Allergic Disease & Asthma Center

We treat certain lung conditions, especially those related to asthma and allergy. Our allergists are different from pulmonologists, who generally focus on treatment of more serious lung diseases that require hospital treatment.

Below are some lung conditions we treat:

Asthma
People with asthma will experience symptoms of shortness of breath, wheezing, cough and chest tightness as a result of extensive narrowing of the airways throughout both lungs.

Asthma symptoms can occur daily, weekly or infrequently and range from mild to severe. This can be very frightening to people with asthma as well as their families. There are an estimated 17 million people living in the United States with self-reported asthma. It is extremely important to seek medical attention for this illness. It is the most common chronic illness among children and if left untreated or under-treated, asthma may result in a significant reduction in quality of life, with potential loss of lung function, exercise limitation, difficulty sleeping, school or work absenteeism, costly emergency room visits and in a few cases, death.
Excercise-induced asthma
Our allergists are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of exercise-induced asthma, which generally occurs within five to 20 minutes after exercise. People with exercise-induced asthma are generally more symptomatic when they exercise in very cold and/or dry conditions.
Cough
Cough is a common symptom related to many conditions, including common colds, asthma, and allergies. In most cases, a minor cough caused by a bacterial infection or a virus will resolve. A persistent cough may be a sign of something more serious, such as asthma. Proper diagnosis is the key to managing a chronic cough. Our allergists can help you determine the true cause of your coughing so you can feel better faster.
Vocal Cord Dysfunction
Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD) occurs when the vocal cords do not open correctly. This causes symptoms that are very similar to those of asthma, including:
● Difficulty breathing● Coughing● Wheezing● Throat tightness● Hoarse voice● Voice changes
Much like with asthma, breathing in lung irritants, exercising, a cold or viral infection, or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) may trigger symptoms of VCD. But unlike asthma, VCD causes more difficulty breathing in than breathing out. The reverse is true for symptoms of asthma.
Many people with asthma also have VCD. Although the two may have similar triggers and symptoms, the treatments for VCD and asthma are very different, which makes proper diagnosis vital.
Our allergists have specialized training and experience in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of complex conditions such as asthma and VCD.