7 Ways to Treat Allergies as Pollen Counts Rise

1. Start treating allergies early in the season

If you can, start your allergy medications several weeks before you traditionally experience symptoms, advises Purvi Parikh, M.D., medical director at Allergy and Asthma Network in New York City. It’s easier to prevent your immune system from getting overly aroused than it is to calm it once it’s begun to react. To protect against spring’s pollen, you should start treatment now, if you haven’t already. For fall’s ragweed surge, start in August. The exact dates may differ depending on what part of the country you live in, so confirm with your allergist.

2. Manage your allergy symptoms

Though there are changes you can make to your day-to-day activities to decrease your pollen exposure, medication remains a mainstay of allergy treatment. Still, the last thing you may want to do is to add another tablet to your pillbox. So it’s important to find the right medication strategy to manage your symptoms. Start with a nasal steroid spray, such as fluticasone (Flonase) or triamcinolone (Nasacort). These reduce nasal swelling and mucus to clear your sinuses and are “known to stop the immune response called by allergies and prevent severe symptoms,” says Donald Dvorin, M.D., an allergist in Mount Laurel Township, New Jersey.

Ideally, they’re started before symptoms normally start, as they can take a week to work. Use these daily and as directed (keeping your head upright, spraying toward the outer wall of your nostril). Shooting these up your nose may not be the most pleasant sensation, but consistency is key.

As for which one to choose, Dvorin says some sensitive patients find Flonase irritating because it contains alcohol, so try Nasacort first. One note (or point of confusion): These are different from oxymetazoline (Afrin), a nasal congestion spray. Nasal steroid sprays can be used long-term, whereas you should not use Afrin for more than three consecutive days; otherwise — rather paradoxically — congestion could get worse.

Still suffering? Steroid sprays may not be enough. Talk to your doctor about adding an over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamine. Dvorin points to loratadine (Claritin-D) or fexofenadine (Allegra-D), both of which are nondrowsy. If you need something stronger, ask your doctor about prescription antihistamines, some of which, including hydroxyzine (Atarax), could help you sleep better at night if symptoms keep you up. 

3. Talk to your doctor about allergy medications

Like any drug, allergy meds can interact with others you’re on or cause side effects, including drowsiness, prostate problems, brain fog and heart issues, in certain underlying conditions, Parikh says. Although there are a lot of good options available OTC, that doesn’t mean they’re automatically safe for you. “All these meds are not necessarily benign. I would not wing it,” Dvorin says. Chat with your doc first.

4. Don’t forget to treat fall allergies

You’re not in the clear even in late fall. “I take regular pollen counts March through October. I find that pollen is still in the air even on Halloween,” Dvorin says. Microparticles of pollen could stick around into winter and induce off-season symptoms, he says. Ask your doctor about year-round treatment — it could stave off sickness, too. That’s because if you have allergies, your airways are more reactive to viral illnesses, research suggests. Suppressing allergic flare-ups may improve your overall immunity, potentially helping keeping your defenses up to fight off colds and flu.

5. Wear your face mask (you’re used to it by now)

You love to garden, but with all that pollen, gardening does not always love you back. There are a few preemptive steps the green-fingered among us can take to spend more time outside, sans sneezing, Dvorin says. Take your medication before going out and mask up. (Medical face masks designed to keep out allergens are best.) Once you get back inside, change out of your shoes and outdoor clothing. If allergies are especially severe, you may want to shower and wash your hair, as tresses trap pollen.

6. Check the pollen count

You look at the weather before heading out on your morning walk; why not do the same with pollen counts? Pollen.com provides an allergy forecast by zip code; WeatherBug (WeatherBug.com, also available as an app) and the Weather Channel (Weather.com) show counts and ratings for the day. If pollen is high, you may want to shift activities indoors. For example, do a mall walk instead of a neighborhood stroll. If those resources aren’t available, consider timing outside activities to avoid peak pollen release, especially on windy and warm days.

7. Eradicate indoor allergens

Breathing in pollen and dust mites and dander and mold is a recipe for disaster. Nasal passages can only handle so much: The sheer load of allergens can make your symptoms worse, Parikh says. You’ll want to take indoor precautions, too: That means zipping up box springs and mattresses with dust mite covers, vacuuming carpets frequently, keeping windows closed and setting up a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) purifier if you’re allergic to your pet. Get roof leaks fixed promptly, Dvorin adds. “Mold and mildew are major hazards for indoor allergy sufferers.” Set your indoor humidity to 40 percent to reduce the mold in your home.

Editor's Note: This story, originally published April 13, 2022, has been updated with new information.