RALEIGH — Experts have blamed El Nino for all kinds of weather ills this past year. And around here, a short, wet winter. That's good news for some, but it's not so good news for allergy sufferers.

Dr. Alan Aarons says that appointments for patients with springtime allergies began a little early this year.

Though tree pollens are popping out early, Aarons says it doesn't mean that the whole season will be worse than usual.

Aarons says some over-the-counter medications can help.

Folks like Robert Reeves, one of Dr. Aaron's patients, depend on special allergy shots to get them through the rough times.

We're all familiar with the thick blanket of yellow pine pollen that falls every spring. That kind of tree pollen is too big to be airborne, so it doesn't usually cause a problem for allergy sufferers.