CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Spring is finally here, and it's many people's favorite time of year because of all of the beauty it brings, but for some, there's a catch when the season rolls by.
The warmer months in South Texas can call for some sneezing and coughing. The main reason for this: Pollen.
"It's beautiful, the weather is getting warm, the birds are chirping, the flowers are growing, so everything just like with nice roses comes with a thorn. In this case, people who are more susceptible to allergies, I think, those thorns come as pollen for them," said Pulmonologist Dr. Salim Surani. "From March to June, what we have is what we call a 'tree pollen.' So, there's a pollen that falls from the tree. From July to the beginning of September, we have a pollen, but those are called the 'grass pollens.'"
Dr. Surani said it's common for allergies to act up when it's windy out, which is a regular occurrence here in the Coastal Bend.
Even Dr. Kim Onufrak with the Public Health Department said she's dealing with allergies right now, "I have certainly felt it myself. I've had to take more allergy medicine just to try to get ahead of it, just so that way I don't have a sinus infection or something like that."
The weather shift has been responsible for more than just a higher pollen count, it also caused several of the brush fires we've had in our area.
Dr. Onufrak says these fires can add more issues, "Smoke is made up of carbon monoxide fine particulate matter, and so what that can do is cause irritation. Usually, you'll feel your eyes burning, your nose itching, stuff like that."
They say it's important to check the weather, pollen count, and air quality on your phone or online before heading out. Also, if you suffer from allergies, allergy medication is the best way to help with symptoms.
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