Hi, I’m Dr. Howard Levy, an internal medicine specialist at Johns Hopkins. Taking care of patients is my passion. In addition to teaching at the School of Medicine, I’m the clinical director of general internal medicine at Johns Hopkins at Green Spring Station. In this blog, I’ll cover a broad range of topics. My goal is to remove some of the mystery — and a few of the myths — surrounding common health concerns. ... http://health.yahoo.com/experts/ Wed, 14 May 2008 23:01:09 -0800 Yahoo! http://health.yahoo.com/experts/yourhealth/1771/getting-relief-from-poison-ivy/ No matter how hard you try, sometimes you just can't prevent getting exposed to poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac. Here are some strategies to help minimize your suffering after the fact. Wed, 14 May 2008 23:01:09 -0800 Howard Levy, M.D. http://health.yahoo.com/experts/yourhealth/1740/tips-to-prevent-poison-ivy-rash/ As the weather warms up and we engage in more outdoor activities, we face a common enemy: poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. Fri, 09 May 2008 22:13:15 -0800 Howard Levy, M.D. http://health.yahoo.com/experts/yourhealth/1696/are-you-taking-too-many-medicines/ As many of us live longer with chronic conditions, the use of multiple medications at the same time is becoming common. And so are the problems they can cause. Fri, 02 May 2008 21:56:26 -0800 Howard Levy, M.D. http://health.yahoo.com/experts/yourhealth/1677/prescription-meds-for-your-allergy/ As with most medical conditions, prescription therapy offers the possibility of improved symptom control, but also brings higher costs and more potential side effects. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:15:38 -0800 Howard Levy, M.D. http://health.yahoo.com/experts/yourhealth/1295/how-to-avoid-allergy-triggers/ If you know you have allergies, but don't want to load up on medications, then it's worth doing everything you can to avoid allergens, those substances that trigger your allergy attacks. Sat, 26 Apr 2008 08:42:23 -0800 Howard Levy, M.D. http://health.yahoo.com/experts/yourhealth/1288/stuffy-nose-try-these-home-remedies/ For many people, sinusitis (inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the facial sinuses) is a nuisance that requires treatment, but not one that's severe enough to be worth a trip to the doctor. Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:00:35 -0800 Howard Levy, M.D. http://health.yahoo.com/experts/yourhealth/1281/all-about-decongestants/ Decongestants do exactly what the name implies - reduce the congestion. They won't block histamine (the trigger for new mucus formation), but will help to dry things up while they're in your system. Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:10:16 -0800 Howard Levy, M.D. http://health.yahoo.com/experts/yourhealth/1246/antihistamines-soothe-your-sinuses/ Antihistamines and decongestants are two of the main treatments for sinusitis--the inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the facial sinuses. Understanding the differences among these various medications can help you to use them most effectively and to avoid taking medicines you don't really need. Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:57:09 -0800 Howard Levy, M.D. http://health.yahoo.com/experts/yourhealth/915/spring-means-sinusitis/ Allergies are immune reactions to something in the environment. For allergic sinusitis, it is typically something in the air. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 09:57:00 -0800 Howard Levy, M.D. http://health.yahoo.com/experts/yourhealth/870/is-it-allergies-or-an-infection/ It can be very hard to figure out if sinusitis is due to allergy or an infection, but the treatments are different, so it's important to try. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:08:55 -0800 Howard Levy, M.D.