Cough, sniffle, sneeze, allergies are in the breeze in central Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa – Early fall pollen counts for allergens like grass, trees, and especially ragweed are up.

From itchy eyes to runny noses, these allergens can cause a variety of pesky symptoms. Yet, the big culprit for allergy sufferers this time of year is ragweed, a plant that is releasing its pollen right now.

Specialists at MercyOne say they've been seeing a rise in patients because of it.

"We see an uptick in allergy symptoms in the spring and in the fall," said Laura Eslinger, Internal Medicine Specialist at MercyOne. "Most common symptoms associated with allergies are itching in the eyes, ears, nose, and throat. Specifically, we'll see redness, itching, and sneezing. We see ragweed blooming in the fall and because of that there's more pollen ragweed in the air and so individuals