There’s nothing quite like that first sniff of spring after a long and snowy winter. You throw open your windows, you hear the birds chirping, and you can smell spring in the air. That’s when you start sneezing. Or coughing. And throughout later March and April all you seem to be feeling is… congested.
Every spring brings the tree and mold allergy problems to life. The mold spores come out as the snow melt uncovers the molds and their spores. Each year is a bit different as to when that happens. The tree pollination is fairly fixed and occurs in about the same weeks every year! If you know what you are allergic to you can be prepared to prevent your allergy symptoms.
Our tree pollen season gets an early start in the spring in South Dakota, Southwestern Minnesota, and Northeastern Iowa. Remember that each species only pollinates for a few weeks and then is done until next year.
- Later March brings Elm, Maple, and Juniper pollen.
- April brings us alder, birch, cottonwood, and finally oak pollen.
Year Round Allergens
Spring is not exempt from other year round allergies, such as dust, mites, indoor molds, and pets. It could be that opening your window to enjoy the freshness of spring gets the air moving around your living room. This can circulate indoor and year round allergens around your house–and trigger a reaction from your immune system.
If you’re having a hard time keeping your symptoms under control or you really want to enjoy that spring weather, it might be time to consider seeing an allergy specialist. If you’re on the fence, you can take a quick Allergist quiz to find out if making an appointment is warranted based on your allergy symptoms
Treatments for March and April Allergies
For spring allergies–especially those pesky March and April allergies–we think “prevention.” For many people, this means getting started mid-March with a daily nasal corticosteroid spray, such as fluticasone, triamcinolone, or budesonide OTC. This will really help!
If your symptoms continue or break through the corticosteroid defenses, add a non-sleepy antihistamine to your regime. And if that still doesn’t address your allergy symptoms, we advise patients that allergy shots are indicated as a way to make you feel better.
Allergy shots can diminish your immune system’s response to various allergens, and this could give you long term protection from tree pollen or mold spores. Working together, the team at Dakota Allergy & Asthma can help you get the relief you want–so you can get back to enjoying Spring!
Start by taking this quiz to find out if you need allergy help, or contact our offices to make an appointment!
