Gateway Reporter

• People who have spring allergies might start feeling their symptoms kicking in as trees have begun to pollinate.

• Symptoms can include sneezing, itchy eyes, coughing, congestion and fatigue.

• People who need to undergo allergy testing or treatment have several options. 

Dr. Manish Khanna of Capitol Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers says allergy sufferers have several testing options to determine which allergies they have and develop a treatment plan.

"The techniques have gotten more patient-friendly, less invasive," Khanna told the Gateway Reporter. "In skin testing now, the needles that are used are very tiny and tolerated extremely well. Patients barely feel the prick, and whether it's on their shoulder on their back area, that's tolerated well and relatively fast."

People who suffer from spring allergies might feel their symptoms starting to kick in during February or March, when trees begin to pollinate, according to Blanchard Valley Health. As wind spreads the pollen through the air, it can come into contact with skin, eyes, noses and mouths and set off allergy symptoms.

Allergy sufferers might be allergic to the pollen of specific trees -- such as birch, sycamore, oak or walnut -- all of which have different features. This makes it tricky to develop a single allergy treatment to address them. Allergists test for allergies to various types of pollen and develop unique treatments for each allergy sufferer.

The 50 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies and might experience sneezing, coughing, congestion, itchy eyes, a runny nose and fatigue, according to Yale Medicine. People who need allergy tests usually can choose from two options.

One is a skin-prick test, during which a doctor will insert a tiny amount of potential allergens under the skin of the patient's upper arm. The skin will become red and swollen if there's an allergic reaction, and patients typically have their results back within one to two days. Another option is a blood test, during which the patient's blood is drawn and tested for allergens in a lab. Although this method takes longer, it allows doctors to test for more allergens, according to Yale Medicine.

"(For the skin-prick testing), patients just have to be off their antihistamine medications for 10 days prior, and that is probably more the issue with patients, as opposed to any actual discomfort from the procedure itself," Khanna said. "In that case, then we send patients for what's called RAST testing. It's a blood test to look for allergens as well, but the preferred method really is to test the patient directly and to do skin testing, which, again, is tolerated very well and it's relatively fast."

To minimize spring allergy symptoms, Mayo Clinic recommends staying indoors on dry, windy days, when pollen is more likely to be spreading. Allergy sufferers should also shower after coming indoors to remove any pollen from their skin. Checking the pollen count on a local news station or online can help people with allergies plan for when it is best to stay indoors and keep windows shut.

Allergy sufferers can also look for over-the-counter remedies, such as oral decongestants, antihistamines or nasal sprays. If those solutions don't ease your allergy symptoms, alternative treatments, such as allergy shots or immunotherapy, could provide relief.

For more information on sinus and allergy symptoms, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.