DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I love the changing seasons and am looking forward to the warmer days of spring. Unfortunately, I am often miserable because of seasonal allergies. What can I do to keep the box of tissues at bay and enjoy the springtime weather?
ANSWER: As we flip the calendars to April and May, spring is in the air. Warmer springtime temperatures mean that trees bud, flowers bloom and grass grows. And people often are more active outdoors. But for many people like yourself, spring means a heavy dose of misery in the form of sneezing, watery eyes and stuffy noses.
Seasonal allergies, also called hay fever and allergic rhinitis, occur when your immune system reacts to a foreign substance such as pollen, animal dander or dust mites. Patients with allergic rhinitis will experience a flare in symptoms with exposure to their allergens. For those with spring pollen allergies, windy, dry days can be especially bothersome due to higher levels of airborne pollen.
