Facts, Prevention, and Relief for Illinois Allergies in 2024
Beat your allergies forever.
Get Started With WyndlyIllinois is a midwestern state known for its farmland, forests, and, of course, the great city of Chicago. As far as allergies go, there are certainly worse places to live. Generally, allergies aren’t overly intense in Illinois, and it frequently ranks in the middle of the pack for best states for allergy sufferers.
With that being said, Illinois is far from devoid of allergies. There are still plenty of tree, weed, and grass pollen issues for residents. If you’re looking for lifelong relief from your Illinois allergies, Wyndly can help. Schedule a personalized allergy consultation with Wyndly today, or read on to learn more about Illinois allergies.
When is Illinois Allergy Season?
Illinois has a typical length for allergy season. Thanks to the cold winters, Illinois residents can find relief from pollen for several months. Spring will bring on the beginning of allergy season around March, and the allergies will continue on until the first winter freeze.
Allergens by Season
Depending on the season, the primary allergens will differ. Let’s take a look at Illinois allergies based on the season.
Summer
Summer is grass allergy season for Illinois. This season will usually start around mid-May and go well into summer, typically tapering off in August. Illinois grass allergies include ryegrass and Bermuda, bent, timothy, brome, sweet vernal, fescue, orchard, and prairie grasses.
Fall
In fall, weed pollen is the primary culprit for allergies. Fall weed allergies usually start in August and will end once Illinois gets its first hard freeze of winter. Fall weed allergies may include ragweed, wormwood, orache, pigweed, and sagebrush.
Winter
Illinois has very cold winters, so pollen allergies shouldn’t be a problem during these months. However, indoor allergens like dust mites, cockroaches, mold, and pet dander can still cause issues.
Spring
Spring is tree allergy season in Illinois. Depending on the weather, it can start in late February, but it can also be delayed until March. The tree pollen to watch out for in Illinois include hickory, oak, ash, willow, cedar, maple, walnut, and mulberry.
Common Allergens
Illinois residents can expect seasonal allergies from tree, weed, and grass pollen until the wintertime. Indoor allergies may be an issue year-round.
Common Symptoms
Illinois residents can expect the following allergy symptoms:
- Runny nose
- Coughing
- Congestion
- Sneezing
- Headaches
- Scratchy throat
- Itchy eyes
- Watery eyes
- Hives
- Aggravated asthma symptoms
As always, reactions will vary from person to person, but in general, allergies will cause one or more of these symptoms to occur.
Allergens Around the State
Depending on what part of Illinois you live in, your region’s allergens may be different from other parts of the state. Let’s take a look at some common allergens in Illinois’ major towns and cities.
Chicago/Naperville/Rockford/Aurora
In the Chicago, Naperville, Rockford, and Aurora areas, spring tree allergies will kick off allergy season with pollen from oak, hickory, maple, ash, willow, privet, mulberry, and walnut. Grass allergies in summer come from ryegrass and Bermuda, bent, timothy, orchard, fescue, and brome grasses. Fall weed allergy triggers include ragweed, wormwood, sagebrush, orache, and amaranth.
Springfield/Peoria/Champaign/Quincy
The Springfield, Peoria, Champaign, and Quincy areas have spring tree allergies from hickory, oak, ash, cedar, willow, walnut, and mulberry. Summer grass allergies include ryegrass, Bermuda, bent, timothy, and orchard grasses. Fall weed allergy triggers include marsh elder, ragweed, orache, and pigweed.
Belleville/Mt. Vernon/Carbondale
In the Belleville, Mt. Vernon, and Carbondale areas, tree spring allergies include hickory, maple, walnut, oak, willow, and mulberry. Summer grass allergens include ryegrass and Bermuda, fescue, timothy, and orchard grasses. In the fall, weed allergy triggers include ragweed, wormwood, and pigweed.
Testing and Diagnosis
Once allergy season begins, there are many types of pollen in the air. It can be incredibly difficult to determine which specific pollen is causing your allergies. However, with an allergy test, you can identify the source of your allergies and possibly find out about some allergies you didn’t suspect. Wyndly makes it easy and convenient to get allergy testing with our at-home tests. Order your at-home allergy test from Wyndly today!
Let’s look at how different allergy testing options work.
Old-Fashioned Method: Skin Prick Test at Your Doctor’s Office
Skin prick testing requires you to go to the doctor to find out your allergen triggers. It’s often uncomfortable, and it takes time out of your day. You’ll go to the doctor’s office, they’ll administer a test where they prick or scrape your skin with a needle tipped with different allergens, and then they’ll observe the areas they pricked for itchiness, redness, or swelling. All in all, it’s not a pleasant experience. Instead, you can save yourself time and pain by getting an at-home test.
Modern and Efficient At-Home Method
- Order Wyndly’s at-home allergy test. We ship our CLIA-certified test straight to your door.
- Take the allergy test and send it back to us. Just do a quick finger prick test to provide us with a blood sample and mail it back when you’re done.
- Receive your personalized treatment plan. Our doctor will interpret your results, create an allergy profile, and walk you through your treatment plan.
Treatment and Remedies
Although allergies can be miserable, they’re very common, and there are several ways to manage or treat your symptoms.
Here are some options you may want to consider:
Limiting Exposure
The first step you may want to try is limiting your exposure to your allergens. Total avoidance is pretty hard with airborne allergens, but it is possible to keep your exposure to a minimum if you take certain measures.
- Look at the pollen count: The best way to avoid high pollen days is to stay inside if possible. If you take a look at the pollen count in the morning, you can find out the level of pollen in your area. If you do have to go outside on a high pollen count day, wearing a mask and sunglasses can keep pollen exposure to a minimum.
- Rinse off when you get home: After being outside, rinsing off in the shower is a good way to clean pollen off your skin and hair. If you’re not showering or not at home, washing your hands and face can help too.
- Clean the house frequently: During allergy season, pollen is inevitably going to get into your home at some point. Make sure to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter and dust with a wet rag to get rid of any pollen accumulation.
- Keep windows closed: If you open the windows during allergy season, it’s easy for pollen to get in. It’s better to run your A/C instead and use a HEPA filter with your system.
- Do laundry frequently: Do your laundry more often during allergy season. Pollen can stick to clothes easily, and you don’t want to be exposing yourself to that pollen more than necessary.
Medications
Limiting your exposure and avoiding allergen substances is a good idea, but these methods don’t always provide complete relief. Often, further symptom management with the help of allergy medications is needed. Some common over-the-counter options include antihistamines, nasal sprays, eye drops, and decongestants.
Sublingual Immunotherapy
Unfortunately, limiting exposure and allergy medications only manage symptoms for short-term relief. If you’re looking to treat your allergies instead of just masking your symptoms, sublingual immunotherapy is a safe and effective option. With sublingual immunotherapy, your immune system is retrained to ignore allergen substances when you introduce it to small, gradually increasing doses of an allergen.
Unlike allergy shots, sublingual immunotherapy doesn’t use needles and it doesn’t require you to go to the doctor for your doses. You can administer sublingual immunotherapy in the comfort of your home.
Get Long-Term Relief With Wyndly
If you’re ready to get long-term relief from your allergy symptoms, Wyndly is ready to help. Our doctors can provide a personalized allergy treatment plan designed to address your Illinois allergies. Schedule your allergy consultation with Wyndly today!
Illinois Allergy FAQs
Still have questions about Illinois allergies? Here are some common questions and answers to help you out.
How long is Illinois’ allergy season?
Illinois allergy season is a relatively normal length. If anything, it may be a little shorter thanks to its long, cold winters.
Is allergy season bad in Illinois?
Allergy season isn’t particularly bad in Illinois.
Is Illinois a good state if you have allergies?
Illinois ranks in the middle for best states for allergies.
When is the Illinois allergy season?
Allergy season in Illinois usually starts in February or March and ends after the first frost of winter.
What are the worst months?
The worst months are typically April, May, June, and September.
