Did you know that lung cancer is the #1 cause of cancer death among women in the United States? Most people assume that it would be breast cancer, but it’s actually lung cancer. Lung cancer used to be thought of as a man’s disease, but women now account for almost half of new cases and half […]
With so many drugs readily available today, from e-cigarettes to marijuana to opioids to a host of others, peer pressure for young people to use harmful substances seems more intense than ever. Are you worried that your teen or middle schooler is using drugs? At Westchester Health, we want you to know that we’re your […]
Many of my patients—especially those who smoke, used to smoke or who live with smokers—have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. COPD refers to a group of lung diseases, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, that cause airflow obstruction and breathing-related problems.
The pediatricians of Westchester Health Pediatrics/Northwell Health Physician Partners do not condone the use of vaping. Vaping, particularly among teenagers, has become a national crisis. A new generation of young people is now getting hooked on nicotine, and in some cases, it’s costing them their lives. Something needs to be done, and fast, to convince […]
Most people acknowledge that cigarette smoking is bad for your health, but did you know that it is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States? It’s true—cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths every year (nearly 1 in 5 of all U.S. deaths). However, we at Westchester Health want to draw your attention […]
If you have asthma, you know all too well how scary an asthma attack can be. If you don’t have asthma, it’s hard to fully appreciate what it’s like not to be able to breathe and the panic that can cause. As an allergist/immunologist asthma specialist, I hear statements like this a lot from my […]
Did you know that the amount of nicotine in an e-cigarette nicotine pod is equal to the amount in a pack of 20 cigarettes? And that because the teen brain is still developing, teen users are more susceptible to the addictive nature of nicotine? Maybe that’s why the use of e-cigarettes among adolescents has skyrocketed […]
E-cigarettes or vapes, are devices that create a vapor or aerosol of a nicotine-based substance. But unlike cigarettes, vapes do not create smoke so their use is less obvious to those around the person vaping. Moreover, many healthcare professionals are becoming increasingly alarmed at the popularity of vaping because the vapor that is released actually […]
Most people think that spring and summer are the worst seasons for allergies, but fall is not far behind, bringing with it these unpleasant and annoying symptoms: Watery, itchy, irritated eyes Runny nose Nasal congestion Sneezing Headaches Rashes or hives Itchy throat In severe cases, trouble breathing or anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction)
The good news is that the rates for adolescents smoking tobacco have dipped slightly. The bad news is that e-cigarette use in middle and high school students has tripled. Many people, especially teens, think that e-cigarettes are a safe alternative to smoking. Unfortunately, this is simply not true. E-cigarettes are just another way of absorbing nicotine—which […]