Here’s How to Survive Your Spring Allergies

There’s nothing more invigorating than opening your window on a spring day and breathing in the fresh air—unless you have spring allergies, that is. In that case, taking a whiff of those budding blooms may only lead to sneezing and wheezing.

Allergies, including seasonal allergies, occur when your immune system mistakenly sees typically harmless substances (like pollen) as a threat. This sets off an attack that leads to an allergic reaction, which can affect your nasal passages, skin, airways, eyes, and digestive system. These reactions can range from mild to severe and vary by person, according to the Mayo Clinic. Though you can’t cure allergies, you can learn to control them. Here’s how to conquer your spring allergies when pollen season hits full swing.

Tree pollen is the most common spring allergen, according to a 2021 allergy report from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).¹ Even if you don’t live by a forest, tree pollen is more likely to affect you because the pollen grains are very small. We’re talking about the tiniest of pinches containing thousands of grains, which are even smaller than ragweed pollen grains, the main fall allergy offender. The wind can carry tree pollen for several miles, making spring allergies especially hard to avoid.

There are lots of different tree types that release pollen associated with spring allergies, including:

• Ash
• Aspen
• Birch
• Cedar
• Elm
• Hickory
• Oak
• Olive
• Pecan
• Poplar
• Willow

Grass pollens can also trigger spring allergies for many people, but it depends on where you live. Grass allergies are at their worst in the late spring and early summer in northern states; in the South, grasses may release pollen all year long, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Weed pollen is typically more of late summer or early fall allergen, so you might be spared in the spring.

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Spring allergy symptoms are the result of a complex set of reactions that occur in the body. Researchers tend to break these reactions down into an early phase and a late phase.

According to a 2020 study published in the journal Asthma, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology, in the early phase, an allergen (like pollen) enters your body. There are specific receptors on your cells called antigen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) receptors. These IgE receptors trigger a rapid response in the body that involves the release of histamines and other substances that quickly trigger symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes.² Think of these symptoms as those that occur seemingly the minute you step outside on a nice spring day.

The late-stage effects are when your body takes hours to respond to allergen exposure. The cells release other substances that cause inflammation in the body. This inflammation then leads to tissue swelling, which can spur nasal congestion and, in some people, asthma symptoms, such as shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing. Uncontrolled asthma can be dangerous, so it’s important to talk with your doctor or allergist if you experience those symptoms.

To sum it up, common spring allergy symptoms can include the following:

• Dark circles under your eyes (known as “allergy shiners”)
• Itchy eyes and nose
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Stuffy nose
• Watery eyes

“Some people also have really bad fatigue, which can be the major symptom of their seasonal allergies,” Gary Stadtmauer, MD, FACP, an allergist in private practice in New York City, tells SELF. “Those people need to come in to see an allergist and, in my experience, typically need allergy shots.”

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If you’re wondering whether the place you call home is situated in a particularly pollen-heavy area, you’re in luck. Every year, the AAFA ranks the “Most Challenging Places to Live With Allergies.”³ The 2022 cities topping the list for worst spring allergies include:

1. Scranton, Pennsylvania
2. Richmond, Virginia
3. Wichita, Kansas
4. Hartford, Connecticut
5. New Haven, Connecticut
6. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
7. Albany, New York
8. Bridgeport, Connecticut
9. McAllen, Texas
10. Springfield, Massachusetts

To determine which cities are given this honor, the AAFA looks at 12 months of data for three different factors: seasonal pollen scores, over-the-counter sinus and allergy medication sales data, and the number of allergy and immunology specialists. The organization acknowledges there are some limitations to the data, but it’s still a handy way to see if you’ve really got it worse in your city.

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Spring allergy season can vary based on where you live in the country, but it typically starts and peaks in the following months:

• March: Tree pollen is up first. March is usually one of the earlier months for spring allergies (although in some states, trees start releasing pollen in late January).
• April: Grasses release their pollen in later spring. As the grass pollen amps up, the combination with tree pollen, which is still in full force, can make for a very itchy April.
• May: Grasses and trees will continue to release pollen during this month, but hopefully you’ll have your treatment plan figured out by this point.

If you’re finding your spring allergies seem to be getting worse or lasting longer, researchers have several explanations for this. According to the AAFA, the last winter freeze in many cities is starting to happen earlier each year. Because of this, the warmer temperatures associated with spring are starting sooner. This gives plants longer to grow, extending the spring allergy season.¹

Climate change may also be driving a more intense allergy season. On average, spring in the United States is 2 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it used to be. This extends the growing season, meaning that plants can produce more pollen for longer periods of time. It also means plants that once couldn’t survive in certain areas may now thrive there, exposing people to new allergens.¹

When it comes to spring vs. fall allergy season, one isn’t necessarily better or worse than the other, and the treatments you use for both are the same, Marc Meth, MD, a board-certified allergist at Century City Allergy in Los Angeles, tells SELF. Whether you have spring or fall allergies (or both) will depend on your personal allergy triggers and where you live. You might have terrible spring allergies, and be perfectly fine in the fall.

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At the first sign of a tickle in your nose, it’s best to start with over-the-counter allergy treatments. Anyone with mild-to-moderate spring allergies should find some relief with the following options:

Modern antihistamines won’t put you to sleep like first-generation antihistamines were known to do. These medications—including cetirizine (Zyrtec), levocetirizine (Xyzal), loratadine (Claritin), and fexofenadine (Allegra)—are more effective and work by blocking the effects of histamines (what sets off allergy symptoms) in the body.

Since the nose is the entry point for quite a lot of pollen—and a common source of spring allergy symptoms—using inhaled corticosteroids can help reduce nasal stuffiness, nasal itching, runny nose, and sneezing, according to a 2020 study published in the journal Allergy, Asthma, and Clinical Immunology.⁴ Examples include fluticasone (Flonase), triamcinolone (Nasacort), and mometasone (Nasonex), which was recently approved for OTC use.

Montelukast (Singulair) is a prescription medication that helps to reduce asthma and allergic asthma symptoms. The medicine helps to reduce leukotrienes, which are substances that cause your airways to tighten and make it harder for you to breathe. You can take both an oral antihistamine and montelukast if your seasonal allergy symptoms don’t respond to antihistamines alone, according to a 2019 study published in the journal Allergy, Asthma, and Clinical Immunology.⁵

In some cases, OTC meds just aren’t going to cut it. For example, if spring allergies are affecting your ability to do basic things, like sleep, it’s time to reach out to an allergy specialist.

“If you have allergy-related questions, it’s always best to see a local board-certified allergist to answer them,” Dr. Meth says.

For severe seasonal allergies an allergist may recommend allergen-specific immunotherapy. This can come in the form of allergy shots or sublingual (below-the-tongue) drops. Immunotherapy involves exposing you to small, controlled amounts of allergens to desensitize your immune system response. When this approach works, you may get up to two years of seasonal allergy relief. However, it’s important to know that with this treatment, you’re playing the long game—it can take up to five years of regular immunotherapy to see full results.⁴ You can expect to see some improvement in your allergy symptoms the first year, but the second year is where you’ll likely see the most dramatic reduction. By the third year, you probably will be desensitized to the allergens in the shot to the point where you may not experience any symptoms. At this point, some people no longer need allergy shots, while others will need to continue maintenance therapy to keep the symptoms from returning, per the Mayo Clinic.

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The thing about allergies is the more exposure you have, the worse they get. So, in the spring, sadly, that translates into the more you’re outside, the more significant your symptoms will be. The good news is you don’t have to live in a bubble all spring: You can take steps to avoid pollen at its peak. Here are some ways to avoid seasonal allergens:

• Check daily pollen counts for your area: The National Allergy Bureau is a good place to start. When pollen counts are high, try to limit how long you’re outside.
• Wear a mask when you go outside: You can limit this to when your allergies are really bad, as the mask may help keep some of the pollen from entering your nose and mouth. The best masks for filtering pollen include N95 and FFP2 masks.
• Take a shower in the evening: Make sure to do this after you plan to stay inside for the rest of the night. This can help remove pollen you can’t see (especially in your hair). Otherwise, the pollen can build up on your pillow and bedding, leaving you a sneezy mess in the morning.
• Keep your windows closed: This goes for your home and car to keep pollen out.
• Use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters: If you use these filters in your HVAC system, they can help catch other circulating allergens in your home, such as animal dander, so you don’t have to deal with even more allergy and asthma symptoms.

The main goals are to keep the outside where it is and keep the inside of your home pollen-free, so you have a place where you can (literally) breathe easier. If allergies are impairing your quality of life, start with over-the-counter medications and don’t be afraid to seek out an allergist’s help. You’ll make it through allergy season much more comfortably.

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Sources:

1. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 2021 Allergy Capitals
2. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, IgE in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Allergic Disease
3. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 2022 Allergy Capitals
4. Allergy, Asthma, & Clinical Immunology, Towards Definitive Management of Allergic Rhinitis: Best Use of New and Established Therapies
5. Allergy, Asthma, & Clinical Immunology, The Complex Pathophysiology of Allergic Rhinitis: Scientific Rationale for the Development of an Alternative Treatment Option

Related:

• Here’s What’s It’s Really Like to Live With Allergic Asthma
• What Are the Most Common Allergic Asthma Triggers?
• The Different Types of Allergic Reactions, Explained