BOONE COUNTY, Ky. — If your spring allergies feel worse this year, doctors say you are not imagining it.
A mix of warm temperatures and high pollen counts is making this season more intense, turning the return of warmer weather into weeks of sneezing, itchy eyes and constant discomfort for many.
Dr. Steffany Santana is a primary care physician at St. Elizabeth. She said the Tri-State area has a high pollen count due to its river valley geography, and people will experience more allergies on humid days.
"Those symptoms can be like you start having tons of nasal discharge, it can be watery, watery discharge on the eyes as well, your eyes can get red," Santana said.
WATCH: How you can pre-treat your symptoms
Santana said she has already started to see more patients coming in. She said it is best to check the pollen count before stepping outside.
In the meantime, she said you can pre-treat.
"You can start getting that intranasal corticosteroids, that's the first line treatment for allergies, it works really well, " Santana said. "I always tell my patients to make sure that they go for their sinuses."
Stacey Anderson said her son's allergies are so bad that he cannot stand to spend a long time outside.
"My son, who just turned 8, he's got pretty severe allergies, outdoor environmental allergies," Anderson said.
She said she has to limit the amount of time he spends outside.
"Cause it's not just trees for him. It's trees, grass, bushes, everything green basically that's outside," Anderson said. "The other thing is we are constantly handwashing for sure."
For families like Anderson's, that means constant planning and staying one step ahead of symptoms.
"Just as a precautionary (measure) for him," Anderson said.
