Welcome to allergy season. Here's how to protect yourself.

What’s happening now

Seasonal allergies are ramping up across the United States, bringing common symptoms including sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes, and runny noses. The shift matters because it affects tens of millions of people and can disrupt work, school, and daily routines during the spring surge.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has flagged five cities as this year’s leading “allergy capitals”: Boise, Idaho; San Diego, California; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Provo, Utah; and Rochester, New York. AAFA’s ranking is based on three inputs: over-the-counter medication use, measured pollen levels, and access to allergy specialists.

What’s driving symptoms

The primary trigger is pollen, a plant reproductive material that becomes airborne and is inhaled or contacts the eyes and nose. Experts cited in the report link longer and more intense allergy seasons to climate change, which can bring warmer winters and longer growing windows for plants that release pollen.

Different pollens tend to dominate at different points in the year. Early spring is typically led by tree pollen, including birch, cedar, and oak; later, grass pollens such as Bermuda and Kentucky bluegrass become more prominent, followed by weed pollens toward late summer and early fall.

How people can reduce exposure

Practical steps focus on limiting contact with outdoor pollen. Guidance in the report includes keeping home and car windows shut, wearing long sleeves outside, and changing clothes and showering after coming indoors to remove pollen from skin and hair.

Other measures mentioned include saline rinses for the nose and eyes to wash away irritants, and using masks to reduce inhalation and facial exposure. These approaches aim to lower the amount of allergen reaching sensitive tissues, which can reduce symptom intensity for some people.

Treatment options and when to seek help

For symptom control, the report points to widely available treatments such as over-the-counter nasal sprays and oral antihistamines, including Claritin, Allegra, and Zyrtec. Nasal sprays are described as among the most effective options, with the caveat that technique matters for results.

When symptoms persist or interfere with daily life, the guidance recommends seeing an allergist to discuss additional care, including immunotherapy. That escalation pathway is presented as an option for people who do not get adequate relief from standard over-the-counter approaches.

What’s uncertain and what to avoid

Individual experiences can vary widely by location, timing, and the specific mix of pollens in the air, and the report does not provide city-by-city forecasts beyond the AAFA ranking. It also notes a limitation in popular self-care advice: consuming local honey is described as an unproven approach because the pollens involved typically are not the ones that drive seasonal allergy symptoms.

As allergy season expands in duration and intensity, the immediate focus for households, employers, and health providers is practical mitigation and effective symptom management. The AAFA list and prevention guidance offer a snapshot of where burdens may be highest and what steps can be taken now.