{"id":22756,"date":"2021-03-16T10:30:01","date_gmt":"2021-03-16T14:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=22756"},"modified":"2025-03-12T16:14:00","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T20:14:00","slug":"spring-allergies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/spring-allergies\/","title":{"rendered":"What causes spring allergies?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spring allergies: If just seeing those two words makes your eyes water, you likely have experience with this common annual problem. At least<\/span> 20 million adults and 6 million children<\/span> live with allergic rhinitis, otherwise known as hay fever, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although sniffling and sneezing isn\u2019t limited to the spring, symptoms can start as the first flowers start to bloom (and last through the fall\u2014depending on what you\u2019re allergic to). In the northeast, April showers bring May flowers. But, in many parts of the U.S., spring allergy season can start as early as February when pollen starts to circulate , sticking around through summer.<\/span><\/p>\n

What causes spring allergies?<\/span><\/h2>\n

According to the <\/span>American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology<\/span> (AAAAI), the most common spring allergy causes are:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Pollen<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Mold spores<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Pollen allergies were the most common type of allergy reported by survey respondents in <\/span>SingleCare\u2019s allergy survey<\/span><\/a>. Mold allergies were the third most common type of allergy reported.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Tree pollination usually begins first, and then the grass pollen follows later in the spring. Since moisture helps mold develop, a rainier spring will result in more spores. Some people may be only allergic to one thing, but many are allergic to more than one.<\/span><\/p>\n

    There are regional variations in the pollen that cause the worst symptoms. Take Texas, for example, which is known for its cedar fever. \u201cCedar, yellow pine, and ragweed are the most common seasonal pollen spring allergies in the Houston area,\u201d says<\/span> Ben Cilento<\/span><\/a>, MD, an otolaryngologist and sinus surgeon with Texas Sinus & Snoring.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Meanwhile, to the north in Ohio, tree pollen is also the big culprit for spring allergies, but it\u2019s different trees causing the symptoms, says <\/span>Summit Shah, MD<\/span><\/a>, an allergist with Premier Allergy & Asthma. \u201cBirch, maple and oak are the worst ones for Ohio, and some sycamore and hickory,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Though, it\u2019s not just the trees in your own yard that are to blame. That\u2019s because pollen seeds are tiny and lightweight. \u201cThey travel for miles and miles, sometimes up to 100 miles away,\u201d says Dr. Shah.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"An<\/a>\u200b\u200b<\/span><\/p>\n

    Symptoms<\/span><\/h2>\n

    You might not be able to really enjoy the daffodils poking their heads out of the ground or the pale green buds on the trees when you\u2019re dreading the symptoms they may bring. For people with spring allergies, the beauty of the great outdoors can bring the following reactions:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n