Hay fever misery as high pollen counts strike – map reveals worst areas hit (2024)

FAQs

What plant triggers the greatest number of hay fever cases in the US? ›

One of the most common environmental allergens is ragweed, which can cause hay fever and trigger asthma attacks, especially in children and the elderly. An estimated 15.5 percent of all Americans are sensitive to ragweed.

Over half of sufferers say that hay fever disrupts their sleep – leading to fatigue, a drop in productivity and absence at work. Teenagers with hay fever are also 40% more likely to drop grades at school due to their symptoms.

A “pollen bomb” isn't an official term used by allergists, but it's increasingly used informally to refer to a spike in the pollen count, which occurs when already high levels of pollen coincide with warm, dry weather.

Regular hand washing, showering, and washing your hair when you come home can prevent the transfer of pollen to your pillow and nostrils, reducing congestion and improving sleep quality. Avoid Kenalog, a steroid injection with long-term safety concerns, especially bone thinning.

You'll experience hay fever symptoms if you have an allergic reaction to pollen. Pollen is a fine powder released by plants as part of their reproductive cycle. It contains proteins that can cause the nose, eyes, throat and sinuses to become swollen, irritated and inflamed.

Worst Plants for Allergies

You can expect more plant pollenand seasonal allergies if you put any of these plants in your yard. Amaranth (pigweed), chamomile, chrysanthemums, daisies, ordinary sunflowers. Cypress, jasmine vine, juniper, wisteria.

Your immune system tries to protect your body by releasing natural chemicals into your bloodstream. The main chemical is called histamine. It causes mucous membranes in your nose, eyes and throat to become inflamed and itchy as they work to eject the allergen from your body.

There's currently no cure for hay fever and you cannot prevent it. But you can do things to ease your symptoms when the pollen count is high.

Some people's immune systems may overreact to allergens, leading to an allergic response and the development of hay fever. In fact, having other allergies, asthma, allergic dermatitis or eczema can increase your risk of developing hay fever.

Allergies and Vitamin D

Furthermore, research shows that vitamin D can activate certain regulatory immune system cells that prevent the release of chemicals that cause and worsen allergic diseases. 1 So a deficiency in vitamin D may inhibit this regulatory mechanism, which may worsen or trigger allergic disease.

Does vitamin D help hay fever? ›

Take vitamin D

“This may influence how the immune response 'overreacts' to an allergen and may explain the exacerbated symptoms we are seeing,” says Wilkhu. “It's important to check your vitamin D levels if you're suffering badly with hay fever.

Vitamin C for some people may help to lessen symptoms – it's natural anti-histamine. Fresh oranges are a source of Vitamin C, but there are loads of other foods that are as good, or better, sources of Vitamin C – kiwi, papaya, strawberries, broccoli, kale, peppers and lemon juice to name a few.

Some people experience worse allergy symptoms on rainy days. This can happen when the damp weather encourages the growth of allergens such as mold and dust mites. It can also happen when rain breaks up pollen into smaller particles and causes it to scatter further.

Climate change is also increasing carbon dioxide and is leading to longer growing seasons. This means higher amounts of grass pollen released during the allergy season.

Reduce your exposure to allergy triggers

The best time to go outside is after a good rain, which helps clear pollen from the air. Avoid lawn mowing, weed pulling and other gardening chores that stir up allergens. Remove clothes you've worn outside and shower to rinse pollen from your skin and hair.

Sneezing, stuffy or runny nose, itchy eyes, nose and throat, or worsening of asthma symptoms are common in people with undiagnosed or poorly managed hay fever. The primary culprit of fall allergies is ragweed pollen. A ragweed plant only lives one season, but it packs a powerful punch.

A single ragweed plant can produce billions of pollen grains in one season.

Worst Cities and States for Allergies

States with a lot of trees, grass, and weeds will have a lot of allergens. Areas in the Northeast U.S. like Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut. Virginia, Kansas, and Texas have a high rate of allergens.