Blog Archive

If you've ever experienced hives, you know how distracting and uncomfortable they can be. Hives, also known as urticaria, are raised, itchy, red welts on the skin that can appear suddenly and usually fade after a few hours or days. While they aren’t life-threatening, they may sometimes signal an underlying issue....

Dairy is one of the most common food allergies, especially in children. This is different from lactose intolerance, when the body lacks the enzyme to break down lactose. Dairy allergy is an immune response to the proteins found in milk.  A dairy allergy can cause a variety of symptoms, ranging...

Treading the path of parenthood is thrilling, and it comes with guiding your child through a lot of firsts. When it's time to introduce your little one to the wide world of food, it’s important to take extra care with the “Big 8,” that is, the eight foods that commonly...

It's hard to resist the charm of a pet, but what if your immune system seems determined to keep you apart? Living with an allergy to pet dander doesn't have to mean a pet-free life, however.  The team of experts at Rheumatology and Allergy Institute of Connecticut believe in finding solutions that let you...

Eczema is a common skin condition, and it often starts in childhood. It happens when there’s a dysfunction in the skin’s outer layer, preventing it from working as it should. As a result, people with eczema experience persistent itching, redness, and discomfort.  As a parent, it's natural to feel concerned...

More than 1 million Americans are living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune condition that causes inflammation and pain in the joints. It’s a progressive disease, which means it gets worse over time.  If you experience joint pain, it’s best to schedule an evaluation, as it may be a...

Hives can seem to appear out of nowhere. These red, itchy bumps and welts can show up on any part of the body and may even disappear within just a few hours. If they keep cropping up, it’s a good idea to get an evaluation. In some cases, there’s no...

Roughly 25 million Americans are living with asthma, characterized by chronic intermittent lung inflammation. Many cases of asthma are diagnosed for the first time in childhood. Because of this, it’s natural to be alarmed when these symptoms appear for the first time as an adult. And adult-onset asthma is becoming more common. An allergy...

Nearly everyone experiences dry, itchy skin at one point or another, but when is your itchy, dry skin a sign of a medical problem? In some cases, skin that’s chronically dry or itchy can signal an undiagnosed issue that needs medical attention.  The compassionate team at Rheumatology and Allergy Institute...

It’s estimated that allergies affect more than 50 million people in the United States. Just about anything can cause an allergy, from ingredients in your favorite makeup to things floating in the air in your home. However, some allergens are much more common than others.  Living with an allergy can pose a...

Vasculitis occurs when your immune system incorrectly attacks one or more blood vessels, and it causes inflammation of the blood vessels. As a result, your blood vessels can narrow, making blood flow more difficult. It can also completely close or weaken blood vessels. When you have vasculitis, it’s vital to...

In Sjogren’s syndrome, your immune system attacks the moisture-producing glands of your eyes, mouth, and other areas, causing chronic dryness. In some cases, Sjogren’s can cause serious health problems and may be life-threatening.  Sjogren’s syndrome can be challenging to diagnose because symptoms may mimic other conditions. The specialists at Rheumatology...

For most people, asthma is a lifelong condition, but that doesn’t mean you have to deal with breathing problems day-to-day. Working with a health care provider and paying attention to your symptoms helps to control asthma and reduce the frequency and severity of flare-ups. As an allergy and immunology specialist,...

Sjogren's syndrome is more than just dry eyes. This chronic autoimmune condition characterized by dysfunctional moisture-producing glands can also damage organs. A relatively common condition that’s frequently misdiagnosed, Sjogren's syndrome can occur by itself but often strikes patients with other autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). If...

Psoriatic arthritis is linked with psoriasis, a chronic skin condition that causes red, scaly rashes and thick, pitted fingernails. Having psoriasis raises your risk of developing psoriatic arthritis, a type of arthritis characterized by joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. Most individuals have psoriasis for some time before developing psoriatic arthritis. If...

Immunotherapy is the only treatment that addresses the root of your allergies. This form of treatment retrains your immune system so it’s less sensitive to allergens, providing long-term relief from allergy symptoms. At Rheumatology and Allergy Institute of Connecticut, our allergy specialist, Reinhard Kage, MD, can help you find the best solution...

Systemic scleroderma is a rare complex multisystem autoimmune disease that causes your body to make excess collagen, which causes scarring of internal organs and skin as well as blood vessel narrowing. There is no cure for this connective tissue disease. The experts at Rheumatology and Allergy Institute of Connecticut are on the cutting...

Food allergies occur when your immune system misinterprets food proteins as a threat to your body. As a result, your immune system triggers the release of various substances into the bloodstream, causing allergy symptoms. Although almost any food can cause an allergic reaction, most food allergies are caused by just...

A healthy immune system defends your body against infection and disease. In patients with autoimmune disease, the immune system mistakenly attacks parts of your own body. The exact cause of autoimmune disease is unknown, but a combination of genetic factors and environmental triggers is likely involved.  At Rheumatology and Allergy...

Scleroderma is a chronic, autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the skin and other organs. It’s characterized by skin thickening and tightening as well as inflammation and scarring, which can cause problems in the lungs, kidneys, heart, digestive tract, and other organs. Although there’s no cure for scleroderma, successful therapies...

Juvenile arthritis (JA) is an umbrella term used to describe rheumatic diseases in children. It affects close to 300,000 children under age 16 in the United States. In children with JA, their immune system attacks healthy tissues, which leads to joint pain and inflammation.  There are several types of juvenile...

Insects can cause serious allergic reactions in some children, and they can be painful and frightening for the child and parent. There are many kinds of insects that cause allergic reactions, but you can reduce some of the worry by teaching your child how to best protect themselves and what...

Keeping your skin happy in winter is challenging when you have eczema. Cold temperatures and dry air can irritate your sensitive skin and trigger a flare-up of eczema symptoms. But with some practical tips, you can calm your skin and prevent winter flare-ups. The team at Rheumatology and Allergy Institute...

If you’re an East Coast resident living with asthma, you're likely well aware of the effect cold weather has on your asthma symptoms. With average daytime temperatures hovering around 30°F, winters in Connecticut can get chilly.  Wintertime can make it more challenging to manage your asthma, but understanding how cold...

A food allergy results when your body’s immune system misidentifies the protein found in a food as a threat to your health. Did you know that more than 32 million Americans have food allergies? And the numbers keep rising. At Rheumatology and Allergy Institute of Connecticut, our providers specialize in...

Eczema typically develops in early childhood and in a small number of cases spontaneously resolves on its own. For everyone else, eczema is usually a lifelong skin condition. While scientists have yet to find a cure, there are treatments and ways to manage your eczema to minimize flare-ups. Everyone with...

A food allergy diagnosis means making changes to your diet to completely avoid the food or food substance you’re allergic to. Doing so takes some adjustment, and it’s more challenging to adapt if it’s an ingredient found in many foods, such as wheat. It’s important to work with an allergy...

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) — commonly referred to simply as lupus — is a long-term disease that causes system-wide inflammation. This chronic condition occurs when your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue, referred to as autoimmunity. Because lupus affects many different body systems, symptoms and experiences vary. No two...

When you or your child has an allergy, it’s important to get the facts on all of your treatment options, such as immunotherapy in the form of allergy injections. Allergies are common, affecting more than 50 million Americans each year. Sometimes allergies go undiagnosed, mistaken for a cold or something...

Do allergies stop you from getting a good night’s sleep? If so, you’re not alone. Up to two-thirds of people with hay fever seldom get the sleep they desperately need thanks to their symptoms. Though it’s common to have sleep problems, you should never put up with ongoing insomnia. Lack...

All incurable diseases rely on the management of symptoms to make life bearable, and that certainly applies to lupus. This autoimmune disease, which attacks your joints and organs, skin and heart, is one of the most difficult to control. Traditionally, anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants were the treatments of choice,...

Vasculitis -- also known as angiitis or arteritis -- is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition in which the lining of your blood vessels becomes inflamed. The inflammation causes your blood vessels to grow thicker, so your blood has less space to flow and weakens them, too.  When your blood...

In Greek, “sclero” means “hard” and “derma” is skin. In modern medical terminology, scleroderma is a chronic autoimmune disorder. Although it can’t be cured, scleroderma can be treated and managed.  At Rheumatology and Allergy Institute of Connecticut, Reinhard Kage, MD, PhD, Barbara Kage, MD, and Donna Duffy, PA-C, and the...

Osteoporosis is a condition that occurs when your body can’t keep up with replacing bone. When this happens, you’re more prone to fractures, and these can start a downward health spiral where limited mobility and anxiety over future fractures lower your quality of life. Though both men and women get...

Your connective tissue plays a central role in your body. As its name suggests, it connects structures in your body, but it also supports and in some cases even separates other tissue types. All told, when your connective tissue has problems, it results in wide-ranging detriments for you. That’s why...

Do you have asthma? You’ve probably noticed certain things set off an attack or make attacks worse. Also, certain times of the year can be more challenging than others. Many things can trigger your asthma. Here’s what the asthma specialists at Rheumatology and Allergy Institute of Connecticut, LLC want you...

Experts estimate that about 3% of adults are allergic to insect bites and stings, and less than 1% of children are. However, 90-100 people die annually from anaphylaxis resulting from a bite or a sting. At the Rheumatology and Allergy Institute of Connecticut, Dr. Reinhard Kage and Dr. Barbara Kage...

Kawasaki disease affects about 1 out of 10,000 children under the age of 5 every year in the United States and other western countries as well. Although rare, it can also occur during your adolescent and adult years. The team at Rheumatology and Allergy Institute of Connecticut, LLC, led by...

Around 53 million Americans either have osteoporosis or have low bone density and are at risk of the disease and related complications. The team at Rheumatology and Allergy Institute of Connecticut, in Manchester and Middletown, Connecticut, diagnoses and treats osteoporosis. However, as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is...

Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illnesses in the US, and over 50 million Americans deal with various types of allergies throughout the year. Allergies come in many forms, and many of them are similar to cold and flu symptoms like coughing and sneezing. A common form of...

You’ve probably heard of tendons but maybe are unsure of what they do and why they are important. Tendons are the connective tissue that attaches bone to muscle. If this tissue becomes inflamed or irritated, you may have tendonitis, which can cause aching at a joint, tenderness, and mild swelling....

Did you know that more than 8 percent of adults are diagnosed with allergies? If you have symptoms of allergies, like sinus problems, watery eyes, and rashes, but don’t know what specifically it is that you’re allergic to, then allergy testing can help you. When you don’t know what causes...

Eczema is a skin condition that’s most common in babies and children, but it can afflict teens and adults as well. Because it’s a chronic condition that has no known cure, trying to treat its symptoms on your own can be challenging. However, innovative new prescription therapies, such as biologics,...

Sjögren’s syndrome impacts people of any age. But symptoms most commonly appear between 45 to 55 years old, with women suffering about 10 times more than men.    About 50% of these people also have another rheumatologic disease, most often systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis.   Here at Rheumatology...

In its earliest stages, arthritis makes everyday activities mildly annoying. Stiffness in your joints makes it tough to grab, hold, bend, reach, and lift. In advanced stages, it’s downright painful and debilitating. Although there are more than 100 specific types of arthritis that attack different body parts, they all share...

If you’re one of the 30-40% of Americans who suffer from allergies and hay fever, you know allergic reactions are no fun. Whether it’s sneezing, rashes, sniffling, or hives, allergy and hay fever symptoms range from inconveniencing to life-threatening. Many patients know they react to various allergens, but they don’t...

Eczema can be an incredibly frustrating and often painful skin condition to deal with at the best of times. But winter flare-ups of eczema bring with them a new level of discomfort as the rash leads to raw and itchy skin in areas that are highly exposed. At Rheumatology and...

If you have asthma, you may have noticed your symptoms worsen with certain physical activities. It’s also common to have forms of asthma that only arise because of exercise. But, even though it may seem easier to skip heading to the gym, regular exercise can provide numerous health benefits if...

Arthritis is characterized by inflammation in the joints. There can be pain, swelling, and stiffness, making it hard to move — much less do all the things you love. At the Rheumatology and Allergy Institute of Connecticut, LLC in Manchester and Middletown, Connecticut, our goal is to help you feel...

When you’re allergic to simple substances, such as pollen or pet danger, your quality of life plummets. Constantly sneezing, wheezing, or breaking out in rashes makes it hard for you to enjoy everyday activities or eat certain foods without worrying about triggering an attack.   At Rheumatology and Allergy Institute of...

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic form of inflammatory arthritis that affects 1.6 million people in the United States, which represents only 0.5% of the population. While relatively uncommon, this disease can have a serious impact on those who develop the condition, with complications that range from limited movement to...

Virtually everyone is sensitive or mildly allergic to most insect stings. Just think of the last time a bee, wasp, or yellow-jacket stung you — chances are you experienced some degree of redness, swelling, and itching at the bite site as your body reacted to the toxins left behind in...

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects more than 5 million people around the world, including about 1.5 million adults, adolescents, and children in the United States. Like other autoimmune disorders, lupus occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks the very cells it’s meant to protect.  As a systemic...