HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- While the calendar officially flips to spring on Thursday, March 20, many in Central Virginia are already experiencing the less pleasant side of warmer weather -- allergy season. 8News spoke with Dr. William Hark, an allergist at Richmond Allergy and Asthma, about the current state of allergy season and what residents can do to find relief. "It's been terrible," Dr. Hark said. “The allergy season is out of control. Richmond is usually bad, and this year it's much worse.”  Dr. Hark attributes the high pollen counts to the region's long winter. "This year it was all bottled up with the cold weather, and when the warm weather hit, it has just exploded," Dr. Hark said. Typically, people associate spring with blooming flowers, but right now it's the tree pollen that's the main culprit. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Richmond ranks eighth in the most challenging places to live with seasonal allergies. That's why Dr. Hark emphasized the importance of understanding your specific allergies and taking steps to reduce pollen exposure. Those include keeping windows closed and turning air conditioning on, avoid hanging laundry outside, shower before bed if you've spent time outside and wear a mask during yard work. Dr. Hark also recommends stocking up on over-the-counter allergy medications such as Allegra, Zyrtec, Claritin and nasal sprays like Flonase. It can be difficult to differentiate between allergy symptoms and a common cold. Dr. Hark said that while both can cause runny noses, congestion, sneezing, and sore throats, colds may also involve a low-grade fever. However, if symptoms consistently appear when spending time outdoors, allergies are the more likely cause. For seniors dealing with allergies who also have underlying medical conditions, Dr. Hark encouraged reading the side effects of over-the-counter medications as some can cause drowsiness and raise blood pressure. "Sudafed can raise blood pressure and cause difficulty sleeping. Medications such as Benadryl and even other medicines alike can cause more sleepiness and difficulty concentrating among older people," Dr. Hark said. "It can be very dangerous if somebody is sleepy and then they trip and fall down the stairs." For more allergy prevention information, go here. ...read more read less