Thursday is the first day of spring, but for some, it can be a miserable time of year. The grass is growing, the flowers are blooming, and the trees are budding. It's a beautiful time of year but if you suffer from allergies it can be downright bothersome.
Dr. Bina Joseph at the Allergy and Asthma Center tells us the symptoms, "Congestion, runny nose, itchy watery eyes, sneezing, puffiness and general fatigue."
For some allergy symptoms can be debilitating and visits to the doctor become more frequent than any other time of the year.
And it may be a long time before allergy season gets easier.
"As you get older actually it gets better because allergies are a function of a young strong immune system. It's almost a hyper-response to normal things so with age actually the allergy part improves," says Dr. Joseph.
Beautiful, fragrant plants are not the likely culprit of your sneezing.
"People think flowering plants are a big problem but they're not because the pollen is sticky. It's bred by insects. It's the airborne tree, oak, grass. That's the problem and that's why we feel it."
The best way to lessen your allergy symptoms is to spend less time outside in the morning when pollen levels are highest.
Also wash your hair at the end of the day, change your clothes, and remove your shoes before going into the bedroom.
And don't forget to take your medicine before you go out to prevent discomfort.
