Pulmonologist explains when to seek medical treatment during allergy season

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- While recent rainfall has greatly helped control the high pollen counts, the spring allergy season is far from over.

Not only that, but a recent study from the American Lung Association gave Harris County an "F" for air quality based on the number of ozone pollution days in 2024.

ABC13 Meteorologist Elyse Smith sat down with a pulmonologist with Memorial Hermann, Dr. Kiran Nair, to learn more about the health impacts of the air we breathe in Houston.

Houston is more of a challenging place for people with respiratory illnesses. From smoke to pollen and pollution from nearby industries, the air quality in Houston isn't always the healthiest.

While there have been significant improvements in the region since the 1970s and 1980s, Nair said that Houston is always going to have a mix of different irritants that could be in the air.

"But we also have issues with heat and humidity, mold in many homes, and things like that, especially in older homes," Nair said. "We deal with problems, you know, with climate change and the warming of the climate. We end up dealing with problems like increased smoke from wildfires or Saharan dust."

Nair said Houstonians are particularly vulnerable to developing a respiratory illness or disease.

"We definitely treat a lot of asthma and allergies for sure. Patients with underlying other lung diseases will also be triggered by allergens or particulate matter. So patients who have underlying COPD, they can move over here, they noticed that their sensitivity is more increased there," Nair said. "While we're in the middle of oak pollen season, plus a potential threat of wildfire smoke if one were to occur, this time of year can be tricky to navigate for those with known allergies or underlying respiratory conditions."

Nair said asthmatic patients need to take appropriate precautions by taking an albuterol inhaler if they travel somewhere where they suspect they'll be treated on high-ozone days.

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