TMA Health Beat: Allergy Season in Texas

The allergy season can be tough for many Texans who struggle with cough, runny nose and itchy eyes. Louise Bethea, MD, allergist and immunologist from The Woodlands, talks about the allergens that affect Texans the most, allergy induced asthma and the difference between allergies, and respiratory illnesses. 

Episode Transcript

(00:04):
Welcome to another episode of TMA Health Beat.
I am Swati Narayanan. As the weather warms up, Texans suffering from allergies
are struggling with runny nose, coughs, and headaches.
I spoke with Dr. Louise Bethea, Allergy and Immunology Specialist,
to learn more about about the allergy season.

(00:25):
I started by asking her about what allergens affect Texans the most.
There are millions of Texans that are allergic to mountain cedar,
which pollinates from November through now.
So tree, grass, both scores are our February through May allergens that affect millions of Texans.
But some would disagree, of course, because they're allergic to fall pollens.

(00:48):
Some are allergic to all pollens, but what allergic rhinitis is,
is your immune system mistakenly identifies pollen, dust mite,
mold as enemies and responds by releasing a number of chemicals.
They're histamine, which everyone's heard about, prostaglandins,
leukotrienes, and these mediators cause itching in the nose.

(01:11):
The roof of your mouth may itch, your throat and eyes may itch,
you sneeze, you have nasal of congestion and a runny nose.
And then you may have dark circles, which we call allergic shiners.
Dr. Bethea, how do you differentiate between seasonal allergies and respiratory illnesses?
Allergies usually follow a pattern. You may look back at last year and see if

(01:33):
you had the same symptoms about the same time.
Allergy symptoms tend also to last for several weeks rather than for days like an infection.
Allergies usually don't cause fever, but you may have an infection,
of course, at the same time that you have an allergy of flare.
Allergies cause nasal congestion and can lead to a sinus infection.

(01:55):
So again, you may have both at the same time, but allergies as a rule don't cause fever.
And can people with allergies develop asthma? So asthma is found in about 40%
of patients with allergic rhinitis.
And conversely, three out of four people who have asthma will have allergic rhinitis.

(02:15):
Recent studies, interestingly enough, have shown that there are 56 genetic variants
found in children with asthma.
And children are more likely to have allergic asthma. But our research is continuing,
both in children and adults, because these studies will help us categorize or
evaluate more variants of asthma, which will lead to better treatments.

(02:38):
Dr. Bethea, often people who move to Texas don't get affected by allergies for
many years, and suddenly they start suffering. Why is that the case?
Moving to a new area is one common cause that experts agree on for the development
of allergies. and he said.
The new part of the country, one moves to, has a different mix of trees,

(02:59):
grasses, weeds that you've never been exposed to.
And one can develop allergies at any time in their life. You can be 80 or 85
years of age and still develop allergies.
So put together the genetic background, the types of pollen,
particularly the lengths of the various season, and even the indoor allergen exposure plays a role.

(03:19):
So in many northern states, the pollen is out from June through maybe early September.
So the exposure certainly isn't as great.
Whereas in Texas, we pretty much have a pollen count year round,
even in January and December.
So also you may have acquired new pets. The humidity plays a role because dust

(03:43):
mite exposure increases with increased humidity. humidity.
Cockroach exposure may also play a role. They're not as common in areas that are colder.
And so all these exposures may trigger a new diagnosis of allergic rhinitis.
Dr. Bethea, thank you so much for your time. Dr.
Bethea also recommends that those suffering from allergies consult an allergy,

(04:07):
asthma, and immunology physician.
She says quality of life, impact on school and work performance and productivity
will improve with specialized treatments.
Music.