Facts, Prevention, and Relief for Johnson Grass Allergies for 2024

Johnson grass is a very tall and common grass species that produces pollen that travels for many miles.

If you live in an area with Johnson grass, it can be difficult to avoid this pollen and live an allergy-free life. However, there are options to treat your Johnson grass allergies. Wyndly can help you find the long-term relief you need.

Set up an allergy consultation with Wyndly today to get your personalized allergy treatment plan. Read on to learn more about Johnson grass allergies.

Common Symptoms

There are several symptoms you may experience if you’re allergic to Johnson grass; these include:

• Runny nose
• Coughing
• Congestion
• Sneezing
• Scratchy throat
• Itchy eyes
• Watery eyes
• Aggravated symptoms for those with asthma

Allergy symptoms can range from mild to severe, with allergies typically flaring up more when the pollen count is high. If you have Johnson grass allergies, you may experience one or more of the above symptoms during allergy season.

Where Is Johnson Grass Found?

Johnson grass is a very hardy grass species that is considered invasive in many of the areas where it grows. These grass stalks are tall, often growing between 2 and 6 feet in length. Johnson grass can be found in most of the United States and is commonly found in fields, crops, and roadsides.

Grass pollen is incredibly light, so Johnson grass pollen is able to travel hundreds of miles through the air. Even if you don’t live in the immediate vicinity of Johnson grass, you may still be exposed to its pollen.

When Is Johnson Grass Pollen Allergy Season?

Johnson grass allergy season occurs during a very normal time frame for grass allergies — late spring through early summer. Typically, Johnson grass allergy season will begin in mid-May and can go on until August. The pollen levels tend to peak in June before tapering off in July.

Foods to Avoid

There are certain foods that contain similar proteins to those found in Johnson grass. If you have Johnson grass allergies and you consume these foods, you may experience a reaction known as oral allergy syndrome (OAS). This causes your mouth to feel tingly or itchy after you eat food containing proteins similar to Johnson grass.

These are some of the foods to watch out for:

• Melons
• Citrus
• Bananas
• Pineapples
• Tomatoes
• Hazelnuts
• Peanuts
• Zucchini
• Watermelons
• Persimmons

While this list isn’t comprehensive, it does name many of the foods associated with grass allergy-related OAS. If you have more severe symptoms after eating certain foods, especially nuts, then you should seek emergency medical attention immediately.

Testing and Diagnosis

Self-diagnosing a grass allergy can be very difficult. For one, grass allergy season often crosses over with tree allergy season. Also, it’s unlikely that Johnson grass pollen is the only grass pollen in your area. Fortunately, an allergy test can reveal your allergens and help you find what’s causing your symptoms. Wyndly makes allergy testing easy with our at-home test. You can order your at-home allergy test from Wyndly today.

Here’s 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 pain by getting an at-home test.

Modern and Efficient At-Home Method

1. Order Wyndly’s at-home allergy test. We ship our CLIA-certified test straight to your door.
2. 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.
3. Receive your personal allergy profile. Our doctor will interpret your results, create an allergy profile, and walk you through your treatment plan.

Unlike self-diagnosis, an allergy test can reveal the full breadth of your allergies. This way you know exactly what you’re allergic to and how you can treat your symptoms.

Treatment and Remedies

If you have Johnson grass allergies, there are several options to remedy or treat your symptoms that you may want to consider.

Limiting Exposure

Limiting your exposure to Johnson grass pollen is one of the simplest methods for reducing allergy symptoms. While it’s unlikely you can avoid pollen altogether, there are things you can do to reduce your exposure to it.

• Remember to check the pollen count: In the morning, it’s recommended to take a look at the pollen count for grass. This will give you an idea of how bad your allergies might be that day and whether you should avoid going outside. You can usually find pollen count on apps or local news websites.
• Get rid of Johnson grass: Johnson grass is a fairly recognizable plant, so if you see it in your yard do your best to get rid of it or at least cut it short. This makes it produce less pollen.
• Vacuum your home frequently: Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter during allergy season to keep pollen in your home to a minimum. It’s a good idea to wipe off hard surfaces with a wet rag too.
• Shower or wash off after being outside: If you’ve been outside during allergy season, take a shower to rinse pollen off your skin and hair. At the very least, you should wash your hands and face well.
• Do laundry often: Pollen easily sticks to clothes, so be sure to do laundry often. Also, don’t line dry your clothes outside if you can avoid it.
• Wipe pets off: Pollen can stick to fur and paws, so wipe pets off with a towel when they come inside.
• Keep windows closed: Keep your windows closed and run your A/C instead to keep pollen from floating into your house.
• Avoid the aforementioned foods: Avoid eating any Johnson grass-related foods.

Medications

When limiting your exposure doesn’t help with your allergies, you may want to consider medication. There are several types of allergy medications available for short-term relief from your symptoms.

• Over-the-counter: Over-the-counter allergy medications are widely available and work to temporarily manage symptoms for most people. Here are OTC allergy meds you may want to try:
  • Antihistamines: Antihistamines temporarily block the production of histamine, which helps to reduce the prevalence of several allergy symptoms.
  • Nasal sprays: Nasal sprays can help manage stuffy or runny noses by reducing inflammation and swelling in the nasal passages.
  • Eye drops: Eye drops can help manage itchy and watery eyes by flushing pollen out of them.
• Prescription: When OTC allergy medications aren’t helping with your symptoms, you may want to consider prescription options. This is usually a last resort and will require consultation with your doctor.

Sublingual Immunotherapy

When you’re looking for complete, long-term relief from allergies, sublingual immunotherapy is the best solution. It introduces small, gradually increasing doses of an allergen to your system, retraining your immune system to ignore these substances and relieving your symptoms over time. Unlike allergy shots, sublingual immunotherapy doesn’t require needles and can be administered at home.

Get Long-Term Relief With Wyndly

If you want long-term relief from your Johnson grass allergies, Wyndly can help. After an allergy consultation, our doctors can create a personalized treatment plan designed to treat your allergies at their source.

Schedule your allergy consultation with Wyndly today to get started on the path toward lifelong allergy relief.

Johnson Grass FAQs

Following are some frequently asked questions about Johnson grass.

If I’m allergic to Johnson grass, am I allergic to all types of grass?

Just because you’re allergic to Johnson grass, it doesn’t mean you’re allergic to all species of grass. Of course, it is possible to be allergic to more than one type of grass pollen.

Can I just get rid of Johnson grass in my yard?

It is a good idea to remove Johnson grass from your yard if it’s present, but keep in mind that grass pollen can travel for hundreds of miles. Removing it from your yard may not necessarily curb your allergy symptoms.

When are Johnson grass allergies at their worst?

Johnson grass allergies usually peak in June, so expect them to be at their worst on high pollen count days during this month, especially if the weather is dry or windy. This makes for perfect conditions for pollen to travel on the wind.

Can my Johnson grass allergies bother me in winter?

Johnson grass allergies typically start in late spring and go until the end of summer. It’s unlikely you’ll be experiencing grass allergies in winter. If you have winter allergies, indoor allergens are the more likely culprit.

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