harris She would soon find out. The autoimmune dis- ease, which attacks various organs of the body, is hereditary, even though Harris knows of no one else in her family who has it. Lupus eventually made Harris so weak and crip- pled that she could hardly walk up stairs or open a can with a hand-held open- er. The disorder strikes women more than men, and African-American women are most at risk. "It's America's most common, least known- about disease," said rheumatologist Dr. Patricia Dhar, assistant professor of internal medicine at Wayne State University. That is starting to change, partially because newer tests are better able It's also getting fresh attention in the medical and research community. A 2011 University of Michigan study of Washte- naw and Wayne counties showed that African- American women are more likely to get lupus than other women. "Overall, 1 in 1,000 MCT photo women have lupus and almost 2 { times as many African-American women — about 1 in 500 African Americans — have lupus," said Dr. Joseph McCune, director of University of Michigan's lupus clinic and one of the authors of the study. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that lupus is three times more common in black women than in white women. It is also more common in women of Hispanic/Lati- na, Asian and American Indian descent. Several studies are under way to determine why the dispari- ty exists. how early the disease tends to appear and its severity. Black and Hispanic/Latina women tend to develop symptoms at an earlier age than other women, and African Americans have more severe organ problems, especially with their kid- neys. Race also plays a role in conservatively, 322,000 to more than a million people in the United States have lupus. The CDC says that, Lassen House Assisted Living & Memory Care ★★ FREE FEDERAL BENEFITS SEMINAR★★ NEED ASSISTED LIVING PRESENTS Lic. #525002331 ARE YOU A VETERAN OR SPOUSE OF A VETERAN? Stephen P. DeBoever, Federal Benefits Advocacy 20 years experience with: Social Security Administration Department of Veterans Affairs He can answer all your questions He can assist you with the paperwork His services are free to all veterans who have been discharged honorably SATURDAY MARCH 31, 2012 • 1:00PM 705 LUTHER RD., RED BLUFF, CA 96080 (530) 529-2900 705 Luther Road • Red Bluff • (530) 529-2900 www.Emeritus.com Lic. # 525002331 Lupus Alliance of America Michigan/Indiana Affiliate Marketing Director Sharon L. Harris wears the Lupus Warrior bracelet. unknown. "We do know it is caused by a number of abnormal genes working together," said McCune. "We know it can be inher- ited from either parent and it can remain dormant for- ever. Some trigger is required to make lupus manifest itself." The exact cause is Those triggers can be a viral infection, exposure to a chemical or drug, or even stress and complications associated with childbirth. Although women of all ages get lupus, it's most common in women in their childbearing years. "We know that less than half of all identical twins both get lupus," McCune said. mended monitoring of those medications. •Avoid direct sunlight, which can be a trigger. • Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in fat and salt. avoid stress as much as possible. • Get plenty of rest and She also advises lupus patients to find a support network because frequent illness can result in depres- sion without supportive family or a support group. "If depression gets a hold of you, you may get worse because you stop taking your meds, which just makes it worse," she said. The symptoms can vary so much from person to person — and even from day to day — that it's sometimes difficult to immediately detect. "Lupus patients are very complicated," said Dr. Barnard Rubin, the rheumatologist who'll pilot a new interdisciplinary lupus clinic beginning next month at Henry Ford's main campus on West Grand Boulevard in Detroit. "But tests are much more widely avail- able, and the price of test- ing has dramatically dropped." Wayne State's Dhar described diagnosis this way: "It's like putting pieces of a puzzle together. There's not one test. There are tests you do after you have a high suspicion of lupus based on symptoms and health history." The good news is that better testing and better medications have made it possible for people with lupus to live long and pro- ductive lives, doctors say. Dhar said it is essential for lupus patients to make lifestyle changes to help manage the disease. Among them: •Take medications as prescribed with recom- WHAT IS LUPUS? Lupus symptoms vary from person to person and are mild to severe. It is con- sidered a chronic life-threat- ening disease because it attacks organs of the body, particularly the kidneys. According to the Lupus Research Institute and other experts on lupus, most peo- ple with the disease can have a normal life expectan- cy if they are properly treat- ed, follow their doctor's advice and have a healthy lifestyle. exactly alike, there are some common symptoms, which may not all occur at the same time. When several do manifest at the same time, it is known as lupus flare. Among the symptoms: •Swollen, stiff and painful joints •Fever over 100 While no two cases are degrees •Fatigue • Rashes on the skin, often in a butterfly-like pat- tern • Sensitivity to the sun • Swelling around the ankles • Chest pain with deep breaths • Unusual hair loss •Pale or purple fingers from cold or stress • Mouth ulcers Institute 4, 11, 18 & 25 Wednesday April Every Source: Lupus Research James W. Tysinger, Jr. M.D. Eye Physician & Surgeon Fellow American Academy of Ophthalmology We accept Medical, Medicare & most Insurances Office Hours: Tues-Wed-Thurs 8am-4:30pm Mon & Fri 1pm-4:30pm For Emergencies, After Hours, Week-ends, Call 530-567-5001 345 Hickory St. Red Bluff Tel: (530) 529-4733 Fax: (530) 529-1114 LASSEN MEDICAL GROUP Pine Street Plaza 332 Pine Street, Suite G Red Bluff, CA Stacy L. Garcia Hearing Aid Dispenser Lic. #7440 (800) 843-4271 Expands Red Bluff Urgent Care to 7 days a week. www.lassenmedical.com 2450 Sister Mary Columba Drive (530) 527-0414