Allergy Season Strikes Early

If you're sniffing, sneezing and coughing – you're not alone. Doctors said this year’s allergy season is starting early.

Allergies usually strike in April, but this year, pollen counts were unusually high in February.

On the roof of a College Area medical building, a machine collects microscopic pollen from the air that provides a daily sample and count of nature's irritants. Last week, total tree pollen was 203 on Tuesday, and less than 11 on Wednesday.

Dr. Bruce Prenner has been treating allergy patients, and studying the affliction, for 30 years. He says the amount of rainfall does not impact the amount of pollen in the air.    Instead, pollen count is part of nature's natural, and still mysterious, cycles.

“There's a underlying degree of inflammation that we're trying to control, so by having the antihistamine on board, you can reduce the likelihood of the patient being as severe,” he said.

Prenner said if you have symptoms, see a doctor to make sure it's an allergy. He also recommended taking allergy medicine as prescribed every day.