Spring Allergy Season Arrives Early — Get Relief Now Read more: Spring Allergy Season Arrives Early — Get Relief Now Important: At Risk For A Heart Attack? Find Out Now.

Although spring makes its official debut next week, it appeared in many parts of the United States ahead of schedule — following the fourth warmest winter on record — and got the allergy season off to an early start. If the sneezing and wheezing seem more severe than usual, it's not your imagination. "2012 is already shaping up to be another bad season for those with respiratory conditions," said Dr. Joseph Leija of the Loyola University Health System. ALERT: 3 Nutrients Work Better Than Statins in Stopping Heart Attacks. "Cypress and cottonwood pollen as well as mold spores are documented in the air in higher quantities than normal, for the Midwest, and all over," said Leija, who prepares the official allergy count for the Midwest on behalf of the National Allergy Bureau. According to Leija, the allergy season has started almost one month early. “The unusually warm winter has led to early blooming of trees and plants, which means noxious pollen in the air is aggravating sensitive breathing systems,” said Leija, who has reported the Gottlieb Allergy Count for more than two decades. According to Dr. Raymond Slavin, professor of internal medicine at Saint Louis University, signs of an early allergy season began as early as the first days of February. But with flu and cold season still hanging on, an early allergy season makes it more difficult for doctors to tell the difference between colds and allergies. “However," Slavin said, "there are a few distinctions that can help you differentiate between the two." They include: • Duration: Cold symptoms usually last for only a few days, but allergy symptoms can last weeks or even longer if left untreated. • Timing: Seasonal allergies occur the same time every year, so if you get the sniffles every March, chances are you have an allergy. Colds are most often a winter illness. • Itching: The presence of itching either in the eyes or nose is a common symptom of an allergy, but rarely occurs with a cold. • Family history: Allergies to a particular irritant can be genetic. If you have a family history of allergies, your symptoms are more likely to be caused by allergies than a cold. If you're fighting allergies, use the following tips to ease symptoms: • Keep windows closed in your home and car to limit allergens. • Run the air conditioning or air cleaning systems to remove allergens from indoor air. • Shower and wash your hair at night to send the day's buildup of pollen down the drain. • Use over-the-counter, non-sedative antihistamines, such as Allegra, Claritin, or Zyrtec, to combat symptoms, and take them 30 minutes before going outside. • When outside, wear sunglasses to shield your eyes from pollen. • Since pollen is released early in the day, schedule outdoor activities for later. • See your doctor if symptoms worsen. Physicians can prescribe cortisone nasal sprays, and immunotherapy in the form of shots or drops under the tongue may be prescribed for those with the most severe symptoms. For pollen counts in your area, visit the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology's website.