BATON ROUGE - As many might be running outside to embrace the warm spring weather, some noses are also running. Whether people are out golfing or taking a walk, allergies affect many this time of year.

“We take a lot of Claritin and Zyrtec in our house,” said local resident Tiffany Griffin.

With trees and flowers in full bloom, more pollen is still to come. According to the LSU AG center, pollinations starts in April and ends in May.

“One day, it was just so bad it looked like it was raining," said local Archille Jackson.

Both Tiffany Griffen and Archille Jackson say that keeping allergy medicine in the house is their main priority, especially when it affects their children.

Dr. Henry Barham, a rhinologist at Baton Rouge General, says this time of the year the number of visits grow. But people who suffer from allergies can be proactive during this time of year.

“The same way you wash your car when it’s got the pollen all over it, people will start using nasal saline to clean their nose, so they don’t keep that pollen that’s driving the inflammation in their nose,” said Barham.

Although seasonal allergies are not life threatening, they can make people miserable. Barham says if allergies are really bad, allergy tests are available.

“Maybe get an allergy test and find out exactly what you’re allergic to and how severe it is, and then further measures that you can take to combat it.” 

Barham says symptoms like fever or severe headaches are usually signs that it’s more than just allergies.

“Eventually it will go away but for now I know it’s something we have to deal with,” said Griffen.