The Itch: Allergies, Asthma, Eczema & Immunology

Most asthma peak week coverage focuses on kids heading back to school. But adults with asthma are just as much at risk, and often don't realize it until they're already in trouble. 

Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta are joined by allergist Dr. Ashwin Shankar to talk about why asthma peak week hits adults hard, how normalizing symptoms can quietly put you at risk, and what steps to take before the season catches up with you.

What we cover in this episode about adult asthma peak week

• What asthma peak week is, and why fall hits so hard. The third week of September brings the highest asthma-related ER visits and hospitalizations of the year.
• Where fall triggers hide. Teachers and school staff face mold in buildings that sat closed all summer, outdoor workers get hit with ragweed and sudden cold mornings, and farm workers stir up mold and dust during harvest.
• Why even controlled asthma can slip during peak week. Trigger load stacks up fast this time of year, and a flare during peak week doesn't mean you're doing something wrong.
• The adult habit of normalizing symptoms. Skipping hikes, avoiding stairs, or accepting a lingering cough are signs asthma isn't controlled, not just signs of getting older.
• How to get ahead of peak week before it hits. Confirm your asthma action plan, track how often you're reaching for your rescue inhaler, and get your flu shot at least two weeks before September ramps up.

Resources

• Do You Have an Asthma Action Plan?
• A Comprehensive Guide for Asthma Treatments & Medication
• 10 Ways to Stay Healthy During the September Asthma Peak Week
• Lifestyle Changes to Manage Asthma

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Made in partnership with The Allergy & Asthma Network.

Thanks to AstraZeneca and Amgen for sponsoring today’s episode. 

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.

Every September, doctors see a jump in asthma attacks and ER visits. It's called Asthma Peak Week, and it usually hits the third week of September, right when families are settling into their school routines. 

Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta are joined again by Liz Elliott, a nurse administrator in school health services for Montgomery County, Maryland, and a returning guest from our food allergy episode. This time, Liz answers the questions parents ask most about asthma at school, from what actually happens during a flare to whether their child's inhaler needs to be with them or in the health room.

What we cover in this episode about Asthma Peak Week from the school nurse perspective

• Can my child self-carry their inhaler? The rules on self-carry, and why kindergartners and teenagers are handled differently.
• Does the school have stock rescue inhalers (albuterol)? What stock albuterol is, and what happens if your child's own inhaler isn't there yet.
• What happens if my child has a flare at school? Learn the protocol that is in place if your child experiences an asthma attack, and what happens for kids who experience their first asthma flare.
• Signs of asthma parents might miss that their child's asthma is not under control. Nighttime awakenings and an "asthma cough" can all be early warning signs.
• Closing the gap between home and school. Why the plan your provider signs has to match what's sent to school, and what to bring on day one.

More resources

• Allergy & Asthma Network: How to Avoid the September Asthma Peak
• Allergy & Asthma Network: Asthma Action Plan
• Allergy & Asthma Network: Managing Asthma at School
• Allergy & Asthma Network: School Resources
• Listen: Ep. 135: Food Allergies in School, A School Nurse's Perspective
• CDC Asthma School Resources
• NASN Asthma CPG and Toolkit

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Made in partnership with The Allergy & Asthma Network.

Thanks to AstraZeneca and Amgen for sponsoring today’s episode. 

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.

Wildfire smoke used to feel like someone else's problem. Now it can show up on air quality alerts hundreds of miles from any actual fire, and for anyone with asthma, that hazy sky can mean real trouble breathing.

In this episode, Kortney and Dr. Gupta are joined by Dr. Neelu Tummala, an ENT physician and climate health expert, to talk about why wildfires are getting more frequent and intense, what is actually in wildfire smoke, and the everyday steps that can protect your lungs, your family, and even your pets.

What we cover in this episode about wildfire smoke and asthma

• Why wildfires are intensifying. Warmer, drier conditions have extended the wildfire season by about a month compared with 35 years ago.
• What's actually in the smoke. PM2.5 particles make up most of wildfire smoke's mass and are small enough to slip past your body's natural filters.
• How it affects your body. Smoke can irritate the nose, throat, and ears before it ever reaches your lungs, and it can also affect heart and brain health.
• Who's most at risk. Babies, kids, older adults, pregnant women, and anyone with asthma, COPD, or heart disease need extra caution.
• How to protect yourself. Check the AQI, wear a well-fitted N95, run air purifiers, and keep pets indoors during smoky days.

More resources

• How Wildfire Smoke Can Worsen Your Asthma
• How Climate Change Impacts Allergies and Asthma
• Find out about your local air quality: Asthma and Allergy Forecast
• American Lung Association: State of the Air report, PDF version
• Wildfires and asthma from the American Lung Association
• NYC Resources: Cooling options and Cooling centers

This podcast is made in partnership with Allergy & Asthma Network

Chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) is the type that makes up most chronic sinusitis cases. It's often mistaken for allergies, a lingering cold, or migraines, which can delay a proper diagnosis for years.

Dr. Gupta and Kortney sit down with Dr. Anju Peters, an allergist at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, to unpack how this condition is actually diagnosed, why it can take patients years to get an answer, and which treatments have real evidence behind them.

What we cover in this episode about chronic sinusitis without nasal polyps

• Two types of chronic sinusitis. About 75% of chronic sinusitis patients do not have nasal polyps, and about 20 to 25% do, and the treatment path differs depending on which type you have.
• Getting the right diagnosis. Doctors confirm chronic sinusitis without nasal polyps by combining at least 12 weeks of symptoms with objective proof of inflammation.
• Ruling out look-alikes. Allergies, colds, and migraines can all cause similar congestion and pressure, so doctors pay close attention to how long symptoms last and whether inflammation is actually confirmed.
• Building a treatment toolkit. Nasal steroid sprays are the backbone of treatment.
• When to consider surgery. When sinus surgery becomes the next step in sinus care.

Resources:

• Ep. 133 What Is Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP)?
• Ep. 149 What is Chronic Rhinosinusitis without Nasal Polyps
• Allergy & Asthma Network: chronic rhinosinusitis overview
• How is chronic rhinosinusitis diagnosed
• Treatment and management of chronic rhinosinusitis
• What is chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps
• How to use the FDA-approved nasal spray

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Made in partnership with The Allergy & Asthma Network.

Thanks to Insmed for sponsoring today’s episode. 

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.

Food allergy prevention is something most families think about once a baby starts eating. But the gut microbiome begins developing before birth, and what happens during pregnancy matters for the development of food allergies.

This is a bonus episode from our conversation with Dr. Carina Venter. The clip did not make it into Episode 165, but it was too good not to share. Dr. Payel Gupta and Kortney dig into what Dr. Venter shared about pregnancy, the gut microbiome, and what families can do in that critical first year of life.

What we cover in this episode about pregnancy and food allergy prevention

• How the gut microbiome develops before and after birth. From pregnancy through the first year of life, several key factors shape your baby's gut microbiome, including mode of delivery, breastfeeding, and the introduction of solid foods.
• What happens if things do not go as planned. A difficult pregnancy, a C-section, or not being able to breastfeed does not mean you have missed your chance to help your baby develop a healthy gut microbiome. 
• What the research on pregnancy diet actually shows. A look at how maternal diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding may affect a child's risk of allergies.
• Early introduction and why it matters. Introducing allergenic foods between four and six months of age and keeping them in the diet consistently may reduce the risk of food allergy by ten to thirty percent.
• What to feed your baby to support a healthy gut. Diversity, whole foods, and sustained exposure to allergens are the key takeaways for families starting solids.

More Resources:

• Webinar: The Microbiome and Its Role in Asthma & Allergies
• Podcast episode: Did I Cause My Child’s Food Allergy?
• Podcast episode: Early Allergen Introduction
• What is a food allergy?
• Tips for Saving Money on Allergy-Friendly Food Shopping

Dr. Venter’s Studies:

• Study 1: The Healthy Start Study
• Study 2: The MEDALLION Study
• Study 3: Systematic Review of Maternal Dietary Patterns During Pregnancy and Offspring Allergy

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This podcast is made in partnership with the Allergy & Asthma Network 

You have probably heard the word "microbiome", but what does it actually mean for someone living with a food allergy?

Dr. Carina Venter, a registered dietitian, joins us to break down the gut’s role in food allergies. She explains what the microbiome is, how it connects to the immune system, and what families can realistically do right now to support a healthier gut.

What we cover in this episode about gut health and food allergies

• What the microbiome actually is. Understanding the bacteria living in your gut, why diversity matters, and what happens when that balance gets disrupted.
• The connection between gut bacteria and food allergy. Research consistently shows that children with food allergies have lower levels of two key bacteria, and that gap may affect how the immune system responds to food.
• Leaky gut and ultra-processed foods. What leaky gut actually means and research on emulsifiers.
• Should you be taking probiotics? Which strains have the most research behind them, what to look for on the label, and why diet diversity may matter more than any supplement.
• Practical steps for families. From a diverse diet to when to use supplements.

About our guest, Dr. Carian Venter: https://www.carinaventer.com/

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This podcast is made in partnership with the Allergy & Asthma Network

In this journal club episode, we break down the draft of the Chronic Urticaria Guidelines: 2026 AAAAI/ACAAI Joint Task Force (JTF) on Practice Parameters GRADE- and Institute of Medicine-based recommendations. We explain what counts as chronic hives, why the guideline leans on second-generation non-drowsy antihistamines, what to do when those are not enough, and what is new for both adults and kids.

At the time of recording, the draft was open for comments; it closed for comments on June 30, 2026.

What we cover in our episode about the new chronic hives guidelines

• What chronic hives are: A plain-language look at the two main types, spontaneous and inducible, plus angioedema (swelling) that can come with them.
• What a draft guideline is: Why the guideline is still being reviewed, and how comments can help shape it before it is final.
• What's new for kids: How children fit into the guideline, and why most do well without advanced treatments.
• The antihistamine shift: Why the guideline favors non-drowsy, second-generation antihistamines and moves away from older, sedating ones.
• When antihistamines are not enough: If higher-dose antihistamines do not work, the recommended advanced option is to start omalizumab (Xolair) plus two newer additions: dupilumab (Dupixent) and remibrutinib (Rhapsido).

Download Infographic

More hive resources 

• Read the draft guideline and comment details (ACAAI)
• Track your symptoms: Get the CU Download to access the UAS7 and the Urticaria Control Test (UCT)
• What are chronic hives?
• Chronic Urticaria Toolkit
• Living with Chronic Hives

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The Itch Review, hosted by Dr. Gupta, Kortney, and Dr. Blaiss, explores allergy and immunology studies, breaking down complex research in conversations accessible to clinicians, patients, and caregivers. Each episode provides key insights from journal articles and includes a one-page infographic in the show notes for easy reference.

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Made in partnership with The Allergy & Asthma Network.

Thanks to Opella for sponsoring today’s episode. 

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.

Join Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta as they unpack chronic spontaneous urticaria. Together, they define what hives actually are, explain how CSU is different from an allergic reaction and other types of hives, and walk through what is happening under your skin to cause all that itching.

This episode was originally published June 6, 2024. We re-released it on June 25, 2026 with a new intro as the perfect foundation before our episode on the new chronic urticaria guidelines.

Do you get hives and have no idea why? Then this episode is for you.

What we cover in this episode about chronic hives:

• What hives really are. Urticaria is the medical word for hives, and the two signs are that it itches and it comes and goes.
• CSU versus other hives. How CSU differs from inducible hives (CINDU) and from an allergic reaction.
• Histamine and the itch. Why histamine drives the swelling and itch, and why scratching feels so good.
• What makes hives flare. CSU has no true trigger, but stress and other culprits can set off your mast cells.

The Itch Podcast Hives Episodes

Explore our full catalog of hives episodes

Diagnosis and the basics

• Ep. 76 Diagnosing Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria
• Ep. 128 Is Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria an Autoimmune Disease?
• Ep. 90 Challenges in Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Urticaria in Skin of Color

Treatment

• Ep. 78 Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Treatments
• Ep. 131 What Is a BTK Inhibitor?
• Ep. 147 The REMIX Trial: Remibrutinib for Chronic Hives  
• Ep. 116 Why Fexofenadine Is Considered a Truly Non-Sedating Antihistamine

Living with chronic hives

• Ep. 148 How Do You Know Your Chronic Hives Are Under Control? 
• Ep. 122 Mortality in adult patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria: A real-world cohort study 
• Ep. 80 Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Myths and Misconceptions
• Ep. 79 Living with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A patient story
• Ep. 91 A Patient's Experience with Chronic Urticaria and Skin of Color
  
• Ep. 107 Hives in the Latinx Community
  
  

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This podcast is made in partnership with Allergy and Asthma Network. 

We thank Novartis for originally sponsoring this episode.

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Any mention of brands is also informational and not an endorsement. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical questions or concerns.

 

Treatment options for eczema have come a long way, with many new non-steroidal choices. One type is the JAK inhibitor, which offers two things people have long wanted: a non-steroidal option and a more advanced option that, unlike a biologic, does not require injection.

Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta sit down with returning guest Dr. Nicole Chase, to break down what a JAK inhibitor actually is, how the pill and cream versions differ, how JAK inhibitors compare to biologics, and what to know about safety. They also cover what is new, including a topical JAK now approved for children as young as two.

What we cover in this episode about JAK inhibitors for eczema

• What eczema really is. 
• How JAK inhibitors work. 
• Pills versus creams. 
• JAK inhibitors versus biologics. 
• Safety and side effects. 

Made in partnership with The Allergy & Asthma Network.

Thanks to Incyte for sponsoring today’s episode. 

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.

Most adults with asthma never receive education about managing their condition, even though it is proven to help with better asthma control. The reason comes down to access. In this episode, we explore a digital platform called BREATHE, built from the ground up to change that.

Dr. Payel Gupta and Kortney sit down with the two lead authors behind “Development and Usability of a Digital Asthma Self-management Education Platform: BRinging Exercise, Asthma Assessments, and TeacHing to Everyone (BREATHE)” published in JACI: In Practice, March 2026. De De Gardner and Sheryl Flynn, CEO, talk about how BREATHE was developed, what the app includes, and what the data showed after patients and providers put it to the test.

What we cover in this episode about asthma self-management

• Asthma self-management education and why most adults never receive it.
• How BREATHE was built using a user-centered design process, shaped by what adults with asthma and healthcare providers said they actually needed.
• What the BREATHE platform includes: asthma lessons, validated control assessments, and an Asthma Action Plan, all in one app, in English and Spanish.
• What the usability study found: adults rated the app in the 81st percentile, providers rated the dashboard in the 76th percentile, and 80% considered making a behavior change after just two weeks.
• Where the program is now and where it is going, including how to access the free Allergy and Asthma Network Virtual Asthma Coaching Program today.

Allergy and Asthma Network Virtual Asthma Coaching Program and the Spanish program.

This podcast is made in partnership with the Allergy & Asthma Network.