Allergies bring misery to millions this time each year, and health professionals are warning the public this year could be a hard allergy season.

Allergens are foreign substances that produce an abnormally vigorous immune response in a person. During an allergy attack, the immune system fights off a perceived threat that would otherwise be harmless to the body. These reactions are called allergies.

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Most people can withstand these substances with little or no difficulty. The immune systems of people that suffer from allergies, however, overreact to these materials, causing the uncomfortable feelings.

Symptoms of allergies to pollen and other plant materials include sneezing, nasal congestion, coughing, runny nose, stomach discomfort and itchy throat. Weather can play an important role for those sensitive to allergens.

Allergy suffers are already starting to feel the effects of pollen other irritants this early. Some physicians believe the current dry conditions are creating earlier symptoms that could last longer than normal due to the weather conditions.

"We tell people with allergies to avoid pollen. We tell them to not open the windows in their house, to use the air conditioning in their car, to stay inside. But when the weather is so nice, people want to go outside and enjoy it," said Dr. Russell Leong, a San Francisco allergist who teaches at California Pacific Medical Center.

Allergies frequently pass from one generation to another, meaning children are likely to suffer from the same allergies as their parents

It can seem that way for some allergy sufferers because allergies tend to be very patient-specific and can even depend on the particular weather patterns in a certain microclimate. So, a single tree that's shedding much heavier pollen than usual can lead to the "worst season" for an allergy sufferer living around the corner.

Antihistamines are often the first line of treatment for those suffering from allergies. These drugs come in the form of pills, eye drops, nasal sprays or liquid.

First-generation' antihistamines for allergies include Benadryl, Chlor-Trimeton and Tavist. They tend to cause more side effects, particularly drowsiness.

Newer-generation antihistamines such as Allegra, Clarinex, and Zyrtec have fewer side effects, so they may be a better choice for some people

TagsAllergies are Now Starting to Surface this Spring Season, Spring, spring season, allergies, Allergy, pollen, Antihistamines, Benadryl