Facts, Prevention, and Relief for Montana Allergies in 2024
Beat your allergies forever.
Get Started With WyndlyMontana is a beautiful state known for its untamed wilderness, national parks, and big, open skies. Another plus about living in Montana is that it isn’t known for having an especially bad allergy season. Thanks to its low humidity, the pollen levels aren’t quite as intense as in other areas of the country. With that being said, there is still plenty of plant life in Montana, which means allergies still exist.
If you have Montana allergies, Wyndly can help. Our doctors can create a personalized treatment plan for your specific allergy profile. Schedule your allergy consultation today to get started, and read on to learn more about Montana allergies.
When Is Montana Allergy Season?
Montana has relatively mild weather, which makes for a mild allergy season. Still, the length of the allergy season is fairly normal, with spring marking the start of the season, and the first hard freeze of winter bringing things to an end. You can expect allergies to start ramping up in March and end around late October or November.
Allergens by Season
Montana allergies will vary based on what time of year it is. Generally, spring is tree allergy season, summer is grass allergy season, and fall is weed allergy season. Let’s take a look at some of the pollen allergies to watch out for.
Summer
The summer grass allergy season in Montana will typically begin in June and end in August. Summer grass allergens to watch out for include ryegrass, bluegrass, and timothy, orchard, fescue, and bent grasses.
Fall
The fall weed allergy season ramps up around mid-August and ends after the first hard frost of winter. The typical offenders in Montana include wormwood, sagebrush, and ragweed.
Winter
Montana winters are plenty cold enough to end seasonal allergies for a few months out of the year. Keep in mind that indoor allergens like pet dander and dust mites can still pose a problem, though.
Spring
Spring is the tree allergy season for Montana residents. These allergies will usually begin in late February or early March and end around May or June. Tree allergy triggers in Montana include maple, privet, willow, ash, and cedar.
Common Allergens
Montana has seasonal allergies from various species of trees, weeds, and grass. Pet dander, mold, and dust mites cause some indoor allergies Montana residents may suffer from.
Common Symptoms
Montana 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.
Allergens Around the State
Depending on what area of Montana you live in, you may have different allergies from other regions in the state. Let’s take a look at some of the allergies you can expect.
Kalispell/Missoula/Butte/Helena/Bozeman
For the Kalispell, Missoula, Butte, Helena, and Bozeman areas, spring tree allergy triggers will include maple, willow, ash, and box elder. Summer grass allergens include ryegrass, bluegrass, and timothy, orchard, fescue, brome, and bent grasses. Fall weed allergies are often from wormwood, sagebrush, ragweed, amaranth, and orache.
Havre/Great Falls
For the Havre and Great Falls areas, tree allergies start in spring with maple, willow, and ash pollen. Summer grass allergens include ryegrass, bluegrass, and timothy, fescue, and brome grasses. Fall weed allergy triggers include ragweed, sagebrush, wormwood, and amaranth.
Billings/Miles City/Glendive
The Billings, Miles City, and Glendive areas have spring tree allergies from privet, willow, ash, and maple. Summer grass allergens include ryegrass, bluegrass, and timothy, prairie, orchard, and fescue grasses. Fall weed allergy triggers include wormwood, sagebrush, and ragweed.
Testing and Diagnosis
No matter where you live, finding out the specific source of your seasonal allergies can be hard. Pollen is everywhere, and there are many types of pollen to consider. An allergy test can help you find out for sure what allergies you have. With an at-home allergy test, you don’t even have to leave your house to find the source of your allergies. Buy your at-home allergy test from Wyndly today!
Let’s look at some of the different allergy testing options.
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, and 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 personal allergy profile. Our doctor will interpret your results, create an allergy profile, and walk you through your personalized treatment plan.
Treatment and Remedies
You don’t have to put up with your Montana allergies and be miserable during allergy season. Certain remedies and treatments can make allergy season much more manageable. There are several approaches you may want to try.
Limiting Exposure
First, you’ll want to try your best to avoid your allergy triggers. This can be tricky with pollen, but there are ways to limit your overall exposure.
- Try looking at the pollen count: Depending on the pollen count, you may want to try to stay indoors. High pollen levels can make your allergies worse. You can easily check the pollen count on a weather app or website.
- Wear an N95 mask: Wearing a mask outside can help reduce the amount of pollen you breathe in. Also, wearing a hat and sunglasses can help keep pollen out of your eyes.
- Cut grass, pull weeds, and trim trees: Keeping your yard maintained can actually help reduce pollen levels around your home.
- Clean more often: Keep your home as free from pollen as you can by vacuuming floors with a HEPA filter vacuum and dusting with a wet rag.
- Close the windows: Make sure to keep pollen out of your house by keeping the windows closed and running A/C instead during allergy season.
- Rinse off in the shower: You can rinse pollen off your skin and hair in the shower when you get home. Washing your hands and face well can be a quick substitute.
- Remove your shoes: Be sure to take off your shoes when you get home so you don’t track in pollen.
- Do laundry: Get pollen off your clothes by doing laundry more often during allergy season, and avoid hanging them outside to dry.
Medications
Limiting your exposure to allergens can help, especially if your symptoms are mild, but many people need a little extra help to get through the peaks of allergy season. Allergy medications are widely available and provide relief from a variety of common symptoms. Some over-the-counter allergy medication options include antihistamines, decongestants, nasal corticosteroids, and eye drops. Prescription allergy medications are an option too, but you’ll need to consult your doctor if you want to go that route.
Sublingual Immunotherapy
If you want to treat your allergies, instead of just managing the symptoms, you may want to consider sublingual immunotherapy. Sublingual immunotherapy is an allergy treatment that uses drops or tablets to treat allergy symptoms. It does this by teaching your immune system to tolerate substances over time through small, gradually increasing doses of your allergen. This is a great alternative to allergy shots, which require needles and a trip to the doctor to administer.
Get Long-Term Relief With Wyndly
Don’t suffer through allergy season without relief any longer. You can get long-term relief from your allergy symptoms with Wyndly. Our doctors will create a personalized treatment plan designed for your Montana allergies.
Take our easy 2-minute online assessment to see if Wyndly is right for you!
Montana Allergy FAQs
We have answers to some frequently asked questions about Montana allergies.
How long is Montana’s allergy season?
Usually, Montana allergy season lasts from early spring to late fall.
Is allergy season bad in Montana?
Allergy season is relatively mild in Montana.
Is Montana a good state if you have allergies?
Montana is a pretty good state for allergy sufferers. It doesn’t have some of the major allergenic plant species found in other parts of the country, and the low humidity helps keep the pollen count down.
When is the Montana allergy season?
The season lasts from early March to the first hard freeze of winter.
What are the worst months?
The worst months for Montana allergies are May, June, and September.
