What's causing your severe seasonal allergies and how to tell if it's just the cold

Show Caption Hide Caption Pollen cloud will make you want to sneeze Just looking at this storm of pollen in Millville, New Jersey, will make you want to grab a box of tissues.

From clouds of pollen to "thunder fever," this allergy season as been a bad one in Central Indiana.

What Is already a pretty miserable time of year has been made more difficult by unusual weather, including a winter that was still giving us snow and ice on the first day of spring.

With that in mind, IndyStar spoke with Dr. Neeta Ogden, an adult and pediatric allergist and spokeswoman for the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, about why you're seeing more and how to endure it.

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Why are my allergies so bad this year?

"Pollen counts and allergy symptoms do get worse every year, the biggest culprit right now is climate change. Warmer temperatures and higher carbon dioxide levels mean early pollination and more robust plant growth — plants are flourishing and producing more pollen leading to more severe symptoms than ever!"

It's my allergies, or do I have the cold?

"The symptoms definitely overlap. But colds tend to be finite, they run their course over a week to 10 days and then you feel better. Allergies wax and wane. Just when you think you got over the cold, the symptoms come back. If it's in the peak spring season, that's usually a sign of allergies. Colds also don't have the itch ... itchy eyes, nose, ears are a hallmark of allergies."

If untreated, can allergies lead to other illnesses?

"Yes, absolutely. The most common complications of untreated allergies are sinus infections and bronchitis. The build up of untreated nasal and sinus secretions, constant post nasal drip and/or allergic asthma can lead to these complications."

How are allergies and asthma linked?

"Allergies, asthma and eczema are part of something called the atopic triad. They are three allergic diseases that typically go hand in hand with each other at different times in an allergic person's life, and have shared features immunologically. Allergic asthma, or asthma that is triggered by aeroallergens such as spring pollen, is actually a very common feature of the spring allergy maelstrom and usually presents with shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing and cough that should be treated with inhalers."

Should I go to the hospital?

"A patient should go to the doctor, when they want to have a better idea of what is causing their allergies and how best to treat them, especially when a first stab at over the counter medications has failed. Because so many allergy medications from pills to eye drops and nasal sprays are now over the counter, it's so important to check in with an allergist sooner than later so that you can treat your allergies efficiently and not actually do harm by taking medications incorrectly. People should go to the hospital when their symptoms are so severe that normal functioning is impaired. For example, if someone has allergic asthma and they are so short of breath and/or coughing so persistently that they cannot get in enough air despite being on all their medications, this is the time to go to the hospital. Other people may develop severe bronchitis or generalized hives, or severe swelling of their eyes from spring allergies and being outdoors and this too may require a doctor, hospital or urgent care visit."

IndyStar reporter Vic Ryckaert contributed to this story. Call IndyStar reporter Justin L. Mack at (317) 444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack.