Facts, Prevention, and Relief for Rhode Island Allergies in 2024
Beat your allergies forever.
Get Started With WyndlyRhode Island is the smallest state, known for its coastal towns and seaside charm. The allergies, however, aren’t so charming. Rhode Island is known for being a terrible state for allergy sufferers, and Providence frequently ranks as one of the worst cities to live in if you have allergies.
With that being said, there are ways for Rhode Island residents to manage and treat their allergy symptoms, and Wyndly can help. Our doctors can provide personalized physician care for your Rhode Island allergies. Schedule your allergy consultation today, or read on to learn more about Rhode Island allergies.
When Is Rhode Island Allergy Season?
Rhode Island allergy season is pretty typical, starting in the early spring and going until late fall. Winter will usually provide a respite from seasonal allergies. You can normally expect Rhode Island’s allergy season to begin in February and end by November.
Allergens by Season
The primary allergies in Rhode Island will vary based on what time of year it is. Let’s look at various allergens by season.
Summer
Summer is the beginning of grass allergy season in Rhode Island. The primary grass allergens to watch out for include ryegrass and bent, timothy, sweet vernal, fescue, orchard, and brome grasses. This season usually starts in May and ends in August.
Fall
Fall is weed allergy season for Rhode Island. Weed allergies start around mid-August and last until the first hard freeze of winter. The primary offenders for weed allergies are usually ragweed, sagebrush, amaranth, and wormwood.
Winter
In winter, Rhode Island residents can expect a brief respite from seasonal allergies. Indoor allergies, however, can be a year-round problem, so you may still experience allergy symptoms from dust mites, cockroaches, mold, and pet dander.
Spring
In spring, tree allergies are in full swing. The primary tree allergies in Rhode Island are from oak, hickory, ash, willow, cedar, mulberry, and walnut trees. Spring tree allergies usually start in late February and taper off in May.
Common Allergens
Those with seasonal allergies in Rhode Island will likely be allergic to pollen from trees, weeds, or grass. Indoor allergies are often due to cockroaches, dust, mold, and pet dander.
Common Symptoms
Rhode Island 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
Depending on what part of Rhode Island you live in, your allergies may differ from other areas of the state. Here are some of the typical pollen allergies based on the region you live in.
Woonsocket/Pawtucket/Cranston
The Woonsocket, Pawtucket, and Cranston areas can expect spring tree allergies from ash, oak, willow, mulberry, cedar, hickory, and walnut trees. Summer grass allergens include ryegrass and bent, timothy, sweet vernal, orchard, and fescue grasses. Fall weed allergy causes include ragweed, wormwood, amaranth, orache, and sagebrush.
Warwick/Bristol
Residents of the Warwick and Bristol areas can expect spring tree allergies from cedar, maple, willow, oak, hickory, walnut, and ash pollen. Summer grass allergy triggers include bent, timothy, sweet vernal, and fescue grasses. Fall weed allergens include ragweed, wormwood, and smotherweed.
North Kingstown/Narragansett/Middletown/Westerly
The North Kingstown, Narragansett, Middletown, and Westerly areas have spring tree allergies from privet, willow, hickory, oak, walnut, ash, and mulberry pollen. Summer grass allergens include ryegrass and bent, fescue, sweet vernal, and timothy grasses. Fall weed allergy triggers include ragweed, wormwood, amaranth, and Russian thistle.
Testing and Diagnosis
Seasonal allergies can be difficult to pin down. If you have seasonal allergies, you could be allergic to one or more types of pollen. It can be hard to find out exactly what type of pollen is causing your symptoms, especially with the overlap of allergy seasons. Instead of guessing, you can take an allergy test and find out for sure. Wyndly makes it easy to get allergy testing done with our at-home allergy tests. Get your test from Wyndly today.
Let’s take a look at some of the different allergy testing options.
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, and 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
- Order 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 your personalized treatment plan.
Treatment and Remedies
If you do have seasonal allergies in Rhode Island, allergy season can be pretty miserable. Fortunately, there are ways to manage or treat your seasonal allergies. Let’s take a look at some of the options.
Limiting Exposure
Limiting your exposure is a good first step for managing allergies. There are several methods you may want to try.
- Look at the pollen count in your area: If the pollen count for your allergen is high, you may want to try and stay inside. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t leave the house, but it’s helpful to wear an N95 mask if you do. This will protect your nose and mouth from pollen.
- Rinse off when you get home: During allergy season, it’s a good idea to shower more frequently, especially if you’ve been outside for an extended period of time. This will help get rid of any pollen that may have stuck to you during the day.
- Do laundry: Do laundry often to get the pollen off your clothes.
- Keep the house clean: You can get rid of pollen in your house by vacuuming and dusting frequently. Vacuuming is most effective with a HEPA filter vacuum, and dusting is most effective with a wet rag.
- Go outside in the evenings: If you’re looking to get some outside time, the evening hours will be best. Pollen levels tend to peak in the morning and early afternoon.
- Take off your shoes: Remember to take off your shoes when you get home so you don’t track in pollen.
- Wipe off pets: When your pets come inside, be sure to wipe off their paws and fur with a towel to get pollen off of them. It can also be helpful to bathe them more frequently during allergy season.
Medications
Limiting your exposure may not be enough to curb your allergy symptoms when the pollen levels are high and allergy season is peaking. If this is the case, allergy medications are a good option to help you manage your symptoms and get through allergy season. Some over-the-counter (OTC) allergy options include antihistamines, nasal corticosteroids, eye drops, and decongestants.
Sublingual Immunotherapy
If you want to find long-term relief from your allergies and treat your symptoms, simply limiting your exposure and OTC allergy medications won’t be the right solution. These methods can provide short-term relief, but they’re not a treatment for allergies. For that, you may want to consider sublingual immunotherapy. This allergy treatment uses drops or tablets to introduce small doses of your allergen to your immune system. Over time, your immune system learns to tolerate or ignore these harmless substances, relieving you of your allergy symptoms. Sublingual immunotherapy is painless and can be taken in the comfort of your home.
Get Long-Term Relief With Wyndly
Interested in getting lifelong relief from your Rhode Island allergies? Wyndly can help. Our doctors will put together a personalized treatment plan to treat your individual allergies.
Take our easy 2-minute online assessment to see if Wyndly is right for you!
Rhode Island Allergy FAQs
We’ve got answers to some frequently asked questions about Rhode Island allergies.
How long is Rhode Island’s allergy season?
Rhode Island has a typical allergy season that begins in early spring and ends in late fall.
Is allergy season bad in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island can have a fairly miserable allergy season.
Is Rhode Island a good state if you have allergies?
Rhode Island is frequently ranked as one of the worst states for allergies, especially the city of Providence.
When is the Rhode Island allergy season?
Rhode Island allergy season starts in early February and ends after the first hard freeze of winter.
What are the worst months?
The worst months for Rhode Island allergies are April, May, and September.
