Des Moines, IA Pollen and Allergy Report for Summer 2023

Pollen Allergy Trends in Des Moines, IA

When is pollen lowest in Des Moines, IA?

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February

Lowest month total PPM

183.17 Avg. PPM

When is pollen highest in Des Moines, IA?

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April

Highest month total PPM

2,580.37 Avg. PPM

How does pollen in Des Moines, IA compare to Iowa?

Des Moines has a higher average PPM than the state of Iowa.

Des Moines yearly avg PPM: 803.32

Iowa yearly avg PPM: 761.73

How does pollen in Des Moines, IA compare to the USA?

Des Moines has a higher average PPM than the USA.

Des Moines yearly avg PPM: 803.32

USA yearly avg PPM: 664.86

Is pollen worse this year in Des Moines, IA?

Spring 2023 was worse than spring 2022.

Spring 2023 PPM: 4,780.02

Spring 2022 PPM: 2,374.33

Average PPM in Des Moines, IA

Des Moines, IA Average PPM Des Moines, IA Average PPM

Des Moines, IA Pollen and Allergy Breakdown by Month

Grass

When is grass pollen highest in Des Moines, IA?

February has the highest grass pollen in Des Moines, IA with an average PPM of 332.8

When is grass pollen lowest in Des Moines, IA?

October has the lowest grass pollen in Des Moines, IA with an average PPM of 0

Tree

When is tree pollen highest in Des Moines, IA?

April has the highest tree pollen in Des Moines, IA with an average PPM of 2,462.09

When is tree pollen lowest in Des Moines, IA?

October has the lowest tree pollen in Des Moines, IA with an average PPM of 52.33

Weed

When is weed pollen highest in Des Moines, IA?

April has the highest weed pollen in Des Moines, IA with an average PPM of 471.85

When is weed pollen lowest in Des Moines, IA?

February has the lowest weed pollen in Des Moines, IA with an average PPM of 0.07

Des Moines, IA Pollen Monthly Breakdown by Pollen Type

Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown
Des Moines, IA Monthly Pollen Breakdown

Pollen and Hay Fever in Des Moines, IA

The ebbs and flows of the seasons are often accompanied by a host of sensory experiences, from the vibrant colors of fall leaves to the fresh bloom of spring flowers. However, for many residents of Des Moines, Iowa, the changing seasons also bring about something less pleasant: pollen allergies, commonly known as hay fever.

Pollen allergies arise when the immune system responds to harmless pollen as if it were a harmful invader. The result is a series of symptoms that can include sneezing, itchy eyes, and a runny nose.

In Des Moines, there are three primary types of pollen that cause the majority of hay fever symptoms: tree pollen, grass pollen, and weed pollen.

Tree pollen tends to be most prevalent in the spring. The region's diverse tree population, including oaks, maples, and cedars, can create a significant pollen output. The drift of these tiny particles in the breeze can be beautiful to witness, but they're a major culprit for springtime sniffles.

As we transition into the warm summer months, grass pollen takes center stage. Rye grass, Kentucky bluegrass, and Timothy grass are particularly common in Iowa and are known for their high pollen production.

Lastly, as summer gives way to fall, weed pollen – particularly from ragweed – becomes the primary allergen. Ragweed, a plant that thrives in the Midwest's fertile soils, is notorious for its ability to produce a large amount of pollen.

So while the changing seasons in Des Moines offer a visual feast of changing landscapes, they also bring a cycle of different pollens. Each type of pollen has its own 'high season', leading to a virtually year-round allergy season for sensitive individuals. It's important for those affected to be aware of these patterns, as understanding the source of these symptoms is the first step towards managing them. Just remember, it's not the plants' fault – they're just trying to reproduce!.

Des Moines, IA Map

What is Wyndly?

Wyndly is the easiest and most convenient way to fix your allergies forever. As an online allergy practice, Wyndly offers at-home allergy testing and treatment. The main goal of Wyndly is to retrain the immune system to stop responding to allergens, providing lasting relief from allergies.

Here's how Wyndly works:

  1. Identify Allergy Triggers: The first step is to identify the allergy triggers. You can purchase an at-home allergy test from Wyndly, or if you have already done an allergy test elsewhere, you can share your existing test results. This allows the doctors at Wyndly to pinpoint which allergies need to be treated.
  2. Get Treated by a Real Doctor: Using medications that are similar to those used in allergy shots, a doctor creates a unique sublingual immunotherapy treatment plan to desensitize your immune system. This is done using FDA-approved sublingual tablets or clinically proven dosing for oral use.
  3. Live Better Without Symptoms: The prescriptions are shipped to your door, and the doctor works with you until you’re better. Wyndly offers regular online check-ins with US-licensed physicians and 24/7 availability for questions or concerns via text, email, or call.

The treatment plans are personalized based on your specific allergy triggers and aim to treat allergies at their source, rather than just relieving symptoms for a short period. Most people report improvement in as little as one month.

Start with Wyndly today

Wyndly Summer 2023 Pollen Report Methodology

For each city, Wyndly obtained monthly pollen PPMs (pollen grains per cubic meter) for each form (tree, grass, and weed) from February 2022 - May 2023. Data were obtained from Pollen Sense, LLC Automated Particulate Sensors (APS). These sensors automatically detect particulate matter collected from ambient air, and use a neural network algorithm to identify individual pollen species and calculate daily pollen counts.

Yearly averages are calculated by summing the three allergen averages per month of data for a total monthly PPM, summing all monthly total PPMs, then dividing by 12 (month count). Used for per-city average, state average, and total USA average. Season comparisons are done by summing the months of Spring (March, April, May) for 2023 and 2022. If the absolute of the (2023-2022)/2022 is ≤ 0.05, the years were about the same. Otherwise, the more PPM, the worse the season was.

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