Let‘s Clear the Air! All Things Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

Let's get to know Dr. Nicholas Cline! Dr. Cline completed his medical degree at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, and his residency at the University of Tennessee School of Medicine in Knoxville. His love for the field of allergy and immunology was sparked during his allergy rotation. A long-term sufferer of allergies himself, Dr. Cline discovered not only his medical calling but also a diagnos...

Host Liz Edwards speaks with Dr. Poneh Heine about "all things" related to spring allergy season. Georgia is already seeing lots of tree and grass pollen, starting this spring with a bang! Dr. Heine shares how you can navigate this season and upcoming ones as pollen counts continue to climb. (While medications can help, Dr. Heine explains why they're not a long-term solution, especially when the p...

We're excited to introduce one of our newest providers, Nurse Practitioner Sharon Lever! After several years as a respiratory therapist in New Hampshire, Sharon went back to school to achieve her ultimate goal of becoming a nurse practitioner, focusing on pulmonology and then transitioning into the allergy field.  Sharon is a certified asthma educator and a competitive trapshooter! She's also read...

Our pollen counts have begun for 2025, but what's involved in counting the pollen and why should we care? Dr. Laura Green talks with host Marcella Feathers about how the pollen count is gathered and why awareness of the day's count can be important for allergic and asthmatic folks. From tree pollens traveling hundreds of miles to the tenacity of mold spores here in the South, listen as Dr. Green p...

Host Liz Edwards and Dr. Michael Norvell jump right into spring allergies! Did you know that in Middle Tennessee, tree pollen starts to show in late February, sometimes even sooner? Now is the time to be prepared. Dr. Norvell offers tips for when over-the-counter medications aren't helping or when you're not sure what's causing your symptoms. In either situation, he urges patients to err on the si...

Host Liz Edwards welcomes Sung Poblete, PhD, RN and CEO of FARE, for our special Valentine's Day edition! Dr. Poblete and the Food Allergy Research & Education organization are valuable resources for anyone who is food allergic or knows someone who is, and with more than 33 million food-allergic people in the United States, that covers most of us! Dr. Poblete shares the importance of FARE's in...

Dr. Phil Jones helps us unwrap the trappings of holiday foods for food allergic patients, specifically those who are allergic to tree nuts. Hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios...all the nutty flavors added to our favorite holiday helpings can cause pollen-food allergy syndrome for people allergic to certain tree pollens as well as life-threatening symptoms for food-allergic patients. Dr. Jones shares h...

Dr. Jeana Bush talks with host Liz Edwards about the whirlwind of fall allergies this season.  What's brewing? According to Dr. Bush, it's the heat allowing spring tree and grass pollens to continue to disperse as well as the sprouting of fall's ragweed. And as a result of Hurricane Helene, all of the southeast is experiencing atmospheric changes and mold.  For any allergic symptom, whether it's i...

Host Liz Edwards introduces us to Dr. Jeana Bush, one of our board-certified allergists serving Georgia! Dr. Bush knew she wanted to be a doctor from an early age. Stories of her grandfather as the only physician in his area instilled in her a great respect and curiosity for the field. Finding her specialty in allergy and immunology was helped by an allergist she rotated with in Charlotte.  Dr. Bu...

Host Liz Edwards talks with Dr. Turkessa Walker about fall allergies in Georgia. Despite the high temperatures, Georgia is experiencing some strong hints of fall, including an increase in weed and mold pollens. Dr. Walker explains more about both of the "big windows" (spring and fall) for high pollen exposure and worsening allergic symptoms. She also explains what you can expect during your first...

Host Liz Edwards introduces a special treat for our Georgia audience: Dr. Turkessa Walker! She works in our Middle Georgia locations and is a native of the Peach State. Listen as Dr. Walker describes how she considered becoming an allergist in high school but took a bit of a detour into OB/GYN, only to end up circling back to allergy. She explains what she loves about allergy and the joy she gets...

Host Liz Edwards talks with Family Nurse Practitioner Kelsie Hannah about that dreaded fall weed: ragweed. Learn why ragweed and fall weeds in general can make you feel terrible as well as how changes in the weather can make even non-allergic people feel stuffy and fatigued.  If you're struggling with sinus infections, asthma exacerbations, itchy eyes, or pesky coughs, ragweed might be the culprit...

Did you know that stinging insects become more aggressive in the late summer and early fall? Dr. Phil Jones explains why now is the time to be aware of their habitat and activity. He also shares some tips on how to identify an allergic reaction to a sting. Most importantly, though, Dr. Jones tell us how venom immunotherapy can help you breathe easier outside despite all the buzz!

Nurse Practitioner Brittany Harper and host Liz Edwards walk us through what to expect from a skin test! From preparations before the test to the therapy after, Brittany and Liz cover all the details. Learn what happens at each step, how many allergens are tested for different age groups, how long the initial scratch test takes (usually only 60 seconds!), and what all of this tells our providers....

Dr. James Kidd at our Louisiana clinics discusses all things summer allergy with host Liz Edwards.  Dr. Kidd describes when certain grass pollens are at their highest in Louisiana and why most people who have grass allergies in the South are probably already in a chronic phase of suffering. Learn how exercising outdoors during these summer months can trigger a slew of exercise-induced symptoms: ur...

Host Kaylie Francis talks with Dr. Jane Conley about anaphylaxis. Learn what it is, how it happens, and what to do when it happens. Dr. Conley also answers some common questions about when and how to use epinephrine. 

Host Liz Edwards introduces us to Dr. James Kidd, an allergist at our Louisiana offices who is Baton Rouge born and raised! Learn how Dr. Kidd became interested in medicine at an early age, why he chose allergy as his specialty, and what to expect during a first visit as a new patient. 

Host Liz Edwards introduces listeners to Dr. Ben Gaudin with our Louisiana offices! Dr. Gaudin comes from a family of LSU Tigers. He, his father, and all his siblings are LSU alumni. While they pursued careers in engineering, Dr. Gaudin chose the medical field, but he still finds many similarities between the two disciplines. Learn what attracted Dr. Gaudin to the field of allergy specifically, wh...

It's hard to separate Dr. Phil Jones from the specialty his been practicing for more than 20 years, which is why this "Getting to Know" episode is a bit Dr. Jones, a bit asthma and pulmonology and a lot allergy. A native of the Tri-Cities in East Tennessee, Dr. Jones attend undergraduate and graduate school at the University of Alabama. He returned to Johnson City to serve the community he loves a...

Host Liz Edwards talks with our Louisiana allergist Dr. Jeffery Franklin about an all-too-common allergy foe: respiratory allergies. These allergens affect our respiratory system, which is a fancy way of saying all things connected to how we breathe.  Respiratory allergies can make us feel run down and miserable, negatively impacting our quality of life. Sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, fatigue.......

We're going to Louisiana! Host Liz Edwards introduces listeners to Dr. Jeffery Franklin, who sees patients at our Prairieville, Bluebonnet, and Goodwood locations.  Dr. Franklin shares how he knew he wanted to go into medicine from an early age, as early as four or five years old. As one of four boys, he may have been inspired by his pediatrician, whom they visited multiple times while growing up,...

Host Liz Edwards introduces us to Family Nurse Practitioner Brittany Harper! Brittany always knew she'd be in some type of healthcare. Learn how her career unfolded into nursing and why this Nebraska-born CrossFitter loves seeing new patients.

Dr. John Overholt shares with host Liz Edwards some good news! Starting this summer, major manufacturers will cap patients' out-of-cost expense for inhalers. This restriction on pricing is long overdue as some asthma patients are forced to limit the use of their inhalers because of its cost. Dr. Overholt shares how common it is for patients to use inhalers less frequently than prescribed and how d...

Host Liz Edwards talks with family nurse practitioner James (Jim) O'Rourke about the three medicines you should stop taking if you have allergies! Learn how these medications, reserved for acute or episodic infections, can become addictive if taken too often and for too long–and how they often make your symptoms worse! Jim and Liz discuss why it's wise to get an accurate diagnosis and how allergy...

Join us as host Liz Edwards introduces us to family nurse practitioner James (Jim) O'Rourke. Jim had his first career in pharmaceuticals but was intrigued by the provider side of medicine. Years later, we're honored to have him helping patients in Middle Tennessee!