15 Worst Cities for Allergies

I'm sure we all have our pick for the "worst city for allergies". It could be the city you live in or have lived in. I'd also guess the names on this list vary from time to time.

For instance, about 10 years ago me and my husband (heretofore known as "Tall & Handsome" or "T & H") were living in Knoxville, Tennessee not too far from the place where I was born. I was excited to get to spend some time back where I came from.

Well, was I in for a big surprise. That was one of the sickest two and half year stretches of my life which included a brush with death. But, allergies? OMG!

I have allergies to begin with (no cats!) and others, some "non-specific" which is doctor speak for hard to peg. But, what I went through in Knoxville was like body and autoimmune torture and I believe to this day put my body into a "slippery slope" that never recovered 100%.

At the time a co-worker of Tall & Handsome's mentioned Knoxville was one of the worst cities for allergies and a lot of the residents lived with chronic sinus issues. 

I looked Knoxville up and sure enough at the time it did make a few "worst" lists for allergies. According to the long time resident talking to T & H it was because Knoxville sits in a valley and smog, smoke and other impurities from coal mines, factories and other places funnel down the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Great Smoky Mountains and the Appalachians and dump on top of Knoxville. How accurate that is, I don't know.

I just know my experience, and I know there was also a problem with black mold. The house we were in at the time was a petri dish of black mold.  Not the best conditions for someone with allergies and autoimmune disorders.

So, what are currently considered the worst cities for allergies? They are:

1. Richmond, Virginia
2. Memphis, Tennessee
3. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
4. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
5. Chattanooga, Tennesee
6. Chicago, Illinois
7. Detroit, Michigan
8. New Haven, Connecticut
9. Allentown, Pennsylvania
10. Atlanta, Georgia
11. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
12. Louisville, Kentucky
13. Springfield, Massachusetts
14. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
15. Dayton, Ohio

I'd venture to say if you live near one of these cities you could count yourself "in" with the rest of the suffering folk.

So, is there anything you can do to ease your discomfort? Well, there are some steps, and there's an article that covers why these cities are so bad for allergies and what you can do. For an in depth look, you can read here.

But, to touch lightly, here are some preventive measures you can take during allergy season:

1. Keep your windows closed to obviously keep pollen and other pollutants out.
2. Keep your home dusted and clean. If you can afford it, hire someone to clean for you.
3. Use a mattress cover. Vinyl is recommended, but if you're like me, that's like sleeping on a roll of plastic wrap and creates crinkly, sleepless night. So, a catch - 22 there.
4. Another catch - 22 for those of us with Sjogren's syndrome is the use of a dehumidifier. Using one reduces humidity, thus reducing the number of dust mites. But, Sjogren's patients usually need to use humidifiers to add moisture to the air because of our dry eyes and dry mouth.
5. You can get some relief with over the counter (OTC) antihistamines. In addition, just recently Flonase has been made available OTC. I have used this nasal spray for years and I don't know what I would do without it. It's also available in generic form which I get by prescription. Flonase basically attacks on all fronts allergy symptoms that would take several other medications to do. It's in the corticosteroid class of drugs.

 When all else fails, consult your doctor.
 Just remember, before you know it, allergy season will be over, and we'll be facing another cold winter.

© 2015 Beverly Hicks Burch All Rights Reserved.