Budding trees are pretty, but they can cause problems for allergy patients.
Allergists sometimes use a skin-prick test to determine what patients are most allergic to.
Andrea Smith consults with Dr. Pinkus GoldbergIndianapolis - This year's spring weather is causing major problems for some allergy sufferers.
Andrea Smith finally gave in after five years of suffering and is seeing a doctor about her allergies.
"Basically, you've tried all of the usual over-the-counter medications. I'm going to try some different things," said her allergist, Dr. Pinkus Goldberg.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 40 million Americans suffer from indoor and outdoor allergies. For Andrea, they can make life miserable.
"It's layers upon layers of precautions. The nurse just told me no more open windows in summer or driving with the window down anymore. No fresh air," said Smith.
Doctors say that in Indiana, the air is hardly fresh, especially this time of year.
"Stuffy head, sinuses, sneezing, itching, hard time sleeping, headaches. That sort of thing," said Katie Polly, allergy sufferer.
That's because seasonal allergies are kicking in this spring as everything begins to bloom. Allergic reactions triggered by pollen from trees, weeds and grasses.
Doctors say that wet weather in the fall created a perfect storm for spring allergies. The first wave from tree pollen is expected to peak in the middle of April.
"The pollen count here for tree pollen is among the highest in the nation. So I'd rank it in the top 10 to 15 because it's very fertile here," said Dr. Goldberg.
Medications can can help control symptoms and allergy injections have proven highly effective for some.
"I come in every two weeks and get my Xolair shots and life is good," said Polly.
But for most allergy sufferers, especially in pollen-filled Indiana, life is about to become miserable.
Doctors say that if you suffer from tree pollen which is typical in spring, you should start taking medications now. Tree pollen ends by Memorial Day. The next big wave is from ragweed in August, but hayfever sufferers may experience symptoms throughout the summer.
Indianapolis isn't too far away from one of the worst cities this year for allergy season.
According to The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Louisville, Kentucky ranks second because of its pollen and mold spore count, along with the number of medications used by patients.
The top five cities are Knoxville, Louisville, Charlotte, Jackson, Mississippi and Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Indianapolis ranks 43rd. Last year it ranked 50th.
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