Sneezing and sniffling noses are all around, but they may not be because of the typical winter-time cold.
Cedar fever is an allergic reaction to mountain cedar pollen in the air. The cedar fever season starts in December and runs through February.
Dr. Pramila Daftary with Allergy and Asthma Care of Waco said although cedar fever may seem similar to the common cold, the two have their differences.
"[People with cedar fever] they don't run fever, they don't have body aches, but they have runny nose, sneezing, congestion, itchy or watery eyes, and itch throat," Daftary said. "If they have they have cold symptoms, they are achy, it comes gradually, [and] they have a fever," she added.
The doctor said cedar fever season could be worse this season, because of all of the rain Central Texas had over the last year.
"This year we have had significant problems with the cedar allergy," she said. "We are seeing a lot of patients with increased runny nose, congestion, and drainage."
Dave Talbert recently moved to Waco with his wife, and he said he can tell there's something in the air.
"Both my wife and I have been experiencing pressure," Talbert said. "We'd never even heard the term cedar fever before moving here."
Talbert said he's been having some of the tell-tale symptoms of cedar fever.
"[I've had] watery eyes, pressure behind the eyes in your forehead, [it can] just cause you to be tired and fatigued," he said. "It can be quite miserable... you just look for something to help."
Daftary said some of the things people can do to help with cedar fever are avoiding outdoor activities early in the morning because that's when the cedar pollen is floating around and taking over the counter medicine. The doctor said that anyone who thinks they may be suffering from cedar fever can take an allergy test.
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