By Peggy O'Farrell
The Cincinnati Enquirer

(Photo illustration by Brandi Stafford/The Cincinnati Enquirer)

It's cold. It's warm. It's wet. It's gloriously bright. It's cloudy and gray.

It's spring in Cincinnati.

Late cold snaps have pushed pollen counts higher than normal, says Harry G. St. Clair, the monitoring and analysis supervisor for the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services' air quality division.

"We haven't seen the real spring trees from the local area yet," St. Clair says. Most of what's showing up so far is pollen that's being blown in from the south. "We're a little behind in the counts this year because it's been so cold."

Cincinnati's cedars should have started pollinating in February, but they're "about a month behind," St. Clair says.

What it all means: All the spring-pollinating trees will be pollinating at the same time, so more of those golden grains will be floating through the atmosphere to make your life miserable.

COLD OR ALLERGIES?

A whole lot of sniffling, sneezing people might be blaming their symptoms on colds when the real culprit is an allergy. Here's how to tell the difference: Symptoms Allergies: Runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, wheezing and watery or itchy eyes. Colds: All of the above, plus possibly fever, body aches and pains, sore throat and cough. Warning time Allergies: Symptoms start almost as soon as exposure to the allergen. Colds: Usually takes a few days to hit full force. Duration Allergies: Symptoms last as long as you're exposed to the allergen, which could be year-round. Colds: Symptoms usually clear up within four to seven days. Source: The American Academy of Allergies, Asthma and Immunology

Grab your tissues and favorite over-the-counter remedy, and, in between sneezes, check out these answers to your questions, provided by a variety of allergy experts.

(And Gesundheit.)

Question: What's making me sneeze now?

Answer: Trees. Cedar is starting to show up in local pollen counts, along with elm, maple and other early trees, including hazelnut, birch, ash, willow and mulberry. In a few more weeks, box elder, sycamore, oak, walnut and hickory trees will start pollinating, adding to our misery.

But wind carries pollen molecules hundreds of miles, so don't turn the front yard into a field of stumps just yet. In early summer, grasses - "All grasses are bad," says Montgomery allergist Lawrence Newman - will start pollinating. And by late summer into fall, the weeds - hello, ragweed! - will make their appearance.

Q: How many people are suffering with me?

A: About 50 million Americans suffer from asthma and allergy, and hay is the culprit behind 16.7 million doctor's visits annually. Allergy-related health care costs total $18 billion a year. Like many river cities, Cincinnati is a wonderful host for allergens. We're in a valley, so warm, moist air hangs still over the city instead of carrying pollen away, and the Ohio River and its tributaries help mold and other allergens take hold.

Q: What causes an allergic reaction?

A: In most allergic reactions, the body's immune system is responding to a false alarm by treating an allergen as an invader that has to be attacked. The immune system generates antibodies called IgE. Each type of IgE is specific to a particular substance, such as a type of pollen or mold. When the allergen meets the IgE, chemicals like histamine are formed, and inflammation - swollen, itchy eyes, hives, etc. - results.

Q: What kinds of plants produce the most allergens?

A: Grasses, trees and weeds that don't produce showy flowers pump out the kinds and amounts of pollen that are most likely to cause allergic reactions. Plain-Jane plants produce small, light, dry pollen granules that are tailor-made to be carried for miles by winds.

Q: How do I interpret pollen counts ?

A: Pollen and mold counts are usually reported as low, moderate, high or very high, referring to how likely the amount recorded is to cause an allergic reaction. The counts themselves refer to the

amount found in a cubic liter of air sampled over the previous 24 hours. So the count you read each morning actually refers to the average amount collected the previous day.

Q: Why do I have allergy symptoms in winter when there's no pollen and not much mold?

A: Indoor allergens such as dust, dust mites and pet dander from dogs and cats exist to plague allergy sufferers year-round. Your home might also harbor mold or mildew.

Q: How can I ease allergy symptoms without medication?

A: The easiest way is to reduce your exposure to the allergen. If pollen or mold is the problem, try to stay indoors during peak exposure hours or when there's an air quality advisory.

Keep windows closed during pollen seasons and use an air conditioner to filter air in summer. Indoor air cleaners can also reduce pollen, mold and dust. If you have year-round allergies to dust or pet dander, vacuum and dust regularly, wash bedding and linens often and keep pets out of the bedroom.

Q: How can I tell whether it's allergies or a cold that's making me sneeze?

A: Your best clue lies in how long your symptoms last. Allergies are earmarked by runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, wheezing and itchy, watery eyes. Symptoms begin right after you're exposed to the allergen and last until the allergen leaves the environment. If you're allergic to something that's always in the environment - dust, cats, etc. - your symptoms will last year-round.

Colds usually last four to seven days, and it takes a few days for the virus to "incubate," so to speak. In addition to the runny or stuffy nose and sneezing, colds might also include a fever, body aches and pains, sore throat and cough.

Q: Will my kids outgrow their allergies?

A: Probably not. Some children outgrow sensitivities to certain foods if they completely avoid the substance. Cow's milk is the most common example.

Q: Why do I have allergies now when I didn't as a kid?

A: Most of us grow into allergies; we don't outgrow them.

Allergic reactions can begin at any age, but most people are apt to develop later-life allergies in their late teens for reasons that are unclear.

E-mail pofarrell@enquirer.com