Every Wednesday, Tracy Fratus heads to Albany ENT & Allergy Services for his weekly allergy shot. Fratus, like many, suffers during the change in seasons.

“I do truly believe that they are helping with the runny eyes and the stuffy nose, runny nose. I’ve been coming here for seven years, so I know I feel the difference,” says Fratus.

He believes the allergy shots have largely sparred him from the impact blowing pollen has had on many other people during the spring and the start of summer.

Gavin Setzen, a doctor at Albany ENT & Allergy Services, says he’s seen an increase in the number of people looking for relief.

“Patients who have either had mild or minimal allergies are now having increasing difficulty and so they are presenting with itchy eyes, nasal blockage, nasal drainage, sneezing, post nasal drip,” says Setzen.

For Setzen, it all comes down to climate. The conditions in the Capital Region in particular make for tough allergy seasons.

Albany has been named by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America as the 10th-worst place for allergies. Buffalo is on the list at number eight.

“Certainly what we’ve seen with some of the climate issues over time, longer growing seasons, more rain and some humidity and things like that. So we’re having more pollen and overlap between seasons,” says Setzen.

Thankfully, there are some tips for allergy sufferers.

Experts say to avoid allergy triggers, things you know will give you a reaction. It’s best to change your clothes after being outside. If you have pets, give them a bath or brush them, because their fur can hold onto things. You can also use over-the-counter solutions.

“Using some of the simple things like air purifiers, saline rinses, everything starts in the nose, to wash out the nose with saline can be very helpful,” says Setzen.

If those don’t work, you might have to see a specialist.