Windom Allergy, Asthma, Sinus

School’s out for the summer! That usually means fun in the sun and splashing in the water but don’t forget about skin safety! Sun protection is extremely important for protecting against sunburns which increase cancer risk and cause premature skin aging. Finding the right sunscreen is important, especially for those who have known eczema or sensitive skin.  While sunscreen-related allergic reactions are rare, they are more common in those with existing eczema or allergic contact dermatitis. When they occur, reactions can include irritant contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, phototoxic dermatitis, or contact urticaria. The main symptoms are itching, blistering, redness, and/or...

Here are a few allergy pro tips to share with your loved ones.  The most joyful time of the year is upon us, and we at Windom Allergy are choosing to keep things simple. We want to focus our time and energy on family and friends and do less. Decorate less. Worry less.  1.  For food allergy friends - If you are planning on hosting a holiday meal, please save the ingredient labels for your allergic guests.  Also, have guests be mindful of cross-contamination. Please don’t mix utensils while preparing dishes, and wipe down surface areas with soap and water.  2. ...

You might be smirking and saying to yourself that central Florida doesn’t have a Fall. If I weren’t an allergist and self-declared Lorax, I would agree with you. But fortunately for us, I am.  We don’t have a change of leaf colors, but we do have a change of pollen. It’s mid-September and a delightful patina of weed and grass pollen is on your patio. Not to mention, it’s the rainy season and the mold spore count is up.  Most of the time I have a general idea of what allergens are outside based on my patients’ symptoms plus knowledge of...

Hello, I’m BJ and I joined the Windom Allergy family in June 2021. I was born and grew up in Southwest Florida. I have also lived in western North Carolina for a few years and recently relocated to Port Charlotte with my mom. Nursing has been my main career and I specialized and currently work in Clinical Research. I have two amazing children; my daughter Julia and my son John. I am an author and I write inspirational Christian poetry. In addition to writing, things that I enjoy doing are reading, walking, golfing, gardening, spending time at the beach, going to flea markets and...

You would think that eye allergies would be easy to treat. In the US alone, up to 40% of the population has been affected by eye allergies, AKA allergic conjunctivitis. However, the poor eyes often get overlooked in order to treat the more obvious allergic diseases like asthma, allergic runny nose, or eczema. Underdiagnosis and undertreatment can lead to chronic annoyance and, rarely, a serious eye condition.  Did you know the eyes are “privileged”? The eyes are considered an immune privileged site, and for good reason. They have evolved in a variety of ways to stop immune responses and preserve vision. Sounds...

Hi, I’m Rose and I have been with the wonderful Windom Allergy family for over 3 years! Most of my life I lived in Ohio, but I have always longed to be where it is warm and sunny. Luckily, I was able to relocate to Florida and have been enjoying the sunshine here ever since. Some of my favorite things to do in the sunshine are walking, bird watching, enjoying the beach and riding my bike on the wonderful trails in the area. I became a nurse following my grandmother’s example in 1983. I have worked in dermatology, periodontics and allergy...

I thought being a pediatrician would give me a fairly large advantage in the game of motherhood. Unfortunately, I learned quickly how my preconceived plans and mantras were “cute” in the eyes of my ferocious newborn Evelyn. By the time my second kid, Tanner, was born I thought “this was it.” I could use my knowledge and experience to finally have the perfect baby experience. I almost had it until he turned 2 months old and the first signs of dry skin appeared. I admit I was a bit sleep deprived and likely in denial that me, an allergist of all...

Hot off the internet press, Cleveland Clinic just published their results that nasal steroids, like over-the-counter Flonase and Rhinocort, may impact COVID-19 related outcomes in a good way. Cleveland Clinic reviewed 72,147 patients positive for COVID. They compared patients who were on nasal steroids before getting COVID to those not on them. They looked at who got hospitalized, admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), or died in hospital. Compared with nonusers, nasal steroid users had a lower risk for hospitalization (decrease by 22%), ICU admission (decreased by 23%), and in-hospital mortality (decreased by 24%). As with any new research, more...

I’m Sally and I am the CCRC and COO of Sarasota Clinical Research. I have worked in research for 20 years. I’ve been at Windom Allergy for 11 years, so far, and have known Dr. Hugh Windom since high school! I am an RN and have worked in the ICU for 20 years. I have twin daughters and 2 fur kids! I am proud to say that at age 40, I ran the Chicago marathon. I love to golf and ski. I’m a college football fan as well, GO GATORS!Fun fact: I was Miss Siesta Key in 1978.

At Windom Allergy we have signed countless medication school forms for the new school year and we're happy to help. But now that the 2021 Fall session has started, what else can we do to help Sarasota families? Here are some pro-tips to have a healthy rest of the year. Clean your nose daily with saline! (Our poor medical students that often shadow us in the office probably think Allergists are like broken records, but it works!) We know that cleaning your nose decreases allergen exposure and can prevent allergic symptoms. But it may surprise some folks that this is the...