Often times, some of the people most happy that spring has arrived are makers of tissue.
Spring might be a time for warmer weather and the budding of various plants and flowers, but it can also be a time for increased sneezing, runny noses and itchy eyes.
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It’s not fun, and it might especially be more difficult this spring after a warmer winter than usual in a good portion of the country.
But there are ways allergies can be less of a burden if you suffer from them.
Here are some things to know about spring allergies.
Warmer winters make spring allergies worse
When winters are warmer, plants often fertilize early when the spring months arrive. That means more pollen is released into the air and quicker than usual, with it easily entering noses and lungs.
What produces allergies in the spring
An assortment of trees is the biggest culprit for the release of pollen in the spring, according to MedicalNewsToday.
Those types of trees can include:
- Ash
- Aspen
- Birch
- Cottonwood
- Cypress
- Elm
- Hickory
- Juniper
- Maple
- Mulberry
- Oak
- Palm
- Pine
- Poplar
- Willow
Typically, the months these trees can affect allergies are February through May.
In addition to trees, certain types of grasses can also affect allergies in the spring. Those can include:
- Bahia
- Bermuda
- Fescue
- Johnson
- Kentucky Blue
- Orchard
- Prairie
- Perennial Rye
- Ragweed
- Saltgrass
- Sweet Vernal
- Timothy
Those grasses affect allergies the most from April through June.
What are tips to avoid/lessen allergies
While allergies often can’t be completely prevented, here are some ways to at least lessen them, according to University of Rochester Medical Center and Advent Health Centra Care.
- Changing clothes when coming inside
- Showering after being outside and at night
- Wearing sunglasses
- Using saline nasal rinses
- Staying well hydrated
- Vacuuming regularly
- Using air filters
- Remove plants in house before they blossom
- Dry clothes indoors