Spring has arrived in Southern California. The wildflowers are blooming, the birds are chirping (and quacking and honking and cawing), and, if you’re a sufferer of spring allergies, your eyes are itching and your nose is running.
We often shrug off these symptoms as “just allergies” and muddle through the discomfort, but as common as they are, they can cause significant stress in our daily lives. Allergies often go beyond the sniffles and can cause debilitating headaches, difficulty breathing, or, in the case of insect stings, even anaphylaxis.
In Southern California, we’re spared the harsh winters experienced by much of the country, but our winter rainy season just means spring allergy season starts earlier. And while our coastal climate helps keep pollen in check to some extent, the region has a diversity of plants that cause hay fever. On top of that, 2025 is expected to be a much worse year for allergy sufferers than 2024, with Los Angeles moving up from 85th to 51st in the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s list of the top 100 worst cities for allergies. Here’s what to expect this year and how you can prepare yourself.
Common Spring Allergies in Southern California
The diversity of our local flora gives Southern California its rugged beauty, but unfortunately for allergy sufferers, the region is home to more plant species that produce hay fever than anywhere in the country.
Tree Allergies
The climate is perfect for walnut and olive trees and the region is a major source of walnut and olive products, but the pollen from these agricultural staples is also a major source of allergies. Other trees that can cause problems for Riverside residents are acacia, ash, cottonwood, elm, juniper, oak (particularly California live oak), palm, and sycamore, and walnut.
Grass Allergies
By the time you start feeling relief from tree pollen allergies, grass pollen season is just getting started. The grasses in Riverside County that could have you suffering this spring include Bermuda, Kentucky blue, many varieties of rye, couch grass, and saltgrass. Saltgrass and couch grass are typically seen as weeds, but those other varieties of grass are all common lawn grasses.
Insect Allergies
It’s not just the plants that are out to get you this time of year, but the bugs, too. Bees, wasps, and hornets can be particularly dangerous, as 3% of adults have experienced anaphylaxis after an insect sting, according to this paper published by the Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America. Symptoms of anaphylaxis can be life-threatening and include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Confusion
- Redness or rash covering the whole body
- Severe pain
- Shock
It’s important for those allergic to bee, wasp, or hornet stings to be careful in tall grass or around plants. Perfumes, bright colors, and food and drinks also attract these insects.
Developing New Allergies
Are you experiencing symptoms you’ve never experienced before this spring? Before you call it a cold because you’re sure you don’t have allergies, know that new allergies can develop at any stage of life. Environmental hazards like dust, pollution, and wildfires can exacerbate existing allergy symptoms. Though wildfire season typically runs June through October, continual exposure to wildfire smoke can actually cause you to develop new allergies or make your existing allergies worse.
Developing allergies later in life can be especially risky for those with underlying health conditions. Those with asthma or COPD, for instance, can find their symptoms exacerbated by seasonal allergies.
You Don’t Have to Suffer Through Allergy Season
If you suspect you’re suffering from any of these typical springtime allergies, Alertive is here to diagnose your allergies and develop a plan for treatment. We specialize in diagnosing and treating allergic rhinitis (hay fever), allergic asthma, insect sting allergies, and more.
Allergy testing consists of skin tests or blood tests. We’ll consider your medical history, you’ll undergo a thorough physical examination, we’ll discuss your goals for treatment, and we’ll provide you with a personalized treatment plan tailored to your allergies, which may include allergen avoidance strategies, medications, or immunotherapy.
This year is shaping up to be a bad one for allergies, and it’s just going to get worse for allergy sufferers as the years go by and the climate warms further. If you are experiencing new or worsening symptoms, or you just want to make sure you are ready for an intense allergy season, call today to book an appointment with our allergy specialists.
