(NECN: Anya Huneke, Burlington, VT) - For Lydia Southworth of Burlington, Vermont, sniffling, sneezing, and itching have been a part of daily life since childhood. She suffers from a variety of allergies. And, she gets regular shots to manage them. That helps make her allergies more of an inconvenience than a debilitating condition.
She says, this season, though, has been a challenge.
That seems to be the consensus from many allergy sufferers, but is it the reality? Is this an especially bad allergy season? According to doctors, not really.
Dr. Betsy Jaffe of Timberlane Allergy and Asthma Associates in South Burlington says this time of year is generally the worst for weed pollens, such as ragweed.
She says it may feel worse at the moment because of the dry weather, but overall, this allergy season is no different than seasons past. She adds, however, allergies are more widespread than they were a few decades ago.
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Dr. Ben Littenberg of the University of Vermont College of Medicine says allergies can be treated with medications, such as antihistamines and nasal sprays. Or, they can be prevented by basic avoidance.
