Summer Sneezing? It Could be These Grass and Weed Pollens

Once the weather warms up and it’s finally swimsuit and barbecue season, the last thing you want to be doing is sneezing your way through it. But for a lot of people, summer brings on itchy eyes, a runny nose, and sneezing fits. If that sounds familiar, there’s a good chance something in the air is triggering it.

In the summer, pollen from grasses and weeds is among the biggest triggers of summer allergies and peaks at different times throughout the season. Many people don’t realize their symptoms are allergy-related until they come in to get diagnosed.

Once we figure out what you’re reacting to, a proper treatment plan is put in place that keeps your symptoms under control and lets you enjoy the season. 

At Advanced Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology Center PA in San Antonio and Schertz, Texas, our team, led by board-certified allergist Patricia Gomez Dinger, DO, specializes in identifying exactly what’s triggering your allergies and creating a treatment plan around it. If sneezing in the summer has become a pattern you’re tired of dealing with, we have the answers. 

Here, we cover the most common grass and weed pollens that trigger summer allergies, how to recognize the symptoms, and what your treatment options look like.

Grass pollens

Timothy grass is one of the most common triggers of grass pollen allergy worldwide. It releases pollen from late spring through midsummer and is found across most of the United States. Bermuda grass is another significant trigger, particularly in warmer southern states where it grows abundantly and has a longer pollen season than many other grasses. 

Kentucky bluegrass, orchard grass, and ryegrass are also common culprits that overlap in their pollen seasons, meaning if you’re sensitive, you could be exposed to multiple grass pollens simultaneously.

Grass pollen allergies typically cause symptoms, such as sneezing, nasal congestion, a runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, and an itchy throat or the roof of the mouth. Some people also experience worsening asthma symptoms during peak grass pollen season, as pollen particles can irritate the airways and trigger inflammation in the respiratory system.

Weed pollens

Ragweed is the most well-known and widely studied weed allergen. It typically starts releasing pollen in late summer and continues through the first frost, and a single ragweed plant can produce up to a billion pollen grains in a season. It’s estimated that ragweed affects around 30% of the population, making it one of the most common allergy triggers in existence.

Mugwort is another weed that produces highly allergenic pollen and is common across much of the country. Lamb’s quarters, pigweed, and dock are also significant weed pollen sources during the summer months. These plants are commonly found along roadsides, in vacant lots, and at the edges of fields.

Weed pollen symptoms mirror those of grass pollen allergy. Because grass and weed seasons overlap in midsummer, people sensitive to both can experience a prolonged and more severe allergy season than those reacting to just one type.

How to know if pollen is the problem

The overlap between allergy symptoms and a summer cold is significant enough that many people misidentify what they’re dealing with. A cold typically runs its course in seven to 10 days and may come with a fever. Allergy symptoms don’t cause a fever, tend to last as long as the pollen exposure continues, and often follow a pattern. They get worse on high pollen days and improve on rainy days or when indoors with windows closed.

Itching is also a more common feature of allergies than colds. If your eyes, nose, throat, or the roof of your mouth are itchy alongside the sneezing and congestion, an allergy is the more likely explanation. Keeping track of when symptoms are the worst, such as the time of day, weather conditions, and your location, can provide useful clues, but allergy testing is the only way to confirm what you’re reacting to.

Treatment options

There are several effective ways to manage summer pollen allergies. Antihistamines reduce the immune response that causes sneezing, itching, and a runny nose. Nasal corticosteroid sprays reduce inflammation in the nasal passages and are particularly effective for congestion. Eye drops help manage itchy and watery eyes.

If your symptoms are severe or don’t respond to medication, allergen immunotherapy is a longer-term option that addresses the underlying sensitivity rather than just managing symptoms. 

Immunotherapy involves gradually exposing the immune system to increasing amounts of the allergen until the body becomes desensitized to it. It takes time, but for the right person, it produces lasting results.

If summer allergies are affecting your quality of life, schedule an appointment with us today. Our team will identify your triggers, put together a treatment plan that fits your symptoms and lifestyle, and help you get through summer without the sneezing.