The Itch: Allergies, Asthma, Eczema & Immunology

If you have ever taken an antihistamine labeled "non-drowsy" and still ended up foggy and tired, you are not imagining it. Allergists have a lot to say about that label and about the foggy feeling that comes with allergy season in general.

In part two of our live recordings from the AAAAI conference in Philadelphia, Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta talk to allergists from across the US about what they actually think about antihistamines...

Ep. 150: What Allergists Really Think About Your Allergy Nasal Spray

If you have ever grabbed a nasal spray off the pharmacy shelf, used it for a few days, and given up because nothing seemed to be happening, you are not alone. And according to the allergists we spoke to at the AAAAI conference in Philadelphia, that is not uncommon.

In this episode, Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta share real conversations with allergists from across th...

Chronic sinusitis without nasal polyps is the most common form of chronic sinusitis. Even so, most patients spend years without a clear explanation, cycling through antibiotics that do not address what is actually going on.

In this episode, Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta are joined by Dr. Michael Blaiss and Dr. Anju Peters, an allergist and immunologist at Northwestern University who co-authored the 2025 Adult Sinusitis Clinical Pract...

Chronic hives that come and go without warning are exhausting physically and emotionally. But here is something many patients don't realize: feeling "okay" is not the same as being well controlled.

Kortney and Dr. Gupta are joined by Dr. Tom Chacko, a board-certified allergist and immunologist based in Atlanta, to discuss what good hives control actually looks like and what to do when you are not there yet. From "just living with" ...

If you have chronic hives and antihistamines aren't helping, there's a new treatment option to know about. In this episode of The Itch Review, we spotlight "Remibrutinib in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria" published in The New England Journal of Medicine, March 2025.

This article looks at the REMIX trials, which tested whether remibrutinib, a BTK inhibitor, can help adults whose chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is not controlled b...

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, or CRSwNP, is a condition driven by ongoing inflammation. That is why treatment is not a one-time fix and why polyps can come back even after surgery. In this episode, Dr. Payel Gupta and Kortney are joined by Dr. Maeve O'Connor, a board-certified allergist and immunologist, to walk through CRSwNP treatment options.

This episode is released around World Anosmia Day because loss of smell is ...

We spend about 90% of our time indoors. But what's actually in that air we breathe, and why does it matter so much for people with asthma, allergies, and eczema?

This is part two of our series about indoor air quality. We discuss how you can improve your indoor air quality. Kortney shares her experience living in Germany, where ventilating your home isn't just a suggestion, it's practically a lifestyle. We also go room by room with...

We spend about 90% of our time indoors. But what's actually in that air we breathe, and why does it matter so much for people with asthma, allergies, and eczema?

This is a two-part series about indoor air quality.

In the first part, we break down the three main categories of indoor air pollutants: particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and biological allergens like dust mites and mold. Dr. G explai...

We continue our tradition of interviewing the incoming president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology to learn what is top of mind for the field and what it means for patients and families.

Dr. Cherie Zachary joins us to share her personal journey into allergy and immunology as both a lifelong patient and clinician. She explains what the ACAAI does and why increasing representation in medicine is critical for...

Allergy & Asthma Network has spent more than four decades helping people living with asthma, allergies, and related immune conditions navigate care, access trustworthy education, and make their voices heard.

In this episode, we talk with Lynda Mitchell, CEO of Allergy & Asthma Network. Lynda shares how becoming a food allergy and asthma mom in the early 1990s shaped her career and led her into patient advocacy work. We get ...

Asthma is one of the most common long-term conditions in children. It is a leading cause of missed school and emergency room visits. Doctors use tools (validated questionnaires) to assess how well a child’s asthma is controlled and whether their medicine is helping. Some tools only ask about symptoms, which can miss children who are still at risk for asthma attacks.

The lead author, Dr. Kevin Murphy, joins us to talk about “Pediatr...

Sleep plays a critical role in managing allergies, asthma, and eczema, yet it is often overlooked in conversations about allergic disease.

Sleep affects mood, focus, immune function, and inflammation, all of which influence how allergic conditions show up day to day. Poor sleep can worsen asthma symptoms, increase allergy flares, and make eczema harder to control. At the same time, allergies and asthma can disrupt sleep, creating a...

Reading food labels can feel like a full-time job when you or your child has food allergies. Even when you know what to avoid, labels can still be confusing, especially when you run into “may contain” warnings.

Marion Groetch, a registered dietitian with decades of experience in food allergy care and education, joins us to unpack all things food labels. Together, we break down U.S. allergen labeling laws, what parts of the package ...

Clonal mast cell disease is often missed because symptoms vary from person to person, tryptase levels can be normal, and bone marrow biopsies are hard to get. For some people, unexplained or very severe anaphylaxis may be an early sign of a clonal mast cell disease.

In this episode, we review “Prevalence of KIT D816V in anaphylaxis or systemic mast cell activation,” published in October 2025 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical I...

Persistent congestion, pressure, or a reduced sense of smell often gets mistaken for allergies or a stubborn cold when it may be something more, like chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). Getting the right diagnosis is the first step toward real relief.

Dr. Tonya Farmer, a board-certified ENT, joins Kortney and Dr. G to explain how chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is diagnosed. She walks us through the...

Avoidance has long been the standard for managing food allergies. But new options, such as oral immunotherapy (OIT) and biologic medications like Xolair (omalizumab), are changing the landscape. With more choices available, many patients and parents are wondering how to start the conversation with their allergist and what questions to ask.

Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta talk with Dr. Shahzad Mustafa, a board-certified allergist and im...

When it comes to keeping kids with food allergies safe at school, school nurses are often the quiet heroes behind the scenes. From managing allergy action plans and emergency responses to training teachers and organizing care for hundreds of students, their role is essential, but often misunderstood.

Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta sit down with Elizabeth Elliott, a school nurse and President of the Maryland Association of School Healt...

Mucus plugging is a challenge in asthma care. It’s thick, sticky mucus that blocks the airways and doesn’t respond to regular inhalers. Even when inflammation improves, these plugs can lower lung function, limit how well medicine works, and make asthma harder to control.

In this episode, we break down the study: “Effect of Dupilumab on Mucus Burden in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Asthma,” published October 28, 2025. The analysi...

Living with constant congestion, facial pressure, or a loss of smell can make daily life exhausting. For many people, these symptoms are more than just allergies or a lingering cold. They may be signs of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP).

Dr. Rohit Katial joins Kortney and Dr. G to unpack what CRSwNP really is, how it develops, and why type 2 inflammation plays such a key role. Together, they explain what’s happenin...