'Fall Allergy Capitals' Should Brace For Runny Noses
Fall Worst Time For Allergies In Some Cities
POSTED: 8:39 am CDT September 5,
2003
Fall may not be traditionally thought of as the peak of allergy season, but in many cities around the country, allergies are more severe in the fall than in the spring, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Thus, the group teamed up with drug maker Wyeth Consumer Healthcare to release a list of the top 50 fall allergy capitals, based on environmental and medical factors, such as average fall pollen levels and the number of antihistamine prescriptions written per capita in the last year.The Pennsylvania cities of Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York topped the list, with the Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville, N.C., area coming in second. Louisville, Ky., was third. 
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"This new information should make a person who lives in a fall allergy capital think twice before assuming that their runny nose, sneezing, congestion, watery eyes and itchy throat are due to a cold," said Dr. Derek Johnson, an allergist at Temple University Medical Center in Philadelphia and a medical advisor to the AAFA.The most prominent fall allergen is weed pollen. Billions of weed pollen particles can travel by wind during the fall season from August to November. In fact, ragweed can generate 1 billion grains of pollen each season."Unfortunately, seasonal allergies are not just about springtime. In some cities, the pollination of different plants, changing weather and other environmental factors can cause a greater impact for allergy sufferers during the fall than in the spring," Johnson said. "A key part of a personal allergy action plan is checking the allergy forecast, which takes these factors into consideration, and helps you to determine the likelihood of suffering from allergy symptoms in your area. If the forecast is bad, you can plan accordingly to keep your allergy symptoms under control."The allergy cities list is part of an education campaign that promotes allergy prevention measures, such as:
Full List"This new information should make a person who lives in a fall allergy capital think twice before assuming that their runny nose, sneezing, congestion, watery eyes and itchy throat are due to a cold," said Dr. Derek Johnson, an allergist at Temple University Medical Center in Philadelphia and a medical advisor to the AAFA.The most prominent fall allergen is weed pollen. Billions of weed pollen particles can travel by wind during the fall season from August to November. In fact, ragweed can generate 1 billion grains of pollen each season."Unfortunately, seasonal allergies are not just about springtime. In some cities, the pollination of different plants, changing weather and other environmental factors can cause a greater impact for allergy sufferers during the fall than in the spring," Johnson said. "A key part of a personal allergy action plan is checking the allergy forecast, which takes these factors into consideration, and helps you to determine the likelihood of suffering from allergy symptoms in your area. If the forecast is bad, you can plan accordingly to keep your allergy symptoms under control."The allergy cities list is part of an education campaign that promotes allergy prevention measures, such as:
- Spending more time inside when pollen and mold counts are highDecreasing the allergens in the home by keeping windows closed and using an air filter that is cleaned regularlyReducing the amount of dust mites in the home by washing bedding often.
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