Seasonal Allergies Explained: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatments

There are ways to prepare yourself for a bad allergy season. If it has been a rainy year where you live or travel, you can probably count on more seasonal allergy issues. "Usually when there is more rain, there is more pollen," Dr. Gary Rachelefsky, staff allergist at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital, tells WebMD. Pollen is airborne and can come from grass, flowers, trees, and weeds (via Yale Medicine). It also leads to a condition called hay fever — or allergic rhinitis – affecting millions of adults and children. Hay fever and seasonal allergies are terms that are commonly used interchangeably.

That leads us to the first step in the battle with seasonal allergies: identifying your triggers. Typically, seasonal allergies are caused by pollen from ragweed and mold (via WebMD). Ragweed, in particular, is the most common trigger, as it naturally grows wild everywhere, but can be found in higher concentrations on the east coast and in the midwest regions of the U.S. (via ACAAI). As for mold, you may typically be concerned with mold that grows inside the home, but outdoor mold is also a big allergy trigger. It grows in heavy vegetation, hay, and straw. You also want to avoid diving into a pile of leaves, as outdoor mold is found in raked leaves, according to WebMD.

When people think of allergy season, it is commonly associated with the fall. Ragweed is the big trigger for this season, as it blooms and releases pollen from August to September, according to the ACAAI. Of those who experience allergic reactions to spring plants, 75% also are sensitive to ragweed (via Zyrtec). "Many people are multi-sensitized, so they are allergic to more than one type of pollen, and they can be symptomatic through all of the warm weather seasons," Yale Medicine pediatric allergist Dr. Stephanie Leeds, says in an article on Yale Medicine's website. Ragweed can also travel through the air for hundreds of miles, ending up in your area even if it doesn't typically grow there.

But it's not just ragweed that causes seasonal allergies to flare up in the fall. Fat hens, mugworts, nettles, and plantains are also big pollen providers in the autumn (via Healthline). Since mold grows in piles of raked leaves, it only makes sense that mold is on the rise in the fall too. And if it gets chilly enough to turn on the heat early, you may feel the effects of dust mites lurking in your furnace, according to Zyrtec.

By winter, outdoor allergens are dormant and provide much-needed relief for those with hay fever symptoms (via Healthline). Indoor allergens like mold or dust mites can still be an issue, but you should get a break before spring allergy season comes.

If you have coughed, sneezed, or sniffled during the COVID-19 pandemic, you have probably received some worried looks. But while the symptoms between seasonal allergies and COVID-19 have similarities, there are some major differences. "Because of COVID-19, people are afraid of you when you're sniffling," Dr. Florence Ida Hsu tells Yale Medicine. "But it goes both ways — a lot of people are sniffling and sneezing and coughing, and they are not getting tested for COVID-19, because they assume it's allergies. And they are probably correct."

Both COVID-19 and seasonal allergies can cause congestion, cough, breathing difficulties, fatigue, runny nose, and sore throats. But COVID-19 has more flu-like symptoms of fever, chills, aches, and loss of taste and smell, as well as digestive issues like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. You likely wouldn't experience these symptoms with seasonal allergies — instead, you would have itchy or watery eyes, sneezing, or wheezing.

There are also some obvious ways to tell if you are suffering from allergies. If you have had allergies in the past and your symptoms last longer than a typical virus, it is likely your seasonal allergies rearing their ugly head(s). If you try allergy medication and your symptoms get better, that is also a good sign that COVID-19 is likely not the culprit, according to Emerson Hospital. Unsure of your symptoms? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a symptom checker, as well as detailed information on COVID-19.

Allergies don't just affect adults. Children can also experience seasonal allergies at any age, but they usually develop by the age of 10 and peak in the early 20s (via Nemours Kids Health). Those symptoms may start to peter off in adulthood.

In the meantime, seasonal allergies can be particularly difficult for children to manage — and as a result, difficult for a parent to help manage as well. If you are a parent to a child with allergies, you may know that all too well. "A high pollen count day is not going to deter them from going to the playground. That's unlike an adult who might say, 'I'm going to drive my car to work, keep the windows rolled up, and not take that walk during lunch,'" pediatric allergist Dr. Stephanie Leeds tells Yale Medicine. Speak to your pediatrician if you think your child has seasonal allergies. They may refer you to an allergist for testing, diagnosis, and treatment.

Some allergy patients turn to immunotherapy treatments if medications don't seem to work or they experience uncomfortable side effects. These options commonly include allergy shots or sublingual immunotherapy (via AAFA). Allergy shot treatments usually run for 3-5 years and consist of injections of a diluted allergy extract that increase over time. Once your body builds tolerance to the allergen, you will experience lesser symptoms, according to the ACAAI. This form of treatment may work well if your allergy triggers are such things as bees, dust, pets, or pollen. It is also helpful for those with asthma (via AAFA). 

Sublingual immunotherapy treatments have patients get small doses of the allergen by a dissolvable tablet that is placed under their tongue. This process starts months before allergy season, and treatment can continue for up to three years (via the ACAAI). Sublingual immunotherapy is available for people whose triggers are grass and ragweed pollen, as well as dust mites. As these are common seasonal allergy triggers, sublingual immunotherapy could be a good option for those who want to avoid injection treatments.

One of the main ways you can keep seasonal allergies from affecting your daily life is to avoid your triggers and environmental exposures. If pollen is your seasonal allergy trigger, try to limit your activities outside when pollen count is high, or wear a mask, sunglasses, and hat to keep pollen off your body (via AAFA). Ditch any clothes worn outside when you return indoors. You will also want to wash your hair daily before going to bed, and wash your bedding once a week. And don't forget that your pet can also track allergens inside — if they've spent a lot of time outdoors on a high-pollen day, you may want to rinse them off (via WebMD). 

You will also want to keep your windows closed on higher pollen days. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) has a pollen counter that you can use nationwide. If all else fails, get out of town for a bit. "Consider vacations near the ocean or bays," Clifford W. Bassett, MD, AAAAI vice chairman of the Public Education Committee told WebMD. "Pollen counts there are typically lower."

There are other non-medical treatment options to help you get through allergy season. You may have heard of using a neti pot to alleviate congestion symptoms (via The National Center for Complementary Integrative Health). This tactic of rinsing your sinuses has mixed reviews, but many swear by it and similar treatments like nebulizers. There is some risk of infection with the neti pot, so you will want to be sure to follow the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's tips on using one safely.

The best preparation may be to start taking allergy medicine before allergy season even begins. Even though it may seem unnecessary, this allows your allergy medicine time to work with your body, preventing it from releasing histamine that cause unpleasant symptoms (via AAFA).

Some people may even consider more extreme measures, such as relocating. But before you go packing your bags to get allergy relief, experts say that moving is a drastic step that may not even help. While foliage that carries mold or pollen can vary from place to place, you may just expose yourself to new allergy triggers (via American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology). If you insist on a change of scenery, be sure to visit for an extended period of time to see if your symptoms actually go away.