Cedar fever: Why is it so bad in Texas?

AUSTIN, Texas - Many of you are probably dealing with cedar fever right now with runny noses, sneezing, and itchy eyes.

Doctors say Tuesday's rain washed the cedar pollen count down a bit, but once that dries out, the cedar is still there pollinating and circulating in the air.

"I am literally on my way to the allergist," Austin resident Joe Wolf said.

He's one of many Central Texans struggling with cedar fever.

"Absolutely terrible. I'm lucky to be standing right now," he said.

Doctors say cedar fever season usually runs from December to February, peaking in mid-January. 

"When you get a cold front coming in, it actually gives it almost like a prime-time ability for cedar to pollinate during these times," Dr. Neha Reshamwala, with Frontier Allergy said.

She says there are a lot of cedar trees in this area.

"Developing these allergies usually occurs because through time, your immune system starts looking at these pollens and these allergens as something to react to and something to consider as a foreign thing," she said.

"I'm not really allergic to anything until I moved here, and then it's like all of a sudden I start getting congested," Austin resident Paul Millet said.

Sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference between allergies, COVID, or the flu. Doctors say pay attention to the symptoms. 

If you have a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, it's likely not just allergies. You can also try taking allergy medication. If it doesn't do anything, you may have a viral infection.

"At the end of the day, to really, truly know, the best thing is to be seen by a specialist," Reshamwala said.

To avoid allergy symptoms, doctors recommend keeping your windows closed. Change your clothes and shower after you've been outside.

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"Stay indoors early in the morning. Pollen counts are usually highest from 5 to 10 a.m., so do your activities later in the afternoon, in the evening," Dr. Ronald Cox, with Great Austin Allergy said.

You can also use over-the-counter medicine or nasal sprays.

"The past few days I've been on all sorts of inhalers, I've been putting sprays up my nose, Theraflu," Wolf said.

If allergies are really bothering you, see a specialist.

"On a longer-term basis, you can do allergy drops or allergy shots," Cox said.

Wolf says he gets allergy shots every week. 

"Whether it's hot, dry, wet, cold, rainy, it doesn't matter. It really doesn't, you're talking to Mr. Allergy himself," he said.