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Medicine

When ragweed attacks…

Since I’ve been discussing histidine and histamine today (how’s that for a segue to an entirely different topic?), it seems like the perfect time to mention a story I saw yesterday about the ten worst cities for fall pollen, such as ragweed, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).

I was amazed to see that none of the cities is located anywhere near where I live. Few of them are where I guessed they might be. Perhaps one of them is where you live, or nearby.

In any case, every year in the late summer and into fall I can look forward to a life of continual snot, with a constant runny nose, sneezing, and coughing due to a nasty postnasal drip. Antihistamines and decongestants have only a mild effect, unfortunately, and I can generally expect more than a month of suffering, depending on the duration of the season. Every year, I swear I’ll finally go to an allergist, but, like many physicians, every year I decide to muddle by again one more time with over-the-counter solutions. I also have spring allergies, but they’re usually nowhere near as bad.

I wonder if homeopathically diluting and succussing ragweed pollen and then drinking it could help. Naaaah. But if ever there were a test of “like cures like,” this would be it.

By Orac

Orac is the nom de blog of a humble surgeon/scientist who has an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his copious verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few probably will. That surgeon is otherwise known as David Gorski.

That this particular surgeon has chosen his nom de blog based on a rather cranky and arrogant computer shaped like a clear box of blinking lights that he originally encountered when he became a fan of a 35 year old British SF television show whose special effects were renowned for their BBC/Doctor Who-style low budget look, but whose stories nonetheless resulted in some of the best, most innovative science fiction ever televised, should tell you nearly all that you need to know about Orac. (That, and the length of the preceding sentence.)

DISCLAIMER:: The various written meanderings here are the opinions of Orac and Orac alone, written on his own time. They should never be construed as representing the opinions of any other person or entity, especially Orac's cancer center, department of surgery, medical school, or university. Also note that Orac is nonpartisan; he is more than willing to criticize the statements of anyone, regardless of of political leanings, if that anyone advocates pseudoscience or quackery. Finally, medical commentary is not to be construed in any way as medical advice.

To contact Orac: [email protected]

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