(NEXSTAR) – After months of being cooped up inside for winter, it feels like it’s finally starting to warm up, and spring is just around the corner. Everything is slowly turning from those drab wintry colors to bright green all around you. But as it does for so many of us, this changing of seasons also brings a runny nose, itchy eyes and coughing.
This is due to seasonal allergies, which affect roughly 100 million people in the U.S., according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. But what exactly is causing these allergies?
According to the ACAAI, spring allergies typically start at the beginning of February and can last until the end of summer. For most of the country, tree pollination begins first, followed by grass pollination later in the spring and summer.
On a month-to-month basis, pollen from trees is at its highest in March to May, with April seeing the most amount of tree pollen, according to a pollen allergy guide from Zyrtec. Pollen from grass is at its highest between May to July, at its strongest in the summer in June and July.
These two pollens are the most common culprits for spring allergies — and specifically the kind of pollen that is small and powdery on many trees, grasses and weeds versus the waxy pollen seen on colorful flowers. This is because the smaller pollen grains are easily blown through the air from one plant to another — or directly at people who have allergies, as noted by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
Less common forms of spring allergies can also come from mold or insects as well.
As for what to look for if you think you are suffering from spring allergies, symptoms from pollen or mold can include sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, coughing, and itchy, watery eyes. If you have any sort of skin rashes or irritation, this could be caused by an insect bite or sting or potentially poison ivy or poison oak.
If you’re hoping to avoid your seasonal allergies as best you can, the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology advises that you try things like keeping your windows and doors closed at night, avoiding outdoor activities early in the morning when pollen is at its strongest, and, when you do perform any outdoor activities like cutting the grass or gardening, taking a shower to remove the pollen from your hair and skin.
Also, make sure to check the latest pollen counts from your local weather report during allergy season to know when pollen is at its strongest.
