Ragweed Allergy: Peak Pollen Season and Symptoms to Watch Out For

Ragweed pollen appears in the air as early as the end of July, but the most difficult period is typically from the second half of August through to the end of September. If the weather remains warm, symptoms can continue into October. Allergist Dr Claudia Adriana Nicolae, a specialist in Allergology and Clinical Immunology and president of the Romanian Allergy Education Association (AREA), explains to Digi24.ro how to recognise this allergy and what patients can do to reduce their exposure.

What ragweed is and how common the allergy is

Ragweed is a plant native to North America that has established itself well across Europe, found mainly on neglected land, roadsides, near construction sites, railway lines, and abandoned plots. A single plant can release hundreds of millions of pollen grains during a season — sometimes as many as approximately one billion. As they are very small and light, the grains can be carried by the wind over long distances, meaning a person can experience symptoms without living anywhere near a ragweed field.

There is no recent national study showing exactly how many Romanians are affected, but an official estimate put the figure at over 480,000 people, representing approximately 5.35% of the active population. The doctor believes the true number could be higher, as many patients go undiagnosed.

Who is at greater risk

The risk is higher in people who already have allergic rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, or other respiratory sensitivities, as well as those with a family history of allergic conditions. Prolonged exposure matters greatly: someone who lives or works for years in an area with heavy ragweed growth can become allergic even in adulthood.

In children, symptoms can go unnoticed — they frequently rub their nose and eyes, breathe through their mouth, sleep poorly, wake up tired, or struggle to concentrate at school. Coughing, wheezing, or a child stopping mid-run can indicate asthma, not just rhinitis.

In older adults, allergic symptoms can overlap with heart or lung conditions, and breathlessness is sometimes incorrectly attributed to age, when it may in fact be pollen-triggered asthma. Patients with poorly controlled asthma are most at risk of complications, and pollen can cause severe exacerbations even in those who have few symptoms for the rest of the year.

The most common symptoms

The typical presentation includes repeated bouts of sneezing, clear nasal discharge, complete nasal congestion, itchy nose and eyes, red eyes, and watering eyes. After several nights of disturbed sleep, fatigue, fragmented sleep, and difficulty concentrating can set in. Some patients also develop a cough, chest tightness, wheezing, or a sensation of breathlessness — signs that point beyond simple allergic rhinitis and suggest the possibility of associated asthma.

How to distinguish it from a cold

Itching is an important clue: an itchy nose and eyes, sneezing fits, watery eyes, and clear, watery discharge are more suggestive of an allergy. Another indicator is symptoms recurring during the same period each year and worsening with prolonged time spent outdoors. A cold is more commonly accompanied by a sore throat, general malaise, muscle aches, and sometimes fever — ragweed allergy does not cause fever. If a fever is present, an infection or another cause should be investigated. In addition, a viral illness typically passes within a few days or a week or two, whereas an allergy can persist for entire weeks, for as long as pollen remains in the air.

Long-term treatment: immunotherapy

For patients with a confirmed allergy and significant symptoms, allergen-specific immunotherapy (also known as "desensitisation" or "allergy vaccine") may be an option. Unlike medications that only manage symptoms, it aims to change the immune system's response to pollen, potentially reducing both symptoms and the need for medication over the long term. However, it does not guarantee the allergy will disappear entirely, and it is not recommended solely on the basis of a positive test — the decision is made on an individual basis by an allergist, and treatment generally lasts three to five years.

Measures to reduce exposure

• On dry, windy days with high pollen counts, limit the time you spend outdoors and keep windows closed.
• In the car, use air conditioning with filters that are cleaned and replaced on schedule.
• When returning home, change your clothes, shower, and wash your hair to avoid bringing pollen onto the sofa, into the bed, or onto pillows.
• During the peak season, dry laundry indoors.
• Wear glasses to reduce pollen contact with your eyes.
• Start your doctor-recommended treatment on time and follow it consistently.
• People with allergies should not pull up or mow ragweed during its flowering period, when large quantities of pollen are released into the air.

The doctor emphasises that ragweed is not only a problem for the individual with an allergy, but also a public health issue: infested land must be cleared, and outbreaks can be reported to the authorities using tools available to the public.