Is there any connection between eczema and asthma? Half of my family seems to have one disease, while the other half have the other.

It seems strange that a skin and lung disease can be connected, but this is the case. In fact, there is a third disease—hay fever—that is also connected to eczema and asthma. All three are ‘ atopic’ diseases—that is there is a specific type of reaction by the tissue in the lung, skin and nose, often to outside substances such as temperature changes, dust or pollen, but sometimes to internal triggers such as stress or hormone changes.

Patients with these conditions will know that the disease flares and settles without treatment, and usually for no apparent cause. Others will recognise that before a menstrual period, at times of anxiety, in certain seasons or with a particular type of weather, their condition will worsen.

People with one of these three diseases, also have an above average risk of developing one of the others.

It is possible for allergists to desensitise you to any allergies that may be the cause, but this procedure will not work against the other factors. Fortunately there are creams, sprays and medications that can control these diseases, but there is no cure.

What are the causes of earache?

There are hundreds of causes. The most common is infection of either the ear canal (eg. swimmers ear), or die middle ear. These can develop very rapidly, and one of the most common causes for a 2 am call in general practice is the rapidly developing car pain from an infection.

Infections of the sinuses may also cause ear pain, as may a blockage with phlegm of the fine tube that leads from the middle ear to the back of the nose.

If you fly or climb a mountain with this eustachian tube blocked, the air in the middle ear will be at a different ptessure to that outside, the ear drum will become distorted by this difference in pressure, and pain will result. A common cold may be all that is necessary to cause this blockage.

The bones around the ear may sometimes become infected and cause earache, and the jaw joint which is just in front of the ear will cause ear pain if it becomes inflamed or injured. Impacted ear wax is another common cause of ear pain.

Dental disease can cause ear pain, and vice versa. Dentists often refer patients to a doctor for treatment of their ear or sinus condition after they have initially seen the dentist for toothache. The list goes on and on, so anyone with an eatache will need assessment and treatment by a doctot (or dentist!).