Residents of the Harker Heights and Temple area enjoy a spectacular array of year-round outdoor activities. Getting lost in the splendor of nature is easy to do with over 135 parks and endless hike and bike paths, but seasonal allergies sometimes spoil the outdoor fun. The Harker Heights and Temple area boasts an impressive menu of airborne allergens that wreak havoc on people throughout the year.
Trees spring to life after our region’s short and relatively mild winter, bringing tree pollen problems January through June. A peak near the middle of March usually results in cars, backyard grills, sidewalks, and nearly everything else covered in a greenish-yellow film of oak and pine pollen. Elm, hackberry, ash, pecan, and cedar trees also impact Harker Heights and Temple residents. Warm, dry, and windy conditions are a spring allergy-sufferer’s enemy because that is when pollen really gets tossed around in the air.
Grass pollen joins the allergen party March through July. As weather conditions bring about faster grass growth, frequent lawn mowing churns everything up and throws the pollen as well as dust into the air. The majority of grass allergy problems come from Timothy, Bermuda, Bahia, Orchard, Sweet Vernal, Red Top, and some Blue Grass. These allergenic grasses are most prevalent on roadsides and in abandoned areas. Luckily, the most popular grass for lawns in Texas, St. Augustine, is not allergenic.
Just as grass pollen levels die down, weed pollens make their presence known starting in August. Ragweed in particular is the worst offender. Given the chance, it will grow taller than a person and produces a ton of potent pollen that can spread hundreds of miles away. Weed pollen levels usually peak in late September and subside in November with the cooler weather.
High humidity levels along the Texas Gulf Coast mean molds cause more allergy problems in our area than in many other parts of the country. Molds thrive in damp conditions and can be highly allergenic. They peak here in the fall but can be found year-round.
Living among nature’s beauty in the Harker Heights and Temple area does not doom you to suffer from hay fever (allergic rhinitis) forever! If you find yourself experiencing persistent allergy symptoms like runny nose, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, and congestion around the same time(s) each year for weeks or even months at a time, you may be one of many Texans battling seasonal allergies. One of the Harker Heights Allergy’s highly trained physicians will guide you through the process of identifying your allergy triggers. Based on your allergens and symptoms, an individualized treatment plan will address your needs. Medication can work wonders in some patients. Others choose immunotherapy (allergy drops or allergy shots), which builds up your body’s immunity to an allergen over time. Come in to see us before your allergy symptoms start for the season so we can help you win the allergy battle!