# Why are my allergies worse after the rain? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 27, 2009, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-allergies-worse-after-the-rain/497795 "2009-05-27T14:51:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-allergies-worse-after-the-rain/497795/1 "2009-05-27T14:51:23Z")
I have normal springtime allergies which are generally easily handled by Loratadine (the active ingredient in Claritin, though I refuse to buy name-brand). However inevitably my allergies are 10x worse after the rain. I’ve never been to a doctor about them. Frankly I just don’t care enough and it’s not like there’s a “cure”. So I’m not entirely sure what I’m allergic to, but I’m sure at least part of it is dustmites. Most mornings I wake up mildly sniffly and sneezy and it lasts for a couple of hours and then goes away. Especially when it’s sunny out, I hardly notice them. I also know it gets worse in the spring and fall, so I’m sure pollen is involved. But when it rains the night before, they are absolutely terrible - like today. What does the rain do? I would have thought it suppresses the springtime pollen or what-have-you. Any ideas? Just curious, really. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-allergies-worse-after-the-rain/497795/2 "2009-05-27T15:44:37Z")
At a guess, the wind and rain drops probably disperse the pollen, spores, and other irritants. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-allergies-worse-after-the-rain/497795/3 "2009-05-27T16:31:28Z")
Mold will be worse. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-allergies-worse-after-the-rain/497795/4 "2009-05-27T17:13:59Z")
That’s true, but I have the same problem and am not allergic to mold (I’ve been tested). It’s been raining/rainy here for two days and I feel like shit. As has my friend with hay fever. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-allergies-worse-after-the-rain/497795/5 "2009-05-27T17:23:16Z")
How are you right after it’s rained? ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-allergies-worse-after-the-rain/497795/6 "2009-05-27T17:51:08Z")
Creepy … I was just thinking the exact same thing this morning and here is the question. It goes like this for me: Dry weather … a little reaction First day of rain … cry like a baby. Eyes itch all the time, even my face itched this time. More days of rain … itch gets better. Maybe the rain knocks the pollen out of the flowers? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-allergies-worse-after-the-rain/497795/7 "2009-05-27T18:43:09Z")
I’ve been doing some research and it seems like mold. And it doesn’t come right after it rains but usually after a night of sleeping. Blah. Thanks, everyone. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-allergies-worse-after-the-rain/497795/8 "2009-05-27T18:55:09Z")
Getting a dehumidifier might help somewhat. Most homes have a little bit of some type of mold in them, and they love the extra moisture in the air during and after rain. Sucking some of that moisture out helps slow the growth. It doesn’t help everyone, and it won’t have any affect on the mold and spores you encounter outside, but it should reduce the amount you breathe in while sleeping. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-my-allergies-worse-after-the-rain/497795/9 "2009-05-27T20:26:53Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I’ve never been to a doctor about them. Frankly I just don’t care enough and it’s not like there’s a “cure”. So I’m not entirely sure what I’m allergic to… It may be worth getting tested, just to find out what exactly you are allergic to. It may help you avoid that particular allergen. Though I got tested and found I’m allergic to pretty much all the tree and grass pollen they test for, so there’s much I can do to avoid them. Still, the doctor prescribed meds that are _far_ more effective than OTC. Also, air purifiers with HEPA filters are effective against some allergens. I think mold spores are one of them, but I’m not sure - it’s worth asking the doctor. (For the record, they are _not_ effective against pollen; this has been my experience and my doctor concurs.)