06:37 PM CST on Thursday, March 30, 2006

By Carolyn Campbell / 11 News

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Doctors say their allergy patients are suffering more than usual this spring, but there are a few things you can do to cope.

AP

The birds are singing, flowers are blooming — it’s spring and it’s beautiful outside.

But maybe, like Marta Deleon, you’re simply miserable.

“I started with the symptom of sneezing and then it came up to the point that my eyes were so watery, I couldn’t breathe at night time,” Deleon said.

Deleon is one of millions suffering from seasonal allergies.

But it’s her first time, which doesn’t surprise Dr. Joseph Perez.

“What I’ve seen is a lot of the patients come in they were doing OK up until like early February, then all of a sudden it hit them like a brick wall,” Dr. Perez said.

He blames a mild winter.

“And that coupled with the rains of the spring causes some trees to pollinate a little earlier,” Dr. Perez said.

The culprits in spring are usually tree and grass pollen and mold, so Dr. Perez suggests trying to avoid the problem first.

But if you’re like most people, you’ve got to go outside at some point.

He recommends taking a few other measures.

First, recirculate the air in your car. Regularly change the air filters in your car and home

Don’t open doors and windows — pollen comes in with the fresh air

Don’t schedule outdoor activities early in the morning, when pollen is highest.

Deleon found relief in over-the-counter and prescription drugs, but for others Dr. Perez believes allergy shots are the best solution.

“In some instances allergy shots help people completely alleviate their symptoms,” he said.

Testing is much quicker, and the needles are much smaller.  

Since he’s an allergy sufferer too, Dr. Perez knows how debilitating allergies can be, so he urges sufferers to get help as soon as possible.