Why do allergies make us feel so bad?

[WCCO-TV, May 06, 2014] After our cold winter, experts are calling this spring a particularly bad season for allergy sufferers. All of that sneezing, itchy eyes, stuffy nose, and congestion can make for a miserable couple of months.

So, why do our allergies make us feel so terrible?

“Basically, an allergy is an overreaction of the body,” said Dr. Pramod Kelkar, an allergist with Allina Health Woodbury Clinic. “It thinks that pollen is a foreign invader, and that’s why it’s overreacting.”