Facts, Prevention, and Relief for Kansas Allergies in 2024
Beat your allergies forever.
Get Started With WyndlyKansas is a state known for its rolling plains, wheat, and of course, the Wizard of Oz. But if you have allergies, you might be wishing you were like Dorothy and not in Kansas anymore. The state frequently ranks as one of the worst places to live with allergies. The hot, dry, and windy days during allergy season make it easy for pollen to travel, and the state has several highly allergenic plants.
If you have allergies in Kansas, Wyndly can help you find relief. Wyndly provides personalized physician care for your allergies. Schedule a consultation today to learn more about our personalized allergy treatment plans, or read on to learn about Kansas allergies.
When Is Kansas Allergy Season?
Though Kansas allergy season can be brutal, residents do get the winter respite thanks to the harsh cold. As February is ending, allergy season will typically start and will last until the late fall or the first frost of winter.
Allergens by Season
Let’s take a brief look at which allergens you can expect in each of Kansas’ seasons.
Summer
In summer, grass allergies are the primary concern for Kansas residents. The grass allergy season will usually start around May and go well into July. Some species to watch for include Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass, Bermuda, orchard, fescue, brome, and bent grasses.
Fall
When temperatures start to cool down, weed season is in full effect. Kansas residents will have particular problems with the infamous ragweed, but wormwood, amaranth, and marsh elder can all be prominent allergens too.
Winter
In winter, the harsh Kansas cold will stop any pollen allergies. However, you should still be wary of indoor allergens like dust mites, pet dander, cockroaches, and mold.
Spring
Spring is tree allergy season in Kansas, and there are quite a few trees producing pollen at this time. Some of the most allergenic are elm, willow, walnut, maple, sycamore, ash, mulberry, cedar, hickory, and oak.
Common Allergens
Kansas has typical seasonal allergies that include weeds, grass, and tree pollen. Indoor allergies include mold, dust mites, and pet dander.
Common Symptoms
Kansas 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
Allergens may vary based on which region of Kansas you live in. Here are some of the allergens you can expect in Kansas’ major towns and cities.
Wichita/Hays/Great Bend/Salina
Allergy season for the Wichita, Hays, Great Bend, and Salina areas will start with spring tree allergies that include oak, walnut, willow, mulberry, hickory, ash, and cedar pollen. In the summer, grass allergies include ryegrass and Bermuda, orchard, and fescue grasses. Weed allergies in the fall include ragweed, marsh elder, and wormwood.
Manhattan/Emporia/Topeka/Kansas City/Pittsburg
In the Manhattan, Emporia, Topeka, Kansas City, and Pittsburg areas, tree allergy season in the spring will include hickory, oak, maple, walnut, ash, and mulberry pollen. Summer grass allergies may include ryegrass and fescue, timothy, orchard, and bent grasses. In fall, weed allergies include ragweed, wormwood, and amaranth.
Goodland/Garden City/Liberal/Dodge City/Colby
The Goodland, Garden City, Liberal, Dodge City, and Colby areas will experience maple, cedar, ash, and willow tree allergies in spring. In summer, grass allergies may include ryegrass and Bermuda, timothy, and orchard grasses. Fall weed allergies include ragweed, marsh elder, orache, and sagebrush.
Testing and Diagnosis
There are so many different airborne allergens that it can be difficult to determine the specific source of your allergy symptoms. You may have multiple allergies that you’re unaware of. With an allergy test, you can find out what allergens are causing you issues. Wyndly makes allergy testing convenient and painless with at-home testing. Get your at-home allergy 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
- Get 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 a treatment plan.
Treatment and Remedies
Allergy symptoms can be miserable to deal with, but that doesn’t mean you can’t manage them. There are several remedies that can provide you with relief. Many seasonal allergies can even be treated.
Here are some of the options you have:
Limiting Exposure
Avoidance is one step you can take to find relief from allergy symptoms. By limiting your exposure to pollen and other allergens, you may be able to reduce your overall symptoms. Avoiding pollen altogether may be difficult, but these methods can help keep exposure to a minimum.
- Check the pollen count daily: It’s a good idea to go online or use an app to check the pollen count every morning. If the pollen count for your allergen is high, try to keep your outdoor time limited. If you do head outside, wearing a mask, sunglasses, and hat can help keep pollen out of your airways and eyes.
- Clean your home: Once allergy season hits, it’s a good idea to vacuum your home with a HEPA-filter vacuum at least once per week. Dusting hard surfaces with a wet rag is also recommended.
- Keep windows closed: Be sure to keep windows closed and run your A/C during allergy season instead. It’s also recommended that you install a HEPA filter.
- Do laundry: Pollen can stick to your clothes, so make sure to do laundry more frequently.
- Take off your shoes: When you get home, remember to take off your shoes so you don’t track in pollen.
- Shower after being outdoors: If you’ve been outside, rinsing off in the shower can get pollen off your skin and hair. If you decide not to shower, it’s good to at least wash your face and hands well.
Medications
Limiting exposure can be helpful, but it often doesn’t provide complete relief from symptoms. To manage your symptoms for short-term relief, you can try over-the-counter allergy medications such as antihistamines, nasal sprays, eye drops, and decongestants.
Sublingual Immunotherapy
Unfortunately, limiting exposure and taking allergy medications can only provide you with short-term relief. However, if you’re wanting long-term relief and treatment for your allergy symptoms, sublingual immunotherapy is a safe and effective option. Sublingual immunotherapy teaches your immune system to ignore allergen substances when you take small, gradually increasing doses of that allergen over time.
Unlike allergy shots, sublingual immunotherapy doesn’t require painful needles or a visit to the doctor to take your doses.
Get Long-Term Relief With Wyndly
If you’re ready to find long-term allergy relief, Wyndly is ready to help. Our doctors can create a personalized treatment plan for your Kansas allergies. Schedule an allergy consultation with Wyndly today.
Kansas Allergy FAQs
Still have questions about Kansas allergies? Here are some common questions and answers to help you out.
How long is Kansas’s allergy season?
Kansas has a typical allergy season, going from early spring to late fall.
Is allergy season bad in Kansas?
Allergy season can be very bad in Kansas, thanks to the windy and dry weather during allergenic seasons like ragweed season.
Is Kansas a good state if you have allergies?
Kansas is ranked low on the list of best states for allergies. Wichita specifically has been named one of the worst cities for allergy sufferers in the U.S.
When is the Kansas allergy season?
Kansas allergy season starts around mid to late February and will go until the first frost of winter.
What are the worst months?
The worst months are usually April, May, June, and September.
