Facts, Prevention, and Relief for North Dakota Allergies in 2024
North Dakota is a state in the upper Midwest known for its rolling great plains and rugged wilderness. And as far as allergies go, it’s not too bad of a place to live. North Dakota typically ranks in the middle of the pack when it comes to allergies. It’s not the worst, but it’s not the best possible place either.
With that being said, allergies are still a problem for many residents. Tree, grass, and weed pollen dominate the spring, summer, and fall seasons. Fortunately, residents will get a break in winter, but it’s important to manage your allergies for the rest of the year. Wyndly can help.
Wyndly’s doctors can provide you with a personalized allergy treatment plan designed to give you lifelong relief from your allergy symptoms. Schedule your allergy consultation with Wyndly today, or read on to learn more about North Dakota’s allergy season.
When Is North Dakota Allergy Season?
North Dakota’s allergy season is typical, with tree allergies kicking off in early spring and fall allergies ending after the first hard frost of winter. That means you can usually expect allergy season to go from late February to October or November.
Allergens by Season
Depending on what season it is in North Dakota, some pollen types will be more prevalent than others. Let’s take a look at each season.
Summer
Summer has grass pollen as the primary allergen. Grass allergies in North Dakota are often from bluegrass, ryegrass, and timothy, fescue, orchard, and Bermuda grasses. Summer allergy season usually starts around May and tapers off in July.
Fall
Fall is when weed allergy season will be in full effect. Common weed allergies in North Dakota are sagebrush, ragweed, wormwood, amaranth, Russian thistle, lamb’s quarters, and orache. Weed allergies usually start in August and end by the first frost of winter.
Winter
South Dakota residents will find a respite from seasonal allergies in winter. Keep in mind that indoor allergies can still be a problem during the colder months, though.
Spring
Tree allergy season kicks off in spring, with cottonwood, oak, elm, birch, maple, ash, cedar, and mulberry trees all contributing. Tree allergy season usually goes from March to May.
Common Allergens
North Dakota residents will have tree, grass, and weed pollen as their primary seasonal allergens.
Common Symptoms
North Dakota 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
Different areas of North Dakota will have different pollen allergies to deal with. Let’s take a look at some of North Dakota’s major regions and the allergens found there.
Jamestown/Devils Lake
The Jamestown and Devils Lake areas will have spring tree allergies from oak, willow, maple, and ash trees. Next are summer allergies from grass species such as ryegrass and timothy and orchard grasses. Fall allergy triggers include ragweed, wormwood, amaranth, and sagebrush.
Williston/Minot
The Williston and Minot areas will have spring tree allergies from maple, oak, ash, and willow trees. Summer grass allergies are often a response to bluegrass and timothy and prairie grasses. In fall, weed allergies are typically from ragweed, wormwood, sagebrush, amaranth, and orache.
Bismarck/Dickinson/Theodore Roosevelt National Park
The Bismarck, Dickinson, and Theodore Roosevelt National Park areas have spring tree allergies from maple, willow, cottonwood, and oak trees. Summer grass allergy triggers include bluegrass and orchard and prairie grasses. Fall weed allergies are often from ragweed, saltbush, sagebrush, and amaranth.
Grand Forks/Fargo
The Grand Forks and Fargo areas have spring tree allergies from maple, oak, and willow trees. Summer grass allergies are often from timothy, corn, fescue, and bent grasses. Fall weed allergy triggers include ragweed, wormwood, and sagebrush.
Testing and Diagnosis
While it’s not impossible to figure out what pollen is causing your allergies, it can be pretty difficult. There is a lot of pollen in the air throughout North Dakota allergy season from many sources. Plus, there are indoor allergens to consider. Instead of guessing, an allergy test can reveal the source of your allergies. Wyndly’s at-home test makes it convenient to find out what allergens are causing your symptoms. Get your at-home test from Wyndly today.
Let’s explore 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 discomfort 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
While North Dakota allergies can be miserable, you don’t have to just wait out the allergy season. There are various remedies and even treatments for your symptoms.
Limiting Exposure
Limiting exposure is generally recommended for helping to curb allergy symptoms. While pollen can be difficult to avoid, we have some tips that can keep your exposure to a minimum.
- Remember to check the pollen count: Various websites and apps can tell you the daily pollen count for trees, weeds, and grass. If the pollen count is high for your allergen, stay indoors as much as you can. If you do need to go outside on these days, try to limit that to the evening hours and wear an N95 mask.
- Shower often: Pollen will stick to your hair and skin, so it’s a good idea to shower when you get home after being outside. If you can’t shower right away, washing your hands and face well can help.
- Keep your home clean: During allergy season, you’ll want to vacuum and dust more than usual. Vacuuming with a HEPA filter vacuum and dusting with a wet rag can help you reduce pollen levels in your home.
- Keep the windows closed: Try to keep the windows closed during allergy season and run the A/C instead. Also, it’s a good idea to install a HEPA filter for your A/C system.
- Take off shoes: When you get home, be sure to take off your shoes to avoid tracking in pollen.
- Wipe off pets: Make sure your pets aren’t tracking in pollen either. Wipe them off with a towel when they come inside, and try to bathe them more often during allergy season.
Medications
Most people will need to do more than just limit their exposure. Fortunately, allergy medications can help provide short-term relief to get you through North Dakota’s allergy season. Over-the-counter options include antihistamines, eye drops, nasal sprays, and decongestants.
Sublingual Immunotherapy
Short-term solutions like allergy medications and lifestyle changes can help you get through the worst of allergy season, but they’re not long-term solutions. If you want to treat your allergies at their source, you may want to consider sublingual immunotherapy. Sublingual immunotherapy is a safe and effective solution that retrains your immune system to ignore allergens. This works by introducing small, gradually increasing doses of the allergen to your system with liquid drops or tablets. Unlike allergy shots, sublingual immunotherapy can be taken at home and doesn’t require the use of painful needles.
Get Long-Term Relief With Wyndly
If you’re ready to find long-term relief from your North Dakota allergies, choose Wyndly. You’ll get a personalized allergy treatment plan to help you find relief from your allergies. Wyndly can also deliver doses of sublingual immunotherapy to your door if you’re a candidate for treatment.
Take our 2-minute online assessment now to get started!
North Dakota Allergy FAQs
Still have questions about North Dakota allergies? Here are some common questions and answers to help you out.
How long is North Dakota’s allergy season?
North Dakota has a typical allergy season from spring to the end of fall.
Is allergy season bad in North Dakota?
North Dakota’s allergy season isn’t particularly bad.
Is North Dakota a good state if you have allergies?
North Dakota ranks relatively near the middle when compared to other states.
When is the North Dakota allergy season?
The allergy season usually starts in February or March and goes until the first hard freeze of winter, usually around October.
What are the worst months?
The worst months are April, May, and September.