Spring Allergies and Climate Change

Is Climate Change Making Your Allergies Worse?

If your seasonal allergies feel worse than they used to, you’re not imagining it.

Climate change is affecting pollen seasons in ways that directly impact people with allergic rhinitis and asthma.

What’s Changing?

1. Allergy season is starting earlier.Warmer spring temperatures cause trees to bloom sooner. Many patients now notice symptoms weeks earlier than they did in the past.

2. Allergy season is lasting longer.Fall is arriving later in many regions, extending weed pollen season — especially ragweed.

3. There’s more pollen in the air.Higher carbon dioxide (CO2) levels act like fertilizer for plants. This helps plants grow larger and produce more pollen.

4. Pollution may make pollen more irritating.Air pollutants can interact with pollen and may increase its ability to trigger allergy and asthma symptoms.

5. Severe weather can trigger asthma flares.Thunderstorms during high pollen days can break pollen into tiny particles that travel deeper into the lungs. This can trigger sudden asthma attacks in people with pollen allergies.

What This Means for You

You may notice:

• Symptoms starting earlier in the year

• Longer-lasting congestion and postnasal drip

• Increased need for medications

• More frequent asthma symptoms

What You Can Do

• Start nasal steroid sprays 1–2 weeks before your typical allergy season

• Check daily pollen counts

• Keep windows closed during high pollen days

• Shower and change clothes after outdoor activities

• Use HEPA air filtration indoors

• Make sure your asthma action plan is up to date

If your symptoms are worsening year after year, it may be time to discuss allergy testing or immunotherapy.