PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Better grab some tissues on the way out — allergy season is here.

Mid-March is the beginning of tree pollen season according to Dr. Michele Columbo, an allergist in Bryn Mawr, Montgomery County. He says he’s seeing a lot more patients in recent weeks and urging them to avoid the problem.

“Try to stay in doors as much as possible, using maybe air conditioning instead of opening the windows in your car to try to get some filtration from the pollen exposure, but those are measures that aren’t terribly effective.”

He says over the counter antihistamines can usually control the sneezing, sniffling, and coughing.

Tree pollen season ends in May. Unfortunately, that’s time for grass pollen season.

Reported by Lynne Adkins, KYW Newsradio