Dealing with DC's intense allergy season: expert tips and strategies

It's May 1st, and we are in the thick of allergy season.

"If I am sneezing because of allergies, then I know it's bad for everybody else," laughed Sarah Solon-Hanover.

A map from pollen.com shows much of the country, including the DMV, is dealing with medium to high levels.

"I've never had allergies until I moved to D.C. like I hear from a lot of people," Solon-Hanover said.

Amanda Joy is the Associate Medical Director at MedStar Health Urgent Care.

"This allergy season is hitting early and hitting hard," Joy said.

She said warmer temperatures in the D.C. metro this year have resulted in them treating patients earlier.

They typically used to see pollen counts spiking in April, then it crept up to March. Now, it's as early as February.

Her advice?

Start with over-the-counter antihistamines like Claritin or Zyrtec - but don't stop there.

"What works really well are some of the nasal sprays that are available over the counter, like steroid nasal sprays. Flonase works very well," Joy said.

But, Joy warns, the sprays don't work immediately, so she said people really need to give them a chance to shrink their mucus membranes.

She also recommends eye drops like Pataday for itchy eyes - and the tried and true Neti pot to irrigate your sinuses.

"I upped the doses, I'm on double doses of Allegra and Flonase," said allergy sufferer Bobby Loomis.

Some experts worry that with weather patterns changing, these longer and more intense allergy seasons may become the new normal.

But Dr. Gabrina Dixon, a pediatrician at Children's National Hospital, says let's wait on that.

"You know, I take it one year at a time," Dr Dixon said. "Every time I think it's going to be a new normal, you just never know what may happen, so I always say take it one season at a time. If this is your first season of getting seasonal allergies, now you know - be prepared for next season."

Dr. Dixon said that means starting antihistamines and over-the-counter allergy meds before you feel the symptoms.

Some other things you can do include using your A/C at home if you have one, instead of leaving windows open, and washing your clothes and bedding more often to clear off the pollen that is tracked inside. HEPA filters can also be helpful.