Sneeze, Wheeze & Itch. Welcome To Spring Allergies In Colorado

Welcome to Spring! Welcome to Kleenex! Welcome to allergies!

Allergy specialists are predicting that this will be one of the worst allergy seasons in a decade -- and no area of the country will be spared. To blame: the weather. Some parts of the country it's been extra snowy and wet; other parts unusually warm.

Those of us in Colorado are certainly feeling the spring allergies, even though spring has just sprung. And our culprit is the trees. Some days aren't too bad -- others are mucus-manufacturing congestion heaven-like.

So if you're clogged, is it an allergy or cold? Well, the most important symptom to remember is itchiness. Itchy eyes. Itchy nose. Itchy throat. Otherwise, it can be cold-like congestion, mild clearing cough, and a thick head. And those sneezing fits tend to come just like that -- in fits. Finally you do not get a fever with allergies.

 As for do-it-yourself tips:

Pollen counts tend to be highest from sunrise to 10 a.m. If you've got stuff to do outdoors, put it on the snooze button.

- Wear sunglasses.

- Uses artificial tears to wash out pollens.

- Nasal saline to wash out pollens.

- Quick shower and hair rinse before bed, so you're not rolling around a pillow full of pollen all night.-

- Outdoor pets should be kept out of the bedroom -- and off the beds.

- Test that air conditioning—it can be a lot better than open windows on a bad day.

If you know you have allergies, start your medications now. Prime the pump. They will work better when they are already on board -- not after the fact. We'll talk more on meds the next blog.

As I said, pollen counts can be like a roller coaster. For the latest pollen counts: http://www.coloradoallergy.com

Dr. Dave Hnida is CBS4's Medical Editor. He blogs about the latest studies and trends in the health world. Read his latest blog entries, check out his bio or follow him on Twitter @drdavehnida