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April 09, 2026 | Black & Kletz Allergy
When most people think of Springtime allergies, they think of people with nasal congestion, runny noses, post-nasal drip, itchy eyes, watery eyes, redness of the eyes, itchy throat, and sneezing. This description is of someone who has hay fever (i.e., allergic rhinitis). For the most part, this visualization is correct, however, many individuals also have or only have asthma symptoms […]
Read MoreMarch 18, 2026 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Well, it is this time of the year again. The time when pollen-allergic individuals are happy for the nicer weather, but often dread its consequences. For some, the relentless release of tree pollen causes a wide variety of annoying symptoms to occur, which is typical in the Spring in the Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland […]
Read MoreMarch 10, 2026 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Chronic rhinosinusitis (i.e., long-standing inflammation of the tissues inside the nasal cavity and sinuses inside the facial bones) is one of the most common medical conditions, affecting approximately 12% of the population. In roughly 20% of these patients, there is an association with nasal polyps and the condition is thus named “chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.” […]
Read MoreFebruary 11, 2026 | Black & Kletz Allergy
A common complaint among patients is the need to clear their throats frequently in an attempt to get relief from a feeling of “irritation” in their throats. This feeling is often termed “post-nasal drip,” implying excessive secretions from the upper respiratory tract draining down the back of the throat. All because the feeling of a post-nasal drip is present, there are many other conditions or processes that […]
Read MoreFebruary 03, 2026 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is caused by episodic abnormal release of chemical mediators stored in the granules of mast cells which may affect any organ system. The organ systems most affected tend to involve the skin, gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, and cardiovascular system primarily. Although the prevalence of mast cell activation syndrome varies a […]
Read MoreJanuary 22, 2026 | Black & Kletz Allergy
It is Winter in the Washington, DC, Northern, VA, and Maryland metropolitan area which generally means cold and dry weather. Individuals with asthma may be affected more than the usual person during the Winter because the cold weather is a common trigger of asthma. An asthma doctor DC residents trust is important to the health of anyone in the metro area […]
Read MoreJanuary 16, 2026 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Alpha-gal syndrome is an allergic condition caused by a sensitivity to a carbohydrate known as galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (i.e., alpha-gal). This molecule is found on the cells of non-primate mammals (i.e., beef, pork, lamb, venison, etc.). This condition is mainly thought to develop after tick bites. The regional distribution of alpha-gal syndrome corresponds with specific tick species populations […]
Read MoreDecember 16, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Adverse reactions to medications are very common. Among the drugs associated with immediate hypersensitivity reactions (i.e., IgE antibody-mediated allergic reactions), penicillins are the most commonly observed. Penicillin allergy is reported in approximately 7 to 10% of the community population and it occurs in up to 20% of hospitalized patients. However, more than 90% of these patients do […]
Read MoreDecember 05, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Pulmonary function testing is a tool to help diagnose certain respiratory disorders such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema. Bronchitis and emphysema are both categorized as chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). A pulmonary function testing doctor McLean, VA knows is Michael R. Kletz, M.D. of Black & Kletz Allergy. He and his colleague, Appaji Gondi, M.D., both […]
Read MoreNovember 27, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
The human immune system has evolved to defend and protect us from infections caused by microbes and some types of cancers. The cells responsible for these defenses originate in the bone marrow and circulate in the blood stream and lymphatic system. The human immune system has evolved to defend and protect us from infections caused […]
Read MoreNovember 12, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Well, it is that time of year again. A time for getting together with family and friends for the annual ritual of gluttony – I mean Thanksgiving. Although the holiday is generally a festive occasion, some food-allergic individuals find Thanksgiving to be a time of the year where they are more concerned than usual. Individuals […]
Read MoreOctober 23, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Urticaria (i.e., hives) are itchy red blotches or “welts” that generally occur on the skin but may also occur internally on various parts of the body. The lesions can be flush with the skin, but are usually slightly elevated above the skin surface, similar to a mosquito bite. Approximately 20 to 30% of the population […]
Read MoreOctober 10, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Individuals with asthma probably are unaware of the association between asthma and acid reflux (GERD). It is estimated that approximately 75% of asthmatics have GERD of some degree. GERD or acid reflux occurs when there is a backflow of stomach contents into the esophagus (i.e., swallowing tube). In other words, the stomach contents travel in […]
Read MoreSeptember 26, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
SARS-CoV-2 is the name of the coronavirus that is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic that caused millions of deaths worldwide. Although vaccination and established population immunity have substantially mitigated the severity of acute SARS-CoV-2 infections, the virus continues to infect millions of people resulting in a number of hospitalizations and deaths. There is a need for an […]
Read MoreSeptember 26, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Autumn has just begun and for some people it is a bittersweet moment. Although many individuals enjoy the lower temperatures that the autumn brings in the Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland metropolitan region, many allergy sufferers are not so welcoming because with the lower temperatures, mold and weed pollen levels rise. The major weed culprit […]
Read MoreAugust 18, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Over the last 10-15 years, the number of individuals with meat allergy has risen mainly because of a condition called alpha-gal syndrome or mammalian meat allergy. Alpha-gal syndrome was first identified by Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 2002. He discovered that the syndrome originated from the bite of lone star […]
Read MoreAugust 13, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a painful, life-threatening skin condition. It is associated with blistering and peeling of large areas of the skin, including mucous membranes such as the mouth, eyes, and/or genitals. If less than 10% of the body surface is involved, it is often called Stevens- Johnson syndrome (SJS). In the more severe […]
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