Pollen Season is in full force and usually lasts until early October for people living in the Southeast. Pollen makes the body release histamines, chemicals that cause the linings of the nose, sinuses, eyelids and eyes to inflame.

The problem particles cause about 60 million Americans to suffer from allergies. While there is no cure for allergies, people who have mild symptoms are usually helped by oral antihistamines, available both over-the-counter or by prescription. Claritin is the only non-sedating antihistamine that is available over-the-counter. The competing drugs, Allegra and Zyrtec, still require prescriptions.

Many people confuse some of the yellow or green pine pollen that accumulates on their cars in the spring to be the cause of their problems but those pollen grains are very large and heavy and serve only as mild irritants as they are trapped in the nose. The smaller microscopic pollen grains easily get into the nasal passages and sinuses and even into our lungs to trigger asthma in allergic individuals.

Special antibodies called IgE trigger the release of multiple inflammatory mediators including histamine, which causes the itching, sneezing, and release of fluids in the tissues that cause our eyes or nose to swell up.

Follow these seasonal allergy tips to survive the pollen season:

Many allergy medications work best when started before the symptoms begin.

During peak pollen periods, stay inside if you can. Use air conditioning as a weapon – it can help filter out allergy busting pollens.

Wear oversized sunglasses to block airborne seasonal pollens and molds from entering your eyes and lids that cause uncomfortable redness, itchiness, watery eyes, and puffiness, too.

Wear a hat. Preferably a wide-brimmed one. This will block out pollen, and for extra safety, skip the hair gel and spray. These act like a “pollen magnet,” especially when planning extended periods of time outdoors on high-pollen days.

Stay clean. By showering nightly, you’ll rinse pollen from your hair and skin to get a good night’s sleep. Also, change your clothing before entering the bedroom to reduce pollen transfer into your personal “breathable” space.

Avoid going outside on windy, dry, and sunshiny days. Pollen counts are highest on days when it's dry, sunny, and blustery, and lowest during and just after a big storm. Levels are also generally higher in the morning than in the afternoon.