York, PA – Shannon McElroy wakes up with a stuffy nose almost every day.

Since moving to York from Baltimore in 2010, she has had reactions to seasonal allergies. this year, she’s one of the many people experiencing early spring hay fever — seasonal allergic rhinitis — symptoms because of the warmer-than-usual winter.

McElroy, 31, said her nasal congestion started becoming more severe in mid-February.

“They have really been bothering me . . . because the weather has been so weird,” she said.

McElroy takes Alavert and uses Nasonex, but she hasn’t yet been to an allergist to figure out what exactly is causing her reactions.

“I’m hoping that I can get in to see an allergist soon and maybe get some relief,” she said.

Dr. David Coutin of Allergy & Asthma Consultants Inc. in Spring Garden Township said tree pollen is the main culprit in the spring. he said he’s already seen an increase in patients with sneezing, itchy eyes, nasal congestion and difficulty breathing.

Coutin said that trees started pollinating early this year and that the pollen count is about 25 percent higher than last year so far. Tree pollen counts peak at different times each year, with the average being the last week of April or first week of may. he said the count peaked last year April 8. he anticipates an early peak this year, as well.

Kelly Navarro, lab supervisor, said she recorded a pollen count Monday of 85 grains per cubic meter in York County, with maple as the dominant pollinator. She said that 90 and above is considered high and that many of the local trees — willow, pine, oak, maple, cedar and juniper — are producing pollen.

People with hay fever can be allergic to one or several trees. For those who are allergic to all pollinating trees: “This (Monday) is not a good day for them,” Navarro said.

Coutin said an early start to seasonal allergic rhinitis doesn’t necessarily mean a longer period of symptoms for sufferers. After tree pollen, pollen from grass, weeds and ragweed — respectively — trigger reactions until the first frost.

He said temperature and rainfall affect how soon grass pollinates.

Coutin said there could be some relief for people with allergies today if the temperature dropped to freezing last night and temporarily shut down pollen production.

However, if you have symptoms, don’t wait for them to blow over.

“Allergies do not go away,” he said.

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Allergy advice

Dr. Michael Nickels of Allergy & Asthma Consultants in Spring Garden Township said people suffering from seasonal allergies typically use antihistamines such as Allegra, Zyrtec and Claritin; as well as Flonase and Nasonex.

He recommends allergy shots when a patient’s symptoms aren’t reduced by medications.

Nickels said people with hay fever should try to avoid pollen by closing windows, bathing pets and showering after being outside.

“If it’s bad, see your allergist,” he said.

Natural remedies

Dr. Diane Hawk of Hawk’s Natural Health Consultations in Springettsbury Township said she received some early calls from clients suffering from seasonal allergies once trees started budding. One of her East Coast suppliers ran out of an allergy formula she offers because of the early onset, so she had to order it from the West Coast.

People who are sensitive to medications or who want to avoid drowsiness might seek natural remedies. Hawk advises specific herbs and supplements based on an individual’s history and condition. She provided these general natural recommendations for allergy symptoms:

— use Neti Pots and nasal rinses help remove pollen from the nose to mitigate symptoms.

— Eat more vitamin-C-rich foods, such as citrus fruits and broccoli.

— Quercetin, a plant-derived flavonoid found in many fruits, flowers and vegetables, acts as an antihistamine and might reduce allergy symptoms. Stinging Nettles also have an antihistamine effect. These are sold as supplements.

WASHINGTON, March 17 (UPI) — an unusually mild winter in much of the eastern United States has brought early misery to people with pollen allergies, doctors say.

Dr. Derek Johnson, medical director of the Fairfax Allergy, Asthma and Sinus Clinic in Virginia, said tree pollen counts on Feb. 23 in the Washington area were more than 100 times their level a year earlier, the Washington Post reported Monday. There were 365 grains of pollen per cubic meter in 2012, up from just 2.88 in 2011.

“It really is unusually early for patients to be this miserable,” Johnson told the Post. “The mild winter has resulted in very high pollen levels in February and early March, when they’re typically very low or negligible.”

Dr. Jackie Eghrari-Sabet, an allergist in Gaithersburg, Md., predicted “a slow, grand parade” of misery for the susceptible because some species of tree are pollinating early and others are on their usual schedule.

To complicate things further, doctors warn the flu season is not over, so people who develop respiratory symptoms or body aches and pains should not just assume it is early hay fever, WLS-TV in Chicago said.

Dr. Andrew Bonwit of Loyola University Medical Center suggested anyone with symptoms that could be influenza should consider visiting the doctor.

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) – Doctors offices along the Grand Strand are getting busier with people already suffering from seasonal allergies.

From sniffling to sneezing, doctors say the warm weather is making symptoms pop up in those allergic to various types of pollen.

Dr. Joseph Moyer, allergist with the Allergy, Asthma and Sinus Center, attributes many patients problems to trees being tricked into thinking it's spring and spreading their pollen early.

“We started to pick up a lot of tree pollen during the warm days that we had last week. We also noticed more people coming in with symptoms, your typical allergy symptoms,” Moyer said.

“I sneeze, my eyes burn, my nose runs. I get all choked up and my head hurts. It's just a general feeling of yuck,” said Laura Forbes, who has allergies.

Meteorologists say the pollen counts do reflect a high level of allergens in the air, especially over the last few days.

Moyer recommends allergy sufferers try over the counter antihistamines and avoid long periods of outdoor activity.

He says the allergy season is just beginning and it's expected to get worse as more things bloom later in the spring.

“This is just the beginning I'm afraid. the cooler weather may slow things down a little bit, but I think the trend is gonna be that the weather is warming up,” he said.

If medicines and avoidance don't work Moyer says it's time to see a doctor.

Copyright 2011 WMBF News. All rights reserved.

UNDATED (CBS) – Spring is just around the corner and for millions of people that means their allergies will be flaring up. but it's not just pollen that could be aggravating your seasonal allergies.

Lukus Hasenstab has allergies almost all year, and they make him miserable.

“I'm allergic to pretty much anything in nature. Trees, the pollen,” he said.

But what some allergy sufferers eat, like fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts, can make them feel even worse.

“The food contains certain proteins that are similar in nature to the pollens, and the body confuses the two and it reacts as if you're having an allergy attack in your mouth or throat,” said Allergy and Asthma Dr. Clifford Bassett

It's called oral allergy syndrome.  It's not an allergic reaction to the food itself, but what is called a “cross reaction”. Symptoms include itchiness or tingling on the lips or in the mouth and throat. about one third of allergy sufferers get it.

In the spring, tree pollen can trigger reactions to fruits like apples and oranges, and vegetables like celery and peppers. in the fall, bananas and cucumbers can be a problem for people allergic to ragweed.

Lukus has to limit some foods all year round. “Bananas are a big culprit,” he said. “Almonds oddly enough, various nuts, (and) hazelnuts as well.”

Allergists are predicting one of the worst allergy seasons in more than a decade this Spring, but there is a way to avoid problems with what you eat.

“If you peel the food or cook the food, a lot of times we can knock out the protein and the symptoms go away or are less pronounced,” Bassett said.

“I work in a restaurant and I love food so to have to really think about what I'm about to eat is kind of challenging,” Lukus said.

He says he sticks to what he knows is safe, so he isn't sorry after a meal.

Allergists say it's also important to get the right diagnosis because some people confuse this reaction to foods with food allergies which can be much more serious and may need immediate attention.

Copyright 2011 CBS. all rights reserved.

Q. My 5- year-old daughter had such terrible spring allergies last year. is there anything I can do to prevent the same symptoms this year?

When a person with allergies is exposed to an allergic trigger such as pollen, the body releases chemicals called leukotrienes and histamine. these chemicals then cause the symptoms we classically associate with allergies: sneezing, itchy watery eyes and runny nose.

Most conventional allergy medications target these chemicals to prevent allergy symptoms. Allergy medications are most effective if started prior to the allergen exposure, ideally one to two weeks before allergy season, says the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Pollen counts can vary depending on climate and weather. in the Southeast, tree pollen will be on the rise in late February; therefore, spring allergy sufferers need to start taking their allergy medications now to get the maximum benefits.

If your child’s allergies were poorly controlled last spring, then this would also be a good time to visit the pediatrician or allergist and review her treatment plan. when pollen counts are high, it is also important to bathe children after playing outside and to keep car and house windows closed to reduce pollen exposure.

If allergy symptoms persist, allergy shots (immunotherapy) may be recommended. for more information about spring allergies and local pollen counts visit aaaai.org .

Dr. Patt is a pediatrician with Charlotte Pediatric Clinic and president of the Charlotte Pediatric Society. she blogs for MomsCharlotte.com. E-mail questions to living@charlotteobserver.com and put “pediatrician” in the subject line.

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