If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you probably already know a bit about what to expect every spring. Itchy eyes, coughing, and a scratchy throat are probably already an unfortunate part of your life every April. Here’s a rundown of when allergy season starts and ends, what to expect from your late spring seasonal allergies, and how to manage your symptoms.
We talk about “allergy season” often, but what does it really mean? Technically, there are always potential allergens in the air. But they change throughout the year, with tree pollen the main culprit in early spring (March and April), grass pollen coming in to plague allergy sufferers in late spring (May), weed pollen in July, and ragweed pollen in August and September.
Late spring allergy symptoms are often some of the most severe for people with seasonal allergies. Of course, your symptoms will depend in part on your climate. Spring allergy symptoms tend to be very severe in the Northeast and Midwest in particular. You can use allergy-related mobile apps and weather tracking sites to check on the amount and concentration of pollen in the air, which can help you decide how much time you want to spend outdoors on a given day.
If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you already know about the annoying symptoms. These can include red and itchy eyes, excessive tearing, sore and scratchy throat, coughing, sneezing, congestion, and hives, rashes, or trouble breathing in extreme cases. Symptoms are often worse in the morning due to postnasal drip, and can be controlled in part by staying inside on days when there is the most pollen in the air.
Other options for managing allergy symptoms include over-the-counter and prescription medications like the antihistamines Claritin, Allegra, Benadryl, Zyrtec, and others. To control congestion, you can use medications like Flonase and Mucinex. You can also wear a mouth mask outdoors if your late spring seasonal allergies are extreme.
If your late spring allergy symptoms continue to worsen, you might want to consider going to your primary care doctor or an allergist to ask about allergy shots and other kinds of immunotherapy.
