Sarah Johnson has been allergic to grass, pollen and dust since her sophomore year of high school.

The Grand Rapids freshman said she is most allergic to grass just as it is coming up and fresh cut grass.

“I get really tired and miserable actually,” she said. “If your eyes are watering all the time, it gets frustrating.”

There is no miracle cure for allergies, but as part of 35 million Americans suffering from spring allergies, students have found several ways to combat them.

Nasal sprays are the first recommended treatment for allergies, said Allan Riggs, a physician’s assistant for University Health Service. But a lot of people do not like to use the sprays, he said.

The next option is allergy treatment pills. There are the regular antihistamines, such as Claritin, Allegra and Zyrtec, that help with runny noses and itchy eyes, Riggs said.

Any antihistamine that has a “D” after it, like Claritin-D, will help with stuffy noses, he said. Claritin-D contains seudoephedrine, which is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages, the cause of a stuffy nose.

The last option is allergy shots. Patients will gradually be given a larger amount of the allergen in the shot so their body will develop immunity to it. This is for patients with severe allergies, Riggs said.

Johnson said she rarely takes allergy pills and only does so when her symptoms are bad.

“I don’t let it hold me back. It’s something you deal with,” she said. “Claritin covers you for 24 hours. (I) just take it when it’s really bad.”

Those with allergies should minimize walks in wooded areas or gardens and check the forecast, according to the Cleveland Clinic Web site. Staying indoors as much as possible on hot, dry, windy days when pollen counts are generally the best.

Also, stay inside as much as possible between 5 and 10 a.m., when pollen counts are usually very high, the Web site said.

To prevent symptoms from getting worse, wear an inexpensive painter’s mask when mowing the lawn. Taking a shower and washing clothes to remove pollen that may have collected in hair and on clothes will also reduce allergy symptoms.

Grass and pollen are the biggest causes of spring allergies because they are both very prevalent during the spring time, Riggs said.

Not quite here

Allergy season has not quite hit Mount Pleasant yet. According to weather.com, there is medium to low pollen activity in the trees, but no activity in the grass or the weeds.

Individuals who haven’t had allergies before can develop them still this year, Riggs said.

“The more you get exposed to things, the more likely you are to be allergic to it,” he said.

Once flowers, trees and grass start to bloom and the grass begins to come up is when allergy season will officially start, Riggs said.

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E-mail the author: Sarah Schuch