Allergy season is arriving early for some – here’s what your nose can expect this year

Allergy season is arriving unusually early this year, with warmer weather prompting trees and plants to release pollen ahead of schedule.

Across much of the country, doctors and allergists are warning that seasonal symptoms, from sneezing and itchy eyes to runny noses, are already affecting many people well before the official start of spring on March 20.

Even with snow still visible in parts of the Northeast and Midwest, pollen from trees, grasses and other plants is circulating in the air and triggering symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes and runny noses.

Allergy season traditionally begins in March in many regions of the US, and experts say that this year’s mild winter and early warmth have coaxed plants into blooming and releasing pollen ahead of schedule.

“The second it gets warm is the second the pollen comes out. It is a simultaneous process,” Dr. Rachel Schreiber, an allergist based out of Rockville, Maryland, told WTOP. “The early pollinators, those trees that are out now, are the maples and the elm tree pollens,” she added. “Oak tree pollen accounts for 50 percent of the tree pollen in our area.”

Health professionals urge people who suffer from allergies to prepare early rather than waiting until symptoms flare up. Over‑the‑counter antihistamines — such as non‑drowsy tablets taken daily — and saline nasal sprays can help control symptoms if started before exposure peaks. For many sufferers, using medications consistently rather than sporadically makes them more effective.

“If you just wait for your symptoms to get really bad, you’re going to be miserable for longer,” Dr. Payel Gupta, an allergist and immunologist on the medical advisory council for the Allergy & Asthma Network told the New York Times. “The more prepared you are, the better it is.”

In addition to medications, simple steps at home can make a difference. Keeping windows closed during high pollen days, using air filters, and showering after spending time outdoors can reduce the amount of pollen that makes its way inside living spaces. Allergy testing may also help people pinpoint specific triggers and tailor their treatment.

Everyday routines also play a role in reducing exposure to pollen indoors. Opening windows can allow allergens to drift inside, and pets can unintentionally carry pollen on their fur and paws after being outside.

“You want to wipe your pet down, wipe all the fur, wipe all the paws, so you’re not spreading more pollen around the house,” Schreiber told WTOP.

Timing outdoor activities can further minimize exposure. Pollen levels tend to peak in the morning, particularly between 4 a.m. and noon, so limiting time outside during these hours or taking precautions like wearing masks and sunglasses can help, Schreiber added.

Pediatricians, like Duke Health Pediatric Physician Dr. Kitty O’Hare in North Carolina, also warn that children may be caught off guard by early symptoms, even if they haven’t had allergies in previous years.

“Nationally, at least one out of every five children has seasonal allergies, and that’s probably an underestimate,” O’Hare told WRAL. “In certain areas, like here in North Carolina with all of our pine pollen, we see a lot of seasonal allergies every spring.”

Seasonal allergies can affect people of all ages, with the CDC reporting that 20 to 25 percent of both adults and children under 18 experience them.

“That is a common comment that we hear from parents, ‘Oh, they didn’t have it last year, why do they have it now?’ It’s true that with progressive exposures – the more years that go by – the more likely it is that your body is going to try to defend you from something it thinks is a concern,” O’Hare said.