Mayo Clinic Minute: How to get spring allergy relief

Springtime brings warmer temperatures and blooming trees. But, for close to 1 in 3 Americans, it also brings annoying seasonal allergies.

Dr. Alexei Gonzalez Estrada, a Mayo Clinic allergy specialist, says the most common culprit is pollen.

When you have a pollen allergy, your immune system identifies the pollen as harmful and essentially overreacts. Dr. Gonzalez Estrada says there are over-the-counter and prescription medicines you can take to treat allergies, as well as getting allergy shots in more extreme cases. But the easiest thing to do, he says, is avoid or limit exposure.

Dr. Gonzalez Estrada also recommends people change their clothes after coming inside to remove the pollen that might have stuck to you and showering before bed to get rid of pollen that might stick in your hair.
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