Fall allergies affect people all over the U.S., but those who live in Wichita, Kan., can officially complain that they have it the worst.
High pollen levels and prevalent use of allergy medications have pushed the city to the top of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America's list of the most challenging places to live for fall allergy sufferers.
Jackson, Miss., and Knoxville, Tenn., were ranked two and three respectively. Charleston, S.C., made a huge jump, going from number 42 to 26 on the list. New York stayed steady in the middle at 46.
Overall, cities in the South seem to be the sneeziest. Eight of the top 10 — the AAFA included Oklahoma City in the South — were in that region.
Cities in the West seem to be better for fall allergies. The highest ranking Western city was Riverside, Calif., which came in at number 47. The next on the list was Fresno, Calif., at number 64.
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The AAFA looked at the pollen levels, purchases of over-the-counter and prescription allergy medicines and the number of board certified allergists in the 100 most populated metropolitan areas to determine the ranking.
"This fall could be a perfect storm for allergy sufferers, as global weather conditions boost ragweed levels, and fall storms and tornadoes disperse allergens and outdoor mold," the AAFA said on allergycapitals.com.
Ragweed is the most common cause of fall allergies, and, according to the AAFA, a single plant is believed to release a billion grains of pollen during one season.
Here are the10 worst cities for fall allergies:
1. Wichita, Kan.
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2. Jackson, Miss.
3. Knoxville, Tenn.
4. Louisville, Ky.
5. Memphis, Tenn.
6. McAllen, Texas
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7. Baton Rouge, La.
8. Dayton, Ohio
9. Chattanooga, Tenn.
10. Oklahoma City
See the complete list here
