When should you start spring allergy medication?

BOSTON – Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your medical questions. If you have a question, email her or message her on Facebook or Twitter.  

Dr. Mallika is offering her best advice, but as always, consult your personal doctor before making any decisions about your personal health.  

Jason from Wellesley asks, "When should I start my spring allergy medication?"

You may look outside your window and see snow on the ground, but as you know, the temperatures, in general, have been quite mild which means we're likely to see an early start to spring and an early arrival of spring allergy symptoms.  

As a general rule, you want to start your maintenance medications such as antihistamines and nasal steroid sprays a few weeks before pollen appears, so it's probably a good idea to start now.  

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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