- One-fourth of U.S. adults suffer from allergies.
- Increasing pollen due to global warming worsens allergies, particularly in the East and South.
- Areas with ragweed pollen typically have high allergy action.
Songbirds, bursts of blooms and budding trees. Achoo!
Spring means allergies, which are worse in some parts of the country than in others. More than 100 million people in the U.S. — about a quarter of adults — suffer from allergies each year, many of them related to seasonal pollen, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, which just released its annual “Allergy Capitals” report on the challenges associated with living in 100 major cities.
If you’re not in a top-pollen city, it doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for allergies. But those in the 10 “most challenging places to live with seasonal allergies” are definitely going to be sneezing and wiping their red, watery eyes. The worst places for allergies are reportedly:
- Wichita, Kansas
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Richmond, Virginia
- Greenville, South Carolina
- Greensboro, North Carolina
The West didn’t escape pollen, either. California had more grass and weed pollen counts in 2024, compared to 2023.
The report’s ranking also considers how many board-certified allergists and immunologists are practicing in the area.
Utah had three cities that came in as “least challenging:” Ogden ranked at 92, Provo at 94 and Salt Lake City at 99. Boston won the title of least challenging city when it comes to allergies, at least among the 100 in the group’s ranking.
None of that diminishes the fact that people who are prone to seasonal allergies can really suffer when pollen counts are high, regardless of their locale.
The Washington Post reported that increased snowpack brought more vegetation and pollen than usual to Boise, Idaho, for instance.
Keeping allergies in check
“No matter where you live, there are options for managing your seasonal allergy symptoms,” said allergist Dr. Neeta Ogden. “Managing pollen exposure using over-the-counter medicines and possibly immunotherapy can all play a role in symptom management. You should talk with your doctor about the best treatment options for you.”
The report shows that as the planet warms, allergies worsen nationwide, “with a particularly noticeable impact in the southern and eastern U.S. as areas with high levels of ragweed pollen.” That makes allergies more of a constant than a season.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention explains pollen as “the grains or tiny seeds of flowering plants, trees and grasses. These seeds can be carried on the wind and can cause many symptoms, or none at all, if exposed to them.”
The article notes that “pollen exposure can also cause asthma attacks if you have asthma and pollen is an asthma trigger."
The report said that most pollen that triggers allergies comes from trees, grass and weeds. Trees across the country typically produce pollen from January through February. Then comes grass pollen, from about April through early June.
Weeds are more geographically driven, but ragweed starts around August and peaks in mid-September. Beware, though. Per the report, “Some parts of the U.S. now have pollen year-round.”
“Increased pollen exposure can make it difficult to manage and control allergies and asthma — causing more missed work and school days, emergency room visits, and hospital stays,” Melanie Carver, foundation chief mission officer, said in a news release. “In the short term, adopting allergy management strategies can reduce the negative impacts of pollen allergies. Long term, we should be looking at policy change to reduce the impact of climate change.”
Per the Post, “Across the United States, pollen seasons begin earlier and last longer than they did decades ago. A study found that pollen season starts 20 days earlier than 30 years ago. Pollen counts also increased by 21% over the same period — but the greatest increases are in the Midwest and Texas, and in tree pollen."
Allergy symptoms and management
According to the foundation, common allergy symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
- Cough
- Tight chest or pain
- Wheezing
- Waking at night due to symptoms
- Decreased lung function
Allergies can be managed by preventing pollen from entering your eyes, nose, mouth and lungs, the group said. Reducing contact with pollen helps, so stay indoors on high pollen count days or wear a mask. Use allergy medicines to control symptoms and rinse your nose with saline. The group also suggests talking to a doctor about immunotherapy.
The CDC adds that people with seasonal allergies should check pollen forecasts, shower and change clothes after being outdoors and keep windows closed during pollen season. The public health giant also suggests using high-efficiency filters in your air conditioning system, as long as it can handle them and they don’t violate the warranty.
Besides saline, which is just salt water, people can reduce swelling by using corticosteroid nasal sprays (there are a bunch on the market), antihistamines, eye drops and decongestants. Be aware that a Food and Drug Administration panel said that oral phenylephrine is not effective for nasal congestion in its common dose. And you need photo ID and a visit to the counter to buy pseudoephedrine.
Cromolyn sodium nasal spray can also be used, as can leukotriene receptor agonists. The foundation recommends consulting a physician, as there can be some side effects. Montelukast — sold as Singulair — for instance has a black box warning because of mental health side effects.