CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid Corp. has teamed up with the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) to provide free allergy guides to help allergy sufferers this spring.

The drug store chain said Monday that the 16-page guide is available now in nearly 4,800 Rite Aid stores nationwide and can be downloaded online at www.riteaid.com.

According to Rite Aid, the guide provides information to help people cope with allergies and points allergy sufferers to additional resources at www.aaaai.org, including an allergist locator, a pollen monitoring database for local conditions and The Virtual Allergist, an interactive tool designed to help patients better understand their symptoms before consulting with a board-certified allergist or Rite Aid pharmacist. Visitors to the Rite Aid allergy guide site can also sign up for electronic alerts to their e-mail account, cell phone and more through Pollen.com.

Rite Aid also said it’s running several reward programs, including a three-month program that offers customers $10 or $25 Rite Aid gift cards with $25 or $50 purchases of select allergy and health products. Customers, too, can take advantage of a six-month Rite Aid Allergy Rewards program, earning a $20 Rite Aid gift card by purchasing $75 of Zyrtec and/or Benadryl.

Available in Rite Aid pharmacy waiting areas as well as at checkout, the allergy guide provides a  simple explanation of the science behind all allergic reactions, whether they’re caused by air-borne particles such as pollen or pet dander or proteins in many foods; five tips to decrease pollen exposure; common food allergies and products that could trigger a reaction, such as barbecue sauce or cake icing (tree nuts), imitation crab or ice cream (wheat gluten), and canned tuna (milk); a  guide to skin allergies explaining how insects, household products, plants and even latex or metal can cause health issues; and a look at how eyes are affected by allergies as well as solutions.

The guide also offers three reference charts to help patients compare and contrast the following: distinct health conditions that often are confused with allergies such as colds and sinus infections; 13 categories of over-the-counter allergy products that treat eight common allergy symptoms; and specific products to treat allergies that can be discussed with an allergist or a Rite Aid pharmacist.

Rite Aid said that according to the AAAAI, allergies strike 50 million Americans each year and leave many sidelined from favorite activities or even rushed to emergency rooms with potentially life-threatening reactions, even though allergies are one of the most treatable medical conditions.