Cedar fever season has arrived in Austin. Here's what you need to know.

Ashe juniper pollen has been blowing around the Austin area. AustinPollen.com, which averages pollen counts among several meters, has had the cedar count in the high range since last Monday.

We're officially in cedar fever season.

Here's the good news: We're not seeing the 20,000 pollen grains per cubic meter that we saw last year. This year, the averages have been as high as 6,864 grains per cubic meter.

What causes cedar fever?

Cedar fever is an allergy to a pollen. It isn't really cedar-related and doesn’t typically come with a fever. It’s triggered when the male Ashe juniper trees get excited to spread their pollen to the female Ashe juniper trees. They let the wind spread their pollen to all their female Ashe juniper friends far and wide. (How do you tell a male Ashe juniper from a female? The female has berries on the branches. The male will be coated with yellowish brown pollen.)

Anyone who has been exposed to Ashe juniper pollen over time might start feeling its effects.

What makes cedar fever so difficult compared with other allergies is the number of allergens in the air. Cedar pollen counts can be in the 10,000 to 12,000 range on a bad day. A bad oak day would be 800, meaning 800 pollen grains landing in a defined area compared with 12,000 pollen grains for cedar.

What symptoms might you have with cedar fever?

People with allergies typically have itchy or watery eyes, puffy eyes, an itchy throat, sneezing, a runny nose or congestion and a sinus headache. Allergies can also worsen asthma symptoms.

Some of these symptoms also occur with COVID-19, flu or respiratory syncytial virus, all of which have been going around this fall and winter.

If you're not sure what you have and you have a COVID-19 test at home, take it. If you think it might be flu, see a doctor to get it confirmed. Both COVID-19 and flu have antiviral medications that, when given early, can lessen symptoms.

If you are having trouble breathing, which could be a sign of these viruses, seek medical care at an emergency room.

Learn moreItchy, sneezy, miserable. Austin braces for arrival of an unwanted guest: cedar fever

What needs to happen for the pollen counts to drop?

Rainy days help because they wash away the pollen rather than spread it. Less windy days also help. Windy and dry days are a cedar fever sufferer's nemesis.

The juniper trees will be done with their mating dance typically by the end of January, though it sometimes continues into February.

What's going around: 'A terrible year': Austin area battling a particularly rough cold and flu season

How can you ease cedar fever symptoms?

Take allergy medications. Choose either a nasal spray, such as Flonase, or an antihistamine, such as Claritin or Zyrtec. These can take about two weeks to have the maximum effect. Once you start taking these medications, don't stop until at least the end of January or after the daily pollen charts no longer list cedar or juniper.

Choose the medication that works for you. They can come with side effects such as being sedating or drying out the nose and mouth too much. Sometimes you might have to try a medication for a few weeks before you know whether it is working, said Dr. Haley Overstreet of Aspire Allergy & Sinus. Check with your doctor if you don't know what to try or are concerned about side effects or interactions with other medications.

Plan around the pollen. Watch the allergy counts and plan outdoor activities for days when the pollen counts are lower.

Rinse and repeat. Do a daily nasal rinse using distilled water in a neti pot or a squeeze bottle. This helps flush the pollen from the nose.

Dress the part. Wear long sleeves, long pants and hats to keep pollen off the skin and out of the eyes when working or playing outside. Then remove the clothes and hat when you come inside and put on fresh clothes.

Shower after an outdoor activity and at night. This helps keep any pollen that was in your hair and on your skin off your pillow when you sleep.

Wear a mask outside. It's great for keeping out viruses as well as pollen.

Keep pollen outside. Keep windows and doors closed during cedar fever season.

Change air filters in your home if they haven't been changed recently.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin cedar pollen is in the air: What to know about cedar fever