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It’s that time of year again, folks. The time where you always seem to ask yourself: Why are my allergies so bad right now? The itchy, sneezy, watery-eyed mess you become with the change of the seasons is often tied to whatever is blooming outdoors. In spring and fall, for example, pollen and ragweed counts are high, which can make your allergy symptoms worse during these times of year. But what does it mean if your allergies feel worse this year than ever before?

Truth is, allergy symptoms can vary a lot from one year to the next, says Jen Caudle, DO, a family medicine practitioner in Washington Township, New Jersey. A lot of it has to do with weather-related stuff, but lifestyle habits can also play a role, too.

Here, we’ll dive into the most common allergy culprits right now, and what to do to feel your best—no matter the pollen count.

4 reasons your allergies feel so bad right now

Beyond what’s in bloom, there are other factors that can contribute to worsening allergy symptoms. This includes:

1. Environmental triggers

“Seasonal allergy symptoms tend to flare up in the spring and the fall,” Dr. Caudle says. That said, not every single day throughout a given season will feel the same. Shifting weather and other factors can change how much of an allergen is in your environment, which can affect your symptoms, per the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (ACAAI). Some of these factors can include the following:

• Time of day: Pollen counts tend to be the worst in the morning.
• Wind: Pollen gets blown around more on dry, windy days. When there’s no wind, pollen counts are lower.
• Rain: The rain washes pollen and other allergens away, so pollen counts are lower after a shower.
• Heat and humidity: Mold tends to thrive in warm, sticky temps.

Exposure to things like smoke or strong odors might set off your symptoms or make existing symptoms worse, Dr. Caudle says. Same goes for whatever’s happening in your indoor environment. For example, if you normally shut the windows but they’ve been open all day, there’s a good chance that allergens from outside will have wafted into your living space, which can exacerbate your symptoms.

2. Seasonal variations

Some allergy seasons are just worse than others, TBH. It all comes down to whether it’s warm or cool, dry or rainy, and so on. If the winter’s been pretty mild, you can bet that plants will start pollinating earlier, which translates to spring symptoms flaring up sooner.

Rain in the spring isn’t great for allergies either. It encourages plants to sprout up bigger and faster and encourages the growth of mold, both of which can make symptoms more intense, the ACAAI notes. In other words, this could be why your allergies are so bad all of a sudden.

3. Climate change

It’s not your imagination: Allergy seasons are generally more hellish today than they used to be. “Seasonal allergies are most commonly caused by pollen,” Dr. Caudle says. And the changing climate has led to pollen seasons starting 20 days earlier, lasting 10 days longer, and featuring 21 percent more pollen in recent years compared to 1990, according to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

In other words, the more our climate fluctuates over the years, the worse (and more unpredictable) allergy seasons may become.

4. Lifestyle triggers

Certain habits you might not think twice about can affect your allergen exposure, and therefore, the severity of your symptoms. Some common ones include the following, per the Mayo Clinic and the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI):

• Doing yard work or gardening on days when pollen counts are high
• Exercising early in the morning, when pollen counts are high
• Letting pollen into your living space by opening the windows or not changing out of your clothes when you come inside
• Running a humidifier too high (above 50 percent humidity) or not cleaning the humidifier per the manufacturer’s instructions, which can encourage the growth of mold and dust mites
• Not cleaning floors, carpets, or surfaces (or washing your sheets) often enough, which encourages the growth of dust mites
• Letting your pet into your bedroom or sleeping in bed with them (if dander is one of your irritants)

How to relieve the worst allergy symptoms

A lot of things about allergy season are beyond your control (like, you can’t change the weather). But there’s still a lot you can do to keep your symptoms in check. “When I am treating my patient’s allergy symptoms in the office, I not only discuss appropriate medication options, but I also discuss lifestyle changes that will benefit them as well,” Dr. Caudle says. Here are a few:

Lifestyle changes

Avoiding your allergen as much as you can is your best bet, Dr. Caudle notes. But when you’re dealing with environmental offenders like pollen or mold, it can be tough to steer clear 100 percent of the time. In that case, these tips can help, per the Mayo Clinic and the AAAI:

• Say “yes” to nasal saline rinses. Use a neti pot or nasal irrigator filled with saline solution to flush mucus and irritants out of your nasal passages.
• Stay inside when pollen counts are high. Early morning and dry, windy days tend to be the worst.
• Keep pollen out of your living space. Take off your shoes and change your clothes when you come inside, and shower off if you can. Run the air conditioner and keep the windows shut.
• Skip the yard work when you can. Gardening and mowing the lawn stir up allergens that you then breathe in. If possible, have someone else tackle those jobs when pollen counts are high, or if you do them yourself, try wearing a face mask.
• Tackle dust buildup. Try vacuuming carpeted areas with a vacuum cleaner that has a small-particle or HEPA filter once a week. Mop hard floors, wipe down surfaces, and wash area rugs around the same time, too. And if you have curtains, washing them once a season helps.
• Check your humidity situation. Humidity above 50 percent can set the stage for mold growth and trigger or worsen your symptoms. You can actually check the level of humidity in your home with a device called a hygrometer. (You can get one at the hardware store or on Amazon for under $10.) If you run a humidifier, make sure you’re changing the filter or cleaning it regularly per the manufacturer’s instructions.

Another tip? Drinking coffee for seasonal allergies (especially in the morning alongside your antihistamines) could help alleviate symptoms like congestion, Purvi Parikh, MD, an allergist with the Allergy & Asthma Network, previously told Well+Good.

Medication

When lifestyle changes aren’t doing enough on their own, over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription allergy meds can help. Your primary care doctor can help you decide which med is right for you based on your symptoms and how severe they are. Some of the best medicine for allergies includes the following, per the Mayo Clinic:

• Antihistamines like Allegra, Claritin, or Zyrtec
• Nasal sprays like Flonase, Nasocort, or Rhinocort
• Antihistamine eye drops like Alaway or Zatidor

Visiting an allergist

Figuring out what helps with allergies may require a trip to your doctor. You can start by seeing your primary care doctor, who may refer you to an allergist if your symptoms are severe. An allergist can do a quick skin test to confirm what you’re actually allergic to and offer additional treatment options like allergy shots, which can make you less sensitive to your allergen over time.

Can you prevent allergy symptoms from getting worse?

You’ll get the best possible handle on your allergies by seeing an allergist, Dr. Caudle says. “You can get a proper diagnosis for your symptoms and then follow any treatment and prevention recommendations from your doctor.”

Usually, the right treatment plan should help you sidestep the worst symptoms, so your allergies are more of an occasional annoyance rather than an everyday-soul-sucker.

When to see a doctor

Honestly, why wait? If your allergies are annoying and you’re having any kind of trouble managing them on your own, make an appointment to see your doctor. They can confirm that you’re dealing with an allergy (as opposed to another health issue, like asthma) and help you come up with a treatment plan to help you feel your best.

And of course, if you have other symptoms like fever, sore throat, or nausea and vomiting, you may actually have an infection rather than allergies, which might need to be treated with antibiotics.

FAQ

Do allergies get worse with age?

A common myth about allergies is that they get worse with age. But it really all depends on the person, and how severe their allergies were to begin with. Some people may notice their allergies improve after a certain age. Others, however, may get hit with new or worsening allergy symptoms as they get older, due to immune system changes, according to an April 2017 paper in Aging and Disease.

Am I sick or is it allergies?

There’s definitely a lot of overlap between allergies and a cold or the flu: All can cause congestion, a runny nose, coughing, and generally leave you feeling lousy. Two key differences? “You can have a fever or body aches with a cold or the flu but not with allergies,” Dr. Caudle says. If you have a fever, your body may be trying to fight off an infection or virus.

Which month is worse for allergies?

May is typically peak pollen season across the U.S., according to the Allergy & Asthma Network. But there can be some variation based on where you live, with warmer climates potentially peaking earlier and cooler climates peaking later. Some people may even get summer allergies or fall allergies, as temperatures fluctuate and different plants start to bloom.