New Edmond Satellite Office Open - Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma

The Allergist
A newsletter from the Oklahoma Allergy & Asthma Clinic Summer 2013
New Edmond Satellite Office Open
The new office
is located at
3560 S. Boulevard, between
33rd and Memorial.
On May 2, OAAC opened its new Edmond satellite office. The building is
located at Fisher Hall, a business development located on 3560 S. Boulevard,
between 33rd and Memorial. The new
facility is twice the size of the previous
location and provides easier patient
access. Parking is available directly in
front of the building for patients’ convenience.
To make an appointment, please call
(405) 235-0040.
(Right) The new patient exam rooms at
the Edmond Satellite office.
Office hours for the Edmond satellite office are Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. and Fridays 8
a.m. to 11:40 a.m.
An open house and ribbon cutting will
be held on June 28, 2013, 2 p.m. to 4
p.m. Everyone is invited to attend and
tour the new office space.
Brought to you by
@okallergyasthma
(Above) The waiting room and the
entire office have been professionally decorated.
(Right) A short walk from the parking lot leaves you right at the front
desk.
Suffering from Grass Pollen?
Vroom…the sound of lawn mowers in
the summer. However, lurking within
the grass is significant amounts of pollen. When grass starts growing in early
spring and summer, pollen is released
into the air. Wind can carry it for many
miles. Grass pollen is visually fine and
powdery and usually cannot be seen in
the air.
What kind of grasses typically trigger allergies?
•
Bermuda grass
•
Johnson grass
•
Kentucky bluegrass
•
Orchard grass
•
Redtop grass
•
Rye grass
•
Sweet vernal grass
•
Timothy grass
You could be allergic to one or multiple
types of grasses. If you are allergic, you
will notice it more on dry, windy days
because the wind carries the pollen.
Pollen counts are usually lower when
it is cold and damp. Allergy symptoms
for those who are grass allergic can also
be triggered by eating fruits and vegetables that have similar pollen-like proteins - celery, melons, peaches, oranges
and tomatoes. Eating
these foods may lead
to symptoms like itching or burning sensation in the lips, mouth
or throat.
Generally, if you keep
your grass mowed, it
will be less likely to release pollen. If you put
off mowing and the
grass grows tall with a
feathery flower on top, pollen will be
released when mowed. Some grasses
like Bermuda grass can even release
pollen when mowed short.
The only way to know if you are allergic
to grass is to be tested. If you are allergic, avoid triggers by limiting your exposure to grass pollen. Keep your windows closed on summer days and wear
a mask when gardening or mowing.
Today, there are other options to having
a grassy lawn. Grass-looking artificial
turf can be installed (no mowing and
looks realistic). Replacing grass with
bunch grasses such as rye grass and
tall fescue could help since they don’t
flower or release pollen until 12 inches
or taller.
For those who are grass allergic, treat-
OAAC Staff Tours Crystal Laboratories
Crystal Laboratories provides local pollens and allergens to the Oklahoma Allergy & Asthma Clinic. They have been
supplying pollen and powdered allergens to customers in and out of the
United States for more than 30 years.
OAAC staff members recently toured the
facility located near Luther, Oklahoma.
The new facility has 11 acres where
they grow certain hard to collect pollen. They now have a stand-alone Mold
production building, which is a stateof-the-art facility with more than three
times the capacity of their old building.
Crystal Laboratory carries thousands
of different raw allergenic products in
inventory, including pollen, molds and
foods.
2
(Right) OAAC staff members view pollen and powdered allergens produced
by Crystal Laboratories. These products
are used by the OAAC to produce immunotherapy.
ment options include both over-thecounter and prescription medications.
Immunotherapy or allergy shots could
be another option for significantly reducing and possibly ending grass allergy
symptoms.
For more information, consult with your
OAAC allergist.
Artificial grass might be a great alternative for those who are grass allergic.
Meet the Staff...Angela Baker
Name: Angela Baker, OAAC nursing supervisor
clinics. Angela also works on the nurses’
payroll. She floats as a nurse to help out
wherever needed. One of her favorite
activities is actually performing allergy
testing with patients.
How long at OAAC? Since December
2009
From? Grew up in McLoud, Oklahoma.
Graduated from McLoud High School.
She received her Licensed Professional
Nursing degree (LPN) from Moore-Norman Vo-tech program. Angela has also
studied at Rose State College to eventually complete her Registered Nurse (RN)
degree. She currently lives in Harrah.
Before OAAC? She has worked the last
17 years as a nurse and spent 10 ½ years
working in OB/GYN, then she worked
for the Oklahoma State Department of
Corrections for a year before coming to
OAAC.
Hobbies? She loves scrapbooking, reading and spending time with her grandchildren and children.
Family? Angela is married to Mike.
They have two daughters, Summer and
Shayna, and three grandchildren, Trae,
Kyliegh, and Taelyn.
What does the nursing supervisor do?
She makes up the nursing schedule for
all of the OAAC doctors and satellite
“The Allergist” is published quarterly by the
Oklahoma Allergy & Asthma Clinic. Contents
are not intended to provide personal medical
advice, which should be obtained directly from
a physician.
“The Allergist” welcomes your letters,
comments or suggestions for future issues.
Send to:
The Allergist
750 NE 13th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73104-5051
Phone: 405-235-0040
www.oklahomaallergy.com
Oklahoma Allergy & Asthma Clinic
Editorial Advisory Board
Dean A. Atkinson, M.D.
Laura K. Chong, M.D.
James R. Claflin, M.D.
Warren V. Filley, M.D.
Garyl Geist, Chief Operating Officer
Richard T. Hatch, M.D.
Gregory M. Metz, M.D.
Patricia I. Overhulser, M.D.
Shahan A. Stutes, M.D.
Karen Gregory, DNP
Stefanie Rollins, APRN-CNP
“I love the people I work with,” she said.
“We have a great staff; great Medical
Assistants and the doctors are wonderful to work for. It’s a good company.”
Did You Know?
Angela Baker,
OAAC nursing supervisor
Childhood asthma impacts millions of
children and their families. In fact, the
majority of children who develop asthma do so before the age of five. There is
no cure for asthma, but once it is properly diagnosed and a treatment plan is
in place you will be able to manage your
condition, and significantly improve
your quality of life.
Before You Layer It On...
Are You Sunscreen Allergic?
Walking through the sunscreen aisle at
your local drugstore, you will find numerous brands of sunscreens. These
sunscreens contain chemicals that
block UV rays as well as preservatives,
fragrances and bases such as lanolin. As
more people use sunscreens to prevent
sunburns and skin cancer, it is not surprising that allergists and dermatologists are seeing patients with sunscreen
allergy.
With sunscreen allergy, the body reacts
to one or more of the chemicals in the
sunscreen. This can be from the sunblock itself or from the other components such as the fragrance. Sunscreen
allergy typically affects the skin where
the sunblock is applied, but occasionally can spread to unexpected areas.
OAAC Allergist Dr. Greg Metz
chemicals to help determine if you are
allergic to components of sunscreen.
“Many patients with sunscreen allergy
are able to tolerate other products such
as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide as a
blocking agent,” says OAAC allergist
Greg Metz.
Common locations include the face,
arms, hands and V-shaped area of the
upper chest.
If you notice a rash every time you use
sunscreen, talk to your allergist to determine the best way to evaluate this
further. Patch testing can be performed
which is a type of allergy testing to
A common reaction location of sunscreen allergy.
3
Food Allergies? Tips for Picnics and Barbecues
Summertime brings outdoor family
fun including grill fests and picnics. For
more than 12 million Americans, an allergic reaction can certainly ruin your
family fun from a mild rash and stomachaches to life-threatening anaphylactic shock.
“Even though the task may seem daunting,” said OAAC Allergist Dr. Shahan
Stutes, “with some preparation, those
with food allergies can still enjoy summer parties.”
The following are some tips for keeping
food allergies off the menu:
• Individual-sized/single serving packets of condiments will prevent cross
contamination that might occur
when sharing large containers.
• Pack allergic and non-allergic foods
in separate containers. Use a sticky
note to quickly identify what is in
each container. Consider posting
the ingredients on a card in front
of the dish if you know others
who have food allergies will be in
attendance.
• Cover the table with a plastic
tablecloth. Not only does this
dress up your event, the tablecloth
prevents any contact with allergycausing food particles left on the
table from previous meals.
• Use a separate serving utensil for
each food item to help reduce
cross contamination. Make sure
to provide plenty of plates, cups,
napkins and utensils so no one will
have to share.
Asthmatics Usually Affected with Allergy
Asthma is reaching epidemic proportions in
the United States. The number of Americans
grows steadily each year with more than 26
million currently affected. A new study released in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology reported nearly two-thirds or more
of all asthmatics also have an allergy.
According to the study, an astonishing 75 percent of asthmatic adults (20 to 40 year olds)
and 65 percent of asthmatic adults (55 and
over) have at least one allergy. Allergists know
that allergy among asthmatic children is 60 to
80 percent but until this study, it was not realized how common allergy was in asthmatic
adults.
A total of 2,573 adults were studied in a NaOAAC Allergist
tional Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Dr. Laura Chong
A panel of 19 allergens was used to detect allergy among asthmatics. Asthma is frequently thought of as a childhood disease but
many adults who have asthma often go undiagnosed.
“Asthma and allergies can occur at any age,” said OAAC Allergist Laura Chong. “If
you are experiencing asthma or allergy symptoms, you should see a board-certified
allergist who is an expert in diagnosing and treating both conditions.”
According to the ACAAI, more than 50 million Americans have allergies, a number
which is also on the rise. Is the link between asthma and allergies for a reason?
“It could be one of many creating this perfect storm for allergies,” said allergist Dr.
Richard Weber, ACAAI president. “Other factors, such as the hygiene hypothesis,
climate change and an increase in awareness and education can also be reasons for
this growth.”
For more information about the relationship between asthma and allergy, make an
appointment with an OAAC allergist by calling (405) 235-0040.
OAAC Allergist
Dr. Shahan Stutes
• Keep your emergency medications
available in case unrecognized
food allergens are included in the
foods served and ingredients are
unknown.
• Ask allergic guests to go first in line
for the food to help avoid cross
contamination. Grill foods for those
who are allergic first or cook those
items on a new piece of aluminum
foil.
Let
those
with food
allergies eat
first to avoid
cross contamination.
• Be prepared with disinfecting wipes
and anti-bacterial gel. Cleaning
hands and faces after eating will
help reduce allergy causing food
particles from being passed during
play.
• Can you hear me now? Make sure
you can get a cell phone signal if
you are in a remote area. You might
have to call 911 if someone has a
severe allergic reaction.
If you suspect someone has a food allergy, it’s important to talk to an allergist and be tested. The allergist can help
develop a plan to avoid future allergic
reactions. For more information about
food allergies, talk to an OAAC allergist.