10 Worst Cities for Spring Allergies

Are you suffering from that sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching stuffy head feeling? Hold off on the NyQuil®.

This year there’s a better than even chance you’re not suffering from a cold… it might be seasonal allergies in what’s shaping up to be a particularly tough season for allergy sufferers.

If symptoms like these last longer than 7-10 days, there’s a good chance you’re among the nearly 60 million Americans who suffer from these miserable allergy symptoms every year.

And if you live anywhere near one of the ten worst allergy cities in 2012 listed below, you’re going to want to take our advice on how to make it through.

Top 10 Worst Allergy Cities for 2012

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America releases an annual report that ranks the most challenging cities for residents with allergies across the United States.

The truth is no place is safe from allergens. No matter where you live, there will be pollen, mold, trees, grass, and flowers. But these ten cities hit the top of the list of worst cities for allergies this year (based on pollen count, amount of medicine used and number of allergists per patient):

1. Knoxville, TN

2. McAllen, TX

3. Louisville, KY

4. Jackson, MS

5. Wichita, KS

6. Oklahoma City, OK.

7. Chattanooga, TN

8. Memphis, TN

9. San Antonio, TX

10. Dayton, OH

Why Allergies Are So Bad So Early in 2012

An allergy is an exaggerated immune reaction to substances that are generally not harmful. Genetic and environmental factors both play a role in allergies.

Your immune system, which normally protects your body against harmful substances such as bacteria and viruses, also reacts to foreign substances called allergens, found in abundance in all of the nationally ranked worst allergy cities.

Those suffering from allergies have an immune response that is oversensitive to allergens. It releases chemicals such as histamines, which fight off the allergen, but also causes those horrible allergy symptoms.

If you have seasonal allergies you’ve doubtless noticed that allergy season arrived early this year. According to weather reports, this past winter was the fourth warmest winter ever recorded in America. This plus a lack of winter precipitation and a relatively early spring makes for an earlier than usual allergy season.

Tree pollen has already been blowing through the air for weeks thanks to the warm weather. Lack of heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures during the winter means allergens from last fall continue to linger around too.

I’m afraid the allergy news isn’t getting better anytime soon. In fact, it’s expected to get much worse in the weeks to come.

Thanks to high temperatures spiking into the 70s and higher across much of the U.S. by early March, pollen counts for trees such as birch, cedar, cottonwood and pine are producing moderate to high pollen counts over much of the country.

Earlier and heavier pollination of tree and grass allergens this spring allergy season could potentially lead to the worst allergy season in a decade. So what should you do if you live in an allergy city? How can you escape this?

Tips to Avoid Allergies in the Worst Allergy Cities

To help make your life easier during this tough allergy season here are some simple tips provided by The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America to help you remain free from hay fever and spring allergies:

• Stay indoors. When the pollen count is high and you’re feeling miserable, stay indoors as much as possible. Keep car windows up. Isolate yourself from the trigger that’s causing your allergic reactions.
• Avoid morning outdoor exercises. If following an exercise regimen takes you outdoors, avoid doing it in the morning when pollen is at its worst. Switch your routine to the evenings.
• Wear a hat and sunglasses to block the pollen. Wash your face when you come inside and wash your hair before going to bed so you don’t carry the pollen into your bedroom.
• Control dust mites. Wash bedding and dust surfaces often to control dust mites in your home. Bare floors are best, but if you must have carpet, use throw rugs and wash them frequently.
• Vacuum often. Use a vacuum with a HEPA air filter to capture dust and dust mites. Wear a mask when doing housework and consider leaving for a few hours after cleaning to avoid allergens in the air.
• Reduce animal dander. If you have allergies, you should avoid pets with feathers or fur. Birds, dogs and cats are all known to cause allergic reactions. Never keep your pet in your bedroom.
• Prevent entry of pollen. Keep pollen out of your home by keeping windows and doors closed. Use an air filter and clean it regularly or run the air conditioner and change the filter often.
• Avoid mold spores. Reduce moisture in the bathroom, kitchen and other water areas of your home. Dehumidifiers will help reduce both mold and dust mites. Limit the number of houseplants and fix all leaks and other causes of dampness.

Fight Allergies by Boosting Your Immune System

No doubt about it, allergies are a pain. Which is an interesting way to think about them since one of our best-selling natural pain relief products, Heal-n-Soothe®, also happens to be a powerful immune system booster that can help you make it through this challenging allergy season.

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You’ve heard me talk about it before. Now let me invite you to give it a try – on me. Click the link below and I’ll give you your own free bottle for the asking. But you better hurry, allergy season isn’t going to wait for you this year…

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References

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Spring Allergy Capitals 2012. 2012.

MacMath J. Warm Weather May Jump-Start Allergy Season. AccuWeather.com. 2012 Mar 13.

Dolce C. NOAA: Fourth Warmest Winter on Record. The Weather Channel. 2012 Mar 7.