With spring in full swing, ask mind so are everyone’s allergies. The stuffy nose, the swollen eyes, the scratchy throat, it’s all here and due to the late start of spring, is more uncomfortable than usual. With the help of WebMD, Urban Views Weekly has some helpful tips on how to deal with this year’s severe allergy season as well as being more prepared for next year’s season.

Fighting it early

According to Gina Shaw, freelance writer for WebMD, spring pollen starts earlier than most of the general public thinks. It begins when the weather starts warming up in early to mid-March. This is also the time, she says, to start taking seasonal allergy medication. Doing this will lessen the severity of allergic reactions once spring is in full swing.

Controlling the Environment

Staying inside and missing the beautiful weather is a solution, but if you’re unable to do that then Shaw recommends getting a facemask. Especially during outdoor activity such as cutting the grass, washing the car, or raking leaves, a facemask will help to deflect the pollen and make the allergic reactions less potent . Another piece of advice, if you know you’ll be outside early in the day be prepared and take your medication and/or mask with you.

Using Natural Allergy Remedies

Shaw states that using natural remedies are effective, but they have their limits. One of the most popular tools for fighting allergies is the neti pot, a device that clears the nasal cavities with the use of a saline solution and gravity. Neti pots are very affordable, spanning from prices as low as $5.

Seeing an Allergist

These specialists help to pinpoint exactly how to fight your symptoms, especially if the current medicine you’re using is not working. They can also find exactly what you’re allergic to by using skin tests in which they expose you to different allergens to see if you have a reaction.

Allergy Shots

While most people are fine with over-the-counter medicines, others have severe allergic reactions during the spring. Individuals with these symptoms have to get immunotherapy, more simply known as allergy shots. These shots, according to Shaw, expose the immune system to the allergen through shots. “Over time and in increasingly larger doses, the body learns not to see it as a foreign invader and develops a tolerance to it,” Shaw writes.