NATCHEZ — A harsh winter is giving way to one of the worst allergy seasons in recent years in the Miss-Lou, and experts say it may get worse.

Dr. Gailen Marshall, who is an allergist with the University of Mississippi Medical Center, said this year’s winter weather gave way to an explosion of pollen because of a delay in the blooming of various trees throughout Mississippi and Louisiana.

The trees, Marshall said, likely got confused with the prolonged weather season and began spurting out more pollen and later than usual. Those factors combined with a particularly windy spring have resulted in a brutal allergy season.

“This has already been and will continue to be one of the most devastating seasons we’ve seen in a while,” Marshall said. “It’s not only statewide, but it also seems to be affecting the entire country and world even.”

And Marshall said if our area sees a large amount of rainfall this summer, the allergy season could get even worse without a break that normally comes around this time of year.

“Normally, we get a break before early grass season is online, but it’s not looking like that will happen this year,” Marshall said. “There’s a potential to have one, long massive allergy season this year without any of the breaks we normally get to have some relief.”

Marshall said the prolonged season could impact those who only suffer from seasonal allergies.

“If they’ve started taking medicines and think they can back off now because the trees are in bloom, I would caution them not to do that,” Marshall said. “I would consider continuing to take their regular medicine into the summer, because the idea that someone has symptoms and then takes medicine doesn’t work with allergies.

“Those medicines are designed to keep symptoms under control before you have them.”

Angie Waller, a nurse practitioner at the Doctors’ Pavilion in Natchez, said this allergy season has brought in more patients than usual.

“These people are just in misery right now with the itchy eyes, watery noes and everything,” Waller said. “We work with them to control the symptoms, but what we’re seeing is people already feeling terrible when they walk in.”

Apart from the prescription and over-the-counter medicine, Waller said she always offers other words of wisdom to control allergies.

“The best thing we can do is obviously avoid the allergen, but that’s not always a feasible option so there are some things you can do to help out,” Waller said. “Replacing (air conditioning) filters each month … wear a mask and eye protection when you cut grass and take your shoes off at the door.”

Waller also suggests residents who have not yet been affected by the severe allergy season, but usually have problems begin treatments now to avoid the symptoms down the road.

“We all want the quick fix, but if we can take preventive measures early that’s always the best thing,” Waller said. “We can’t control Mother Nature, but there are plenty of other things we can do to avoid the misery.”