The Itch: Allergies, Asthma, Eczema & Immunology

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 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 labeli...

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...

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...

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,...

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 M...

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 ,” pu...

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. Tog...

Navigating food allergies is tough enough, but adding family dynamics to the mix can make things even more complicated. When loved ones don’t understand you or your child’s allergies or dismiss the rules meant to keep them safe, it can lead to conflict, hurt feelings, and stress for everyone involved. Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta sit down with psychologist Dr. Amanda Whitehouse to talk about how fa...

For decades, allergists have focused on blocking what happens outside the mast cell: histamine, IgE, and interleukins. But now, there’s a new way to stop allergic inflammation before it even starts: by targeting what happens inside the cell with BTK Inhibitors. Dr. Payel Gupta and Kortney are joined by Dr. Matthew Giannetti to unpack what BTK actually does and why inhibiting it represents an excit...

Seeing your allergist on a screen instead of in the office might feel strange at first, but for many people with allergies, telehealth isn’t just convenient.  it’s effective. In this episode, we sit down with telemedicine pioneer Dr. Jay Portnoy to explore how virtual allergy care works, what it can and can’t do, and how it’s helping patients get the care they need without the wait or the long dri...

Multiple food allergies are a daily stressor for millions of families. From avoiding social events to fearing accidental exposures, it can feel like living in a constant state of alert. Until recently, there were no FDA-approved treatments that targeted more than one allergen at a time. In this episode, we break down the study: “ Omalizumab for the Treatment of Multiple Food Allergies ,” published...

When people get hives or swelling, they often think it’s caused by an allergy. But in the case of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), the culprit is often your own immune system. CSU isn’t your typical allergic reaction, instead, it’s frequently an autoimmune condition, where the immune system misfires and activates mast cells without any external trigger. In this episode, Dr. Payel Gupta and Kor...

Indolent Systemic Mastocytosis (ISM) is a rare but often underrecognized clonal mast cell disorder. From random hives to gut pain and brain fog, ISM can feel like a medical mystery. We continue our review of “ Management of indolent mastocytosis and mast cell activation syndrome - A clinical yardstick, ” published in June 2025 in The Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. This is Part 2 of ou...

Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is a confusing and often misunderstood condition. If you’ve ever wondered about MCAS symptoms, serum tryptase testing, or how treatments like antihistamines, sodium cromolyn, and even omalizumab fit in, this episode is here to help. We review the findings from “ Management of indolent mastocytosis and mast cell activation syndrome - A clinical yardstick, ” publ...

As September approaches, many families notice asthma symptoms getting worse. Ragweed pollen, viral infections, cooler nights, and the stress of back-to-school routines all combine to create Asthma Peak Week, a time when asthma attacks and ER visits spike across the country. Asthma mom, Sherrina Gibson, joins us to share how her family prepares her 11-year-old daughter for fall asthma challenges. S...

As summer winds down and September approaches, many people with asthma notice their symptoms getting worse. This is no coincidence as more asthma triggers appear during this time of year, from pollen and viruses to stress and weather changes. This combination peaks during Asthma Peak Week, a time when asthma attacks and ER visits spike across the country. Allergist Dr. Kristin Sokol joins us to di...

Parenting a child with food allergies can feel overwhelming and isolating. We're joined by licensed therapist and food allergy mom Tamara Hubbard, MA, LCPC, to talk about her new book, May Contain Anxiety, and the often overlooked mental health challenges that food allergy parents face. We explore how chronic stress, fear, and anxiety can affect parenting, relationships, and family dynamics. Plus,...

Do adults with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) have a higher risk of death over time compared to people without hives? We review the findings from “ Mortality in adult patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria: A real-world cohort study ,” published in April 2025, in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. While CSU is often considered a non-life-threatening condition, this large stu...

What happens when you target the root cause of indolent systemic mastocytosis? In this episode of The Itch Review, we unpack key findings from the article “ Avapritinib versus Placebo in Indolent Systemic Mastocytosis ,” published on May 23, 2023, in NEJM Evidence. Indolent Systemic Mastocytosis (ISM) is a rare chronic disease with life-altering symptoms. Until recently, treatment options were lim...

Is it too early to start planning for school when summer has just begun? Not if your child has food allergies. Dr. Nikki Chase, a board-certified allergist-immunologist, joins us to share what families need to know to prepare for a safe and successful school year. From school forms and emergency plans to when to self-carry epinephrine and how to teach self-advocacy, this episode is filled with pra...

Have you ever wondered what happens after an anaphylactic reaction? How do you process everything that went down, from ingesting the allergen to using epinephrine? In this candid conversation, Kortney sits down with Tamara Hubbard, a licensed clinical professional counselor, to unpack the emotional aftermath of a severe allergic reaction. Kortney shares her own recent experience of self-administer...

Do patients and their healthcare teams view the impact of indolent systemic mastocytosis on quality of life in the same way? In this episode of The Itch Review, we unpack key findings from a May 4, 2025, descriptive study from The Journal of the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology, “ Patient and Advanced Practitioner Perspectives on Symptom Burden and Symptom Management in Indolent Systemic Mastocyt...

There have been countless advances in controller therapies for asthma, but our go-to rescue inhaler, a quick-relief bronchodilator, hasn’t changed in decades. In this episode of The Itch Review, we spotlight “ As-Needed Albuterol–Budesonide in Mild Asthma ” published in The New England Journal of Medicine, May 19, 2025. This article looks at the BATURA trial, which tested whether adding budesonide...

Have you ever wondered whether fexofenadine (Allegra®) really doesn’t make you drowsy? In this episode of The Itch Review, we dissect a July 2024 systematic review from Current Medical Research & Opinion, “Why fexofenadine is considered a truly non-sedating antihistamine with no brain penetration.”  This rigorous systematic review pools over 60 human studies from PET brain-scan trials and Prop...