Brett Kettelhut, M.D. Allergist with Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Associates, P.C. in Midtown Omaha and at Alegent Health Lakeside HealthPark.

Allergies send 6 year old Zachary and his mom to the doctor every year. And they are not alone. Dr. Brett Kettelhut says nearly one in three people have allergies.

"Allergies can range from very mild to very severe," says Dr. Kettelhut. "Generally, it's those people whose allergies are moderate to severe that should be seen by a family physician, pediatrician or allergist in order to get additional treatment for their allergies."

So how do you know which category you fit into? Doctors say that if you take over-the-counter medicine for your allergies for a week and don't feel any better, your allergies are probably moderate to severe. For people with mild allergies however, over-the-counter medications can work miracles.

"There's a ton of products out there. However, a lot of the products have the same ingredients in them.  You have to decide what the symptoms are and find the product you need," says pharmacist Robert Grenier at Alegent Health Lakeside Pharmacy.

Grenier adds that you should only buy over-the-counter medications for the specific symptoms that you have. If you need something stronger, you might want to try Claritin. You can now buy it without a prescription, but it's a little more expensive than other medicine.

And if nothing from the drugstore works, your next step should be a trip to the doctor.

Dr. Kettelhut can be contacted at 402-391-1800.