Spring is in the air and so are pollen and other allergens, committing seasonal allergy sufferers to itchy eyes, sneezing and a stuffy nose.

Dr. Eric Sandberg, an allergy and immunology specialist at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, says while Houston has no real allergy season, March and October are typically the worst months for sufferers, and that 2013 might see an increase in tree pollens and a longer allergy season due to the mild, dry winter and an influx of cedar pollen blowing in from Central Texas.

But when it comes to allergies, the news isn't all bad.

While nasal sprays - both anti-inflammatory corticosteroid treatments such as Flonase and antihistamines like Astelin - have been widely seen as some of the most effective treatments to relieve allergy symptons, new formulations are making them even more popular. In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration approved Qnasl, the first aerosol nasal corticosteroid inhaler.

"Some people hate the wet spray up their nose and they just won't stick with it. The aerosol is more comfortable and the spray can actually go further into the nasal passages," says Dr. Rana Bonds, the interim director of allergy and immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

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For severe cases - allergies combined with asthma or symptoms that don't respond to at-home remedies - immunotherapy in the form of shots has become a popular method for lessening the body's reaction to allergens like foods, medicines, pollens and pet danders.

The therapy works by identifying the underlying allergy and introducing tiny doses of it into the body, bypassing the immune system's normal detectors while slowly increasing the dosage to acclimate the system to its presence. The downside is that for the treatment to remain effective, it must be administered by shot weekly for several months, and no less than every three weeks afterwards.

However, immunotherapy is evolving as allergy drops delivered in liquid form under the tongue become more widespread. Bonds cautions that oral allergy drops are not yet approved by the FDA because there are still some questions as to the proper effective dosage. As such, the allergy drops are considered an experimental or off-label use and not covered by insurance, though Bonds speculates that will change soon.


"I think within two years it will be mainstream. People prefer to get the drops under their tongue to the shot. Since it can be administered at home it's also much easier, especially for kids since they don't have to miss school for a doctor's appointment each time," Bonds said.