AllergyNest

What could be behind your allergy symptoms?

Answer a few questions about when and where your allergy symptoms happen and see which triggers your answers point to, with a source for every reason.

Editor: Ara OhanianUpdated

Call 911 if someone

  • Is short of breath, wheezing or coughing, or has a tight chest
  • Has a tight throat or trouble swallowing
  • Has swelling of the lips, tongue or the back of the throat
  • Feels dizzy, faints or has a weak pulse

These can be signs of anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction that can begin very quickly. If someone is having a serious allergic reaction, call 911.

Based on MedlinePlus on anaphylaxis. General information, not medical advice.

Answer a few questions

Your answers stay in your browser. We don’t receive or keep them.

  1. When are your symptoms at their worst?

    Pick the time of year that fits best.

  2. Where do your symptoms flare up most?

    Pick the place where they are usually worst.

  3. How does the weather change your symptoms?

    Pick the one that fits best.

  4. Does your mouth or throat itch soon after you eat certain raw fruits, vegetables or nuts?

    For example, a raw apple, peach, celery, melon or banana.

  5. Have you had hives, swelling, vomiting or trouble breathing soon after eating a food?
  6. Have you had a reaction to an insect sting that went beyond the sting itself?

    Such as a bee, wasp, yellow jacket, hornet or fire ant sting.

  7. Have you had an itchy rash where something touched your skin?

    For example, under jewelry or a watch, or after wearing latex gloves.

What this quiz can’t tell you

This quiz compares your answers with what a few health sources say. It isn’t a test or a diagnosis, and it can’t examine you.

Many triggers cause the same symptoms: pollen, mold, dust mites and pets can all cause sneezing, a runny or stuffy nose and itchy eyes.2467 AAAAI notes that mold allergy symptoms often mimic symptoms of other conditions.4

More than one allergen can play a part: AAAAI says hay fever symptoms may be affected by recent contact with other allergens, as well as by the amount of pollen exposure and your sensitivity to pollen and mold.2 People with pollen food allergy syndrome react to certain raw foods, and ACAAI says they typically have an allergy to birch, ragweed or grass pollen as well.9

ACAAI says allergists are experts who test for, diagnose and treat allergies.14 It says an allergist may want to do skin testing, blood testing or both, and that any kind of allergy test is best done under the guidance of an allergist.14

A cold can look like allergies, too: NIH News in Health says colds, flu and allergies can be hard to tell apart because they share so many symptoms.17 Our cold or allergies tool compares colds with allergies, with a source for every reason.

When to see an allergist

ACAAI says you should see an allergist if your allergies cause symptoms such as chronic sinus infections, nasal congestion or difficulty breathing, if you have hay fever or other allergy symptoms several months out of the year, or if your asthma or allergies interfere with day-to-day activities or decrease your quality of life, among other reasons.15 If your mouth always itches after you eat the same raw fruit or vegetable, ACAAI says to see an allergist.9 If you are concerned that you may have an allergy to insect venom, it says your best option is to see an allergist.11

MedlinePlus says to call 911 if someone is having a serious allergic reaction.16

How the result is worked out

Each question offers a few answers, including “Not sure.” When a source ties an answer to a trigger, such as pollen or mold, that answer adds a reason to that trigger, shown with its source. One answer can add reasons to more than one trigger. “Not sure,” and answers no source ties to a trigger, add nothing. The result lists the triggers your answers point to, with the most reasons first, and links to our pages on each one. Every reason counts the same. Your answers stay in your browser; AllergyNest doesn’t receive or keep them.

To see what is in the air where you live, check pollen near you or what’s pollinating now.

Questions

Can dust mites cause symptoms in a clean home?

Yes. ACAAI says a house does not need to be visibly dirty to trigger a dust mite allergy reaction. The particles are too tiny to be seen and often cannot be removed with normal cleaning.6

Can pet allergens be in places that have never had a pet?

Yes. AAFA says pet allergens can be found in homes, classrooms, workplaces and other places where pets have never been, because people can carry them on their clothing.8

Can mold allergy cause symptoms all year?

It can. AAFA says fungi can grow both indoors and outside, so allergic reactions can occur year-round. Outdoor molds often cause symptoms in summer and fall, and indoor molds may cause them year-round.3

Can a sting allergy start after years of normal reactions?

Yes. ACAAI says allergic reactions to stings can occur even after many normal reactions to stings, and at any age.11

Can a skin or blood test alone show what I’m allergic to?

No. ACAAI says blood test and skin test results alone do not diagnose allergies. All test results must be interpreted together with your medical history.14

Sources

  1. Pollen Allergy. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Read on October 17, 2026.
  2. Outdoor Allergens. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Read on October 17, 2026.
  3. Mold Allergy. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Read on October 17, 2026.
  4. Mold Allergy. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Read on October 17, 2026.
  5. Hay Fever (Rhinitis). American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Read on October 17, 2026.
  6. Dust Allergies. American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Read on October 17, 2026.
  7. Pet Allergies. American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Read on October 17, 2026.
  8. Pet Allergy. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Read on October 17, 2026.
  9. Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome. American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Read on October 17, 2026.
  10. Food Allergies: What You Need to Know. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Read on October 17, 2026.
  11. Insect Sting Allergies. American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Read on October 17, 2026.
  12. Two Cents About Nickel Allergy. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Read on October 17, 2026.
  13. Skin Allergy. American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Read on October 17, 2026.
  14. Testing & Diagnosis. American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Read on October 17, 2026.
  15. When To See an Allergist. American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Read on October 17, 2026.
  16. Anaphylaxis. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Read on October 17, 2026.
  17. Cold, Flu, or Allergy?. NIH News in Health, National Institutes of Health. Read on October 17, 2026.

Ara Ohanian, editor. Parent of two children with allergies. Seven years working with US allergy clinics and allergists on growth, patient outreach and allergy data.

Drafted with AI help from the sources above, then checked against them in a separate AI fact-check pass. How we write these pages. Not reviewed by a clinician. General information, not medical advice.