When spring allergy season first starts, causing you to sniffle and sneeze, tree pollen is usually to blame. Trees produce pollen February through April in most of the United States. In the Southern U.S., trees can produce pollen as early as December or January and peak throughout the year.

What Are the Symptoms of a Tree Pollen Allergy?

A pollen allergy can cause seasonal allergic rhinitis – commonly called “hay fever.” Pollen released by trees, as well as grasses and weeds, cause allergy symptoms. They include:

• Runny nose (also known as rhinorrhea – this is typically a clear, thin nasal discharge)
• Stuffy nose (due to blockage or nasal congestion – one of the most common and troublesome symptoms)
• Sneezing
• Itchy nose, eyes, ears, and mouth
• Red and watery eyes
• Swelling around the eyes
  
  

If you have allergic asthma and are allergic to tree pollen, you might also have asthma symptoms while the trees are producing pollen.

Tree pollen is light so the wind can carry it for miles. These light, dry grains easily find their way to your sinuses, lungs, and eyes, making them hard to avoid.

What Trees Cause the Most Symptoms?

Some tree pollen causes more problems than others. Some of the trees that cause the most symptoms are:

• Alder
• Ash
• Aspen
• Beech
• Birch
• Box elder
• Cedar
• Cottonwood
• Elm
• Hickory
• Juniper
• Maple
• Mulberry
• Oak
• Olive
• Pecan
• Poplar
• Walnut
• Willow
  
  

Mountain cedar and juniper can cause seasonal allergy symptoms called “cedar fever” December through February. It mostly occurs in Arizona, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

What Can I Do to Relieve My Pollen Allergy Symptoms?

Thankfully, there are several options for relieving pollen allergy symptoms, available both over the counter and by prescription. Talk with your doctor about your symptoms and treatment options. Your doctor might have you take a combination of medicines and treatments to keep your symptoms controlled. These include:

• Nasal rinses
• Nose sprays
• Eye drops
• Antihistamines
• Decongestants
• Leukotriene [loo-kuh-trahy-een] modifiers
• Cromolyn sodium
  
  

Talk with your doctor about taking your allergy medicines and starting treatment before tree pollen season starts in your area.

If these medicines don’t completely relieve your symptoms, your doctor might also give you immunotherapy. This is a long-term treatment that can reduce the severity of your allergic reactions. It usually involves regular shots, tablets, or drops you take under the tongue.

You can also take steps to reduce your exposure to tree pollen:

• If you haven’t had allergy testing, find a board-certified allergist to test you for pollen allergies. Work with your doctor to come up with a treatment plan.
  
  
• Limit your outdoor activities when pollen counts are high. This will cut down the amount of pollen allergen you inhale and help reduce your symptoms.
  
  

• Watch pollen counts and forecasts. Many local weather reports will give pollen counts or forecasts. You can also visit websites like pollen.aaaai.org for pollen reports.
  
  

• Cover your hair, nose, mouth, and eyes while outside.
  
  

• Use central air conditioning or air cleaners with a Certified Asthma & Allergy Friendly® filter and/or HEPA filter to reduce your exposure to indoor airborne allergens (including pollen that may enter your home through doors, windows, on your clothes, and on pets), if possible.
  
  

• Dry your clothes in a dryer and not outside on a clothesline.
  
  
• Change and wash clothes you wear during outdoor activities as soon as you come inside.
  
  

It may be hard to avoid tree pollen during the late winter and spring. But you can reduce your symptoms with the right treatment.

Medical Review: Content summarized from Tree Pollen Allergy and Pollen Allergy which were reviewed August 2024 and September 2024 by Mitchell Grayson, MD