[Hadassah On Call] Sneeze. Itch. Cough. How Allergies Disrupt Our Lives

From diagnosis to current treatment options, Prof. Yuval Tal, MD, PhD, a specialist in clinical immunology and Director of the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Unit at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem, talks allergies with host Benyamin Cohen in "Sneeze. Itch. Cough. How Allergies Disrupt Our Lives", the latest Hadassah On Call podcast episode.

Over 50 million people in the US* know the misery of sneezing, itching, watering eyes, and headaches brought on by allergies. Learn about the most common types of allergens, allergies and the common cold, genetic factors, immunotherapy -- and get a sneak peek at the allergy medicines of the future.

Dr. Tal vividly recalls a young patient with a rare and potentially fatal allergy to light. By zeroing in on a single over-productive protein that caused the boy's pain, he successfully administered a drug targeted to that specific protein.

“You close your eyes,” says Dr. Tal, “and you imagine the immune system, and you see there is a solution.”

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*Source: CDC -- www.webmd.com/allergies/allergy-statistics