Have You Experienced These Common Texas Pollen-Allergies?
I can't be the only one who, after waking up and opening the door, immediately gets punched in the face with a runny nose and sneezing fits. In fact, I know I'm not thanks to a report from aafa.org listing Dallas, TX as the city with the fourth-highest density of seasonal allergies in the country.
Numbers five and six both happen to be nearby in Oklahoma, so why the high numbers of the seasonal sniffles?
Because of Texas' uniquely dry winters as compared to the rest of America, allergy season is year-round here in The Lone Star State... yippee.
How do I know it's allergies and not a cold?
There are some defining factors that make allergies stick out from the common cold. First, itchy eyes are NOT a result of a cold. Second, colds normally only stick around for a week or so, whereas allergies can last entire seasons. Lastly, if you have body aches from "allergies" one day, then I hate to say it, but you've probably got the cold instead.
Common allergens in Texas
Ragweed, Cedar Tree and a variety of grasses are the most probable causes for your sniffer on the fritz.
Ragweed tends to produce this fine powder that floats off into the wind around summer and fall.
Cedar Tree pollen is considered one of the highest allergy-inducers on the list due to the amount of pollen that one tree dispenses and the size of each particle.
Especially during summer, grasses such as Bermuda and Elliot's Bent grass are also severe allergy-stokers throughout Texas.
So, the next time you go 'achoo' when breathing in the pollen-filled Texas air, just remember that it's all because you were caught in the middle of the reproduction process of thousands of plants in your area...
10 Ways To Beat Pollen Allergies
Gallery Credit: Connor Kenney/Townsquare Media Quad Cities