People who enjoy a break from allergy symptoms in the cold winter months often dread the return of spring. With it comes an explosion pollen from trees, grass, and weeds that can triggerallergic rhinitis(hay fever).
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 8% of American adults (20 million) and over 7% of children (6 million) experienceseasonal allergies.
1:127 Tips for Avoiding Pollen Exposure
1:12
7 Tips for Avoiding Pollen Exposure
Symptoms of spring allergies include:
The CDC reports that children between the ages of 12 and 17 are especially vulnerable. Moreover, seasonal allergies may increase the incidence or severity of respiratory symptoms in adults and children with asthma.
Common Spring Allergens
Anallergenis any substance that elicits an abnormal immune response during which the body fights off a perceived threat that is otherwise harmless.
The trees most commonly associated with allergic rhinitis in the U.S. include:
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In the later spring, grass pollens are the key culprit and may include:
By contrast, weed pollen allergens likeragweedare more commonly seen in summer.
Mold sporesare also a common cause of allergies starting in spring and continuing right through autumn. Common mold allergens includeAlternariaandCladosporium.Outdoor mold counts peak in the spring when the ground is thawing, and again at higher levels in the fall when large piles of fallen leaves are collecting on the ground.
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Diagnosis
Many people don’t need a doctor to confirm that the rapid-fire sneezing and watery eyes they experience with the first buds of spring are due to seasonal allergies. And if they do see a physician and explain their symptoms, the doctor might not need to run tests to confirm the diagnosis either.
With that being said, if allergy symptoms are unrelenting despite treatment, you may want to have a doctor check for other causes or contributing factors. This is especially true if you have significant breathing problems.
Severe sufferers may need a referral to an allergist to identify the specific allergens. With this information, an allergist may be able to prescribeallergy shotsto temper the immune response.
Patients with severe symptoms may also benefit from testing for environmental allergies because sometimes what was thought to be symptoms from allergies ends up resulting in a different diagnosis.
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Treatment
Medications are typically used to either alleviate the symptoms of seasonal allergies or temper the body’s response to airborne allergens.
Among the options:
In addition to medications, some turn toneti potsto help irrigate and open blocked nasal passages.
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Prevention
While there are few ways to entirely avoid allergens in the spring (or at any time, for that matter), there are precautions you can take to minimize exposure:
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Frequently Asked Questions
Spring allergies can commonly be traced to tree and grass pollens. Tree pollen allergies tend to hit early in the season. Tree pollen is most plentiful when trees are first starting to bud. You can tell tree pollen counts are high when you see a film of fine yellow-green dust covering surfaces.Grass pollen allergies are more prominent in late spring and throughout the summer. Grass pollen occurs when grass grows taller, and the tips resemble a feathery flower, also called “gone to seed.”
Spring allergies can commonly be traced to tree and grass pollens. Tree pollen allergies tend to hit early in the season. Tree pollen is most plentiful when trees are first starting to bud. You can tell tree pollen counts are high when you see a film of fine yellow-green dust covering surfaces.
Grass pollen allergies are more prominent in late spring and throughout the summer. Grass pollen occurs when grass grows taller, and the tips resemble a feathery flower, also called “gone to seed.”
It depends on the extent of the allergy and the specific type of grass. If you are allergic to grass, you can take preventive precautions when mowing the lawn. For example, wearing an N95 mask or other face-covering and goggles while mowing the lawn can provide some protection. In addition, taking an antihistamine before mowing the lawn can help to prevent a severe reaction.If you suspect a grass allergy, talk to your doctor about allergy testing. You may be allergic to some types of grass pollen, but not others.
It depends on the extent of the allergy and the specific type of grass. If you are allergic to grass, you can take preventive precautions when mowing the lawn. For example, wearing an N95 mask or other face-covering and goggles while mowing the lawn can provide some protection. In addition, taking an antihistamine before mowing the lawn can help to prevent a severe reaction.
If you suspect a grass allergy, talk to your doctor about allergy testing. You may be allergic to some types of grass pollen, but not others.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy facts.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Allergies and hay fever.Zahran HS, Bailey CM, Damon SA, Garbe PL, Breysse PN.Vital signs: Asthma in children - United States, 2001-2016.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018;67(5):149–55. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6705e1Ludwig J.Plants, trees that cause spring allergies, pollen.AARP.Jung S, Estrella N, Pfaffl MW, Hartmann S, Handelshauser E, Menzel A.Grass pollen production and group V allergen content of agriculturally relevant species and cultivars.PLoS ONE. 2018;13(3):e0193958. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0193958Braido F, Lagasio C, Piroddi I, Baiardini I, Canonica G.New treatment options in allergic rhinitis: patient considerations and the role of ciclesonide.Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2008;4(2):353–61. doi:10.2147/tcrm.s1266American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Seasonal allergies.Additional ReadingChurch D, Church M, Scadding G.Allergic rhinitis: Impact, diagnosis, treatment, and management.Pharm J.2016; 8(8). doi:10.1211/CP.2016.20201509
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy facts.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Allergies and hay fever.Zahran HS, Bailey CM, Damon SA, Garbe PL, Breysse PN.Vital signs: Asthma in children - United States, 2001-2016.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018;67(5):149–55. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6705e1Ludwig J.Plants, trees that cause spring allergies, pollen.AARP.Jung S, Estrella N, Pfaffl MW, Hartmann S, Handelshauser E, Menzel A.Grass pollen production and group V allergen content of agriculturally relevant species and cultivars.PLoS ONE. 2018;13(3):e0193958. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0193958Braido F, Lagasio C, Piroddi I, Baiardini I, Canonica G.New treatment options in allergic rhinitis: patient considerations and the role of ciclesonide.Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2008;4(2):353–61. doi:10.2147/tcrm.s1266American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Seasonal allergies.Additional ReadingChurch D, Church M, Scadding G.Allergic rhinitis: Impact, diagnosis, treatment, and management.Pharm J.2016; 8(8). doi:10.1211/CP.2016.20201509
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy facts.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Allergies and hay fever.Zahran HS, Bailey CM, Damon SA, Garbe PL, Breysse PN.Vital signs: Asthma in children - United States, 2001-2016.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018;67(5):149–55. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6705e1Ludwig J.Plants, trees that cause spring allergies, pollen.AARP.Jung S, Estrella N, Pfaffl MW, Hartmann S, Handelshauser E, Menzel A.Grass pollen production and group V allergen content of agriculturally relevant species and cultivars.PLoS ONE. 2018;13(3):e0193958. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0193958Braido F, Lagasio C, Piroddi I, Baiardini I, Canonica G.New treatment options in allergic rhinitis: patient considerations and the role of ciclesonide.Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2008;4(2):353–61. doi:10.2147/tcrm.s1266American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Seasonal allergies.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy facts.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Allergies and hay fever.
Zahran HS, Bailey CM, Damon SA, Garbe PL, Breysse PN.Vital signs: Asthma in children - United States, 2001-2016.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018;67(5):149–55. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6705e1
Ludwig J.Plants, trees that cause spring allergies, pollen.AARP.
Jung S, Estrella N, Pfaffl MW, Hartmann S, Handelshauser E, Menzel A.Grass pollen production and group V allergen content of agriculturally relevant species and cultivars.PLoS ONE. 2018;13(3):e0193958. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0193958
Braido F, Lagasio C, Piroddi I, Baiardini I, Canonica G.New treatment options in allergic rhinitis: patient considerations and the role of ciclesonide.Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2008;4(2):353–61. doi:10.2147/tcrm.s1266
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Seasonal allergies.
Church D, Church M, Scadding G.Allergic rhinitis: Impact, diagnosis, treatment, and management.Pharm J.2016; 8(8). doi:10.1211/CP.2016.20201509
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