If you’ve recently moved to Texas and started sneezing, itching, or battling watery eyes for the first time, you’re not alone. Many residents — even those without a history of allergies — are discovering that Texas weather brings more than just heat.
Amanda, who moved to the Dallas area from Pennsylvania in 2022, stated she never had spring allergies until recently. “The first couple of years I was in Dallas, I didn’t have a problem,” she said. “But in 2024, I had allergies for the first time with severe sneezing, burning and watery eyes, and an itching sensation at the back of my throat.”
Doctors tell us that Amanda’s experience is becoming more and more common, especially in a state known for year-round allergy seasons. Texas’s mild winters and diverse leaf cover create the ideal environment for allergens such as cedar, oak, mesquite, ragweed, and mold. It’s getting so bad, that evens pets are suffering from allergies.
How to Distinguish Between Allergies or a Cold?
Seasonal allergies are immune responses to environmental allergens, while colds stem from viruses. You might have allergies if symptoms like itchy eyes, skin hives, or a persistent runny nose don’t go away. Cold symptoms often include fever, body aches, and short-lived congestion.
Because symptoms generally look similar, we recommend that you speak with a medical professional to receive an accurate diagnosis. Health and tools on the web can be valuable, but if symptoms seam to be getting worse, don’t hesitate to contact your family doctor.
Why Allergies Get Worse Over Time
With age, fluctuations in the immune system and declining lung function can provoke new allergies or exacerbate existing ones. Symptoms of allergies may worsen with asthma and COPD, and exacerbating allergy symptoms can provoke chronic conditions.
Also, as we’ve mentioned, moving to a new location can introduce new allergens to your body. Whether you agree or not, climate change is making pollen seasons longer and stronger, complicating matters further for those trying to tell if it’s a cold or an allergy.
Treatment and Prevention
Some over-the-counter drugs include antihistamines, nasal sprays, and saline irrigations. For severe symptoms, physicians may prescribe allergy shots. As with all drugs, however, medications for allergies also come with side effects like drowsiness and nausea. Patients are advised to consult with their doctors before starting a new regimen.
- How to Limit Exposure
- Monitor pollen reports and plan outdoor activities accordingly
- Shower and change when arriving home indoors
- Use air purifiers and allergen filters at home
- Keep windows closed when it is peak pollen season
- Wear a mask when it is high allergy season
Not Always Seasonal
There are some allergies which are produced by other sources like foods, pets, smoke, drugs, mold, latex, dust, and even bee stings. Contact allergies like poison ivy are also common in some places. Medical reports on folic acid deficiency have seen how that can create medical issues that were non-existent previously
For anyone experiencing persistent symptoms, healthcare professionals urge a medical consultation. Accurate diagnosis and targeted treatment are key to managing allergies effectively — no matter how long you’ve lived in Texas.
