After all weather fluctuations we've had this year, I can't wait for spring to truly arrive — except for one thing.

My three children (okay, so at 20,18, and 15, they aren't exactly children anymore) all suffer with seasonal allergies in different degrees, so we've tried just about every trick in the bag to battle the itchy eyes and stuffy noses.

Since you can't have spring in Central New York without mold and pollen, I turned to the experts at Slocum-Dickson Medical Group for help getting to the best allergy advice:

1) How do I tell if it's allergies or a cold? Sometimes it can be hard to tell! Both involve a runny nose, congestion, sneezing, fatigue/weakness, coughing, and sore/scratchy throat, according to Slocum-Dickson Medical Group educational materials. Allergies also can come with itchy eyes, ears, throat and roof of mouth, while colds also have symptoms of fever, chills and general aches and pains. In either case, Slocum-Dickson Medical Group suggests seeing a doctor if symptoms last longer than two weeks or seem to keep coming back.

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2) Allergies can affect the ears, too. Allergies can cause the Eustachian tube (which connects the middle ear to the back of the nose/upper throat) to become inflamed or blocked, according to Slocum-Dickson Medical Group. So, you might feel pain and pressure from the inflammation or develop an ear infection. This is more common in infants and small children, so watch children for fever, loss of balance, tugging or pulling at an ear or irritability, as those are signs of infection.

Ear infections were the bane of my existence when the kids were little - I didn't even realize that allergies could increase the risk of ear infections.

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3) Block out pollen, by running the air conditioning and keeping windows closed. If you have allergies, it's a good idea to avoid mowing the lawn and other yard chores yourself (delegate these to another household member!), but if you can't, shower and shampoo your hair immediately after you're done. (Uh oh, my son is definitely gonna use this one against me when I ask him to mow the lawn!)

4) Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and consider setting up a humidifier near your bed and work station.

5) Try nasal irrigation, such as a Neti pot. Talk with your doctor to see if this could help you. Typically, those with allergies whose nasal passages aren't severely blocked use nasal irrigation once or twice a day to clear the mucus.

6) If these prevention tips don’t help, talk to your provider about antihistamines. These are safe and effective. Even though antihistamines won’t cure allergies, they can help minimize symptoms and make you more comfortable.

To learn more about the all the physicians and services available at Slocum-Dickson Medical Group PLLC visit www.sdmg.com.

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