Spring allergies are back. Here's how to check pollen levels and keep
from sneezing
[April 21, 2025]
By KENYA HUNTER
ATLANTA (AP) — Allergy season can be miserable for tens of millions of
Americans when trees, grass, and other pollens cause runny noses, itchy
eyes, coughing and sneezing.
Where you live, what you’re allergic to and your lifestyle can make a
big difference when it comes to the severity of your allergies. Experts
say climate change is leading to longer and more intense allergy
seasons, but also point out that treatments for seasonal allergies have
become more effective over the last decade.
Here are some tips from experts to keep allergy symptoms at bay — maybe
even enough to allow you to enjoy the outdoors.
Where are pollen levels the worst this year?
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America issues an annual ranking of
the most challenging cities to live in if you have allergies, based on
over-the-counter medicine use, pollen counts and the number of available
allergy specialists.
This year, the top five cities are: Wichita, Kansas; New Orleans;
Oklahoma City; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Memphis.
Which pollens cause allergies?
There are three main types of pollen. Earlier in the spring, tree pollen
is the main culprit. After that grasses pollinate, followed by weeds in
the late summer and early fall.
Some of the most common tree pollens that cause allergies include birch,
cedar, cottonwood, maple, elm, oak and walnut, according to the Asthma
and Allergy Foundation of America. Grasses that cause symptoms include
Bermuda, Johnson, rye and Kentucky bluegrass.
How do I track pollen levels?
Pollen trackers can help you decide when to go outside. The American
Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology tracks levels through a network
of counting stations across the U.S. Counts are available at its website
and via email.
Limit your exposure to pollens
The best and first step to controlling allergies is avoiding exposure.
Keep the windows in your car and your home closed, even when it’s nice
outside.
If you go outside, wearing long sleeves can keep pollen off your skin to
help ward off allergic reactions, said Dr. James Baker, an allergist at
the University of Michigan. It also provides some sun protection, he
added.
When you get home, change your clothes and shower daily to ensure all
the pollen is off of you — including your hair. If you can’t wash your
hair every day, try covering it when you go outside with a hat or scarf.
Don’t get in the bed with your outside clothes on, because the pollen
will follow.
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The branches of an oak tree are stained with a green tint from
pollen at park in Richardson, Texas, Thursday, March 21, 2024. (AP
Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
It's also useful to rinse your eyes and nose with saline to remove any
pollen, experts said. And the same masks that got us through the
pandemic can protect you from allergies — though they won’t help with
eye symptoms.
How to relieve allergy symptoms
Over-the-counter nasal sprays are among the most effective treatments
for seasonal allergies, experts said.
But the vast majority of patients use them incorrectly, irritating parts
of the nose, said Dr. Kathleen Mays, an allergist at Augusta University
in Georgia. She suggested angling the nozzle outward toward your ear
rather than sticking it straight up your nose.
Over-the-counter allergy pills like Claritin, Allegra and Zyrtec are
helpful, but may not be as effective as quickly since they're taken by
mouth, experts said.
Experts also said that if your allergy symptoms are impacting your
quality of life, like causing you to lose sleep or a lack focus at work
or school, it might be time to consider an allergist appointment for
immunotherapies.
Some remedies for allergy relief that have been circulating on social
media or suggested by celebrities — like incorporating local honey into
your diet to expose yourself to pollen — have been debunked.
Dr. Shayam Joshi, an allergist at Oregon Health and Science University,
said that's because the flowers that bees pollinate typically don't
contain the airborne pollen that causes allergy symptoms.
Is allergy season changing?
With climate change, winters are milder and growing seasons are longer,
meaning there’s more opportunity for pollen to stay in the air,
resulting in longer and more severe allergy seasons.
In many areas across the country, pollen counts have broken decades of
records. In late March, the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Center measured a
pollen count of over 14,000 grains per cubic meter, which is considered
extremely high.
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