Updated:
October 8, 2019
What Are the Worst Allergies in San Antonio?
San Antonio is amazing with some of the best food, people and places to visit in the country. We’ve got warm weather, amazing food, rich history, good basketball, and tons of interesting places both indoor and out! And since San Antonio is good at everything, we’re also good at having allergies. In fact, we’re the #11th best (or worst depending on how you look at it) city in the nation for allergies.
Why does San Antonio have bad allergies?
The answer is simple and it’s the same reason we have great weather. Our summer, spring,“fall”, and “winter” are all warm which means most plants can flourish and bloom to make our hills even prettier. Considering that most environmental allergies come from plants, you can see why allergies are an issue year-round for us.
What are the common San Antonio allergies?
Tree Allergies
Trees are the worst pollinators in San Antonio and most of the credit goes to Cedar and Oak, but Mulberry,Ash and Elm also contribute to the misery.
If you’ve lived here during the winter months, you’ve seen what Cedar season is like. After the first freeze of the year, cedar trees blast their pollen into the skies and can even make the sky look smoggy from the amount of pollen in the air. Cedar season lasts from December to February and then takes a seat to let in Oak.
Oak season starts in March and most cars in San Antonio have had a close relationship with this particular pollen. Yellow, sticky goo covers our cars and sidewalks for a good two to three months until it starts dying down in late May or early June.
Grass Allergies
Up next are grass allergies and most of this is caused by Southern grasses such as Bahia and Bermuda grass. Spending times outdoors when it isn’t too hot is great but activities such as mowing the grass, playing in the grass or activities on windy days can cause significant allergy symptoms.
Weed Allergies
Last but not least is ragweed that usually appears in the late summer or early fall. Ragweed pollen can travel for hundreds of miles and just one ragweed plant produces more than one billion grains of pollen per season!
Mold Allergies
Mold can thrive in damp, cool environments and increase after a thunderstorm rolls through but many of the worst molds are dry and travel easily on windy days. Molds love causing problems both indoors and outside. A common sign of mold allergies is consistent symptoms when being in certain locations. Always sneezing at the office or always get the sniffles at a family member’s house?
Download our free allergy calendar customized for your area to track peak allergen seasons and identify what might be affecting you:
Signs that you may have allergies
Are you one of the many people that is affected by allergies in San Antonio? Here’s a few signs that may indicate you have allergies:
- Runny nose or nasal congestion
- Scratchy throat
- Itchy, stinging, and watery eyes
- Feeling tired or having trouble sleeping
- Coughing and wheezing
How to treat and control your allergies
- You probably don’t need to be told twice about how you should probably change your air filters more, but allergies are another reason to add to the list. Don’t let mold and dust get worse than they already are.
- Pollen is made to stick to things like your face and skin, remember to wash off and change clothes after extended periods outside.
- Be in the know of what allergies are happening. Pollen.com is a wonderful resource to see what allergies are out today.
- If you want to create an allergy free spot in your home, install a HEPA filter to eliminate harmful allergens and particles.
Being a San Antonian is great, but when you look left and right there is usually someone that suffers from allergies. Remember that allergies come around every year and they’re not stopping anytime soon. The good news is we have plenty of clinics all around San Antonio!
We have clinics in the areas of, Alamo Heights, Far West (off of Bandera, near Helotes), New Braunfels, San Antonio (in between Stone Oak and Hollywood Park), and Westover Hills!
We also have an amazing team that is ready to serve you and is highly trained in testing, diagnosing, and treating outdoor allergies! Our San Antonio team includes, Dr. Kirk Waibel, allergist, Dr. Paul Fulmer, sinus surgeon, Dr. Bruce G. Martin, allergist, and Alyssa Arredondo, MPAS, PA-C!
If you’re looking to get long term relief from allergies, our allergy specialists at Aspire Allergy & Sinus can help you achieve long term relief from your allergies. Book your appointment online today and come see us!