These 5 cities are the worst for allergies, but 3 suggestions, including taking off your clothes, can help

Allergy season is coming – earlier and stronger than expected.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, greater than 80 million Americans struggle with itchy eyes, runny noses and other symptoms of seasonal allergies.

The level of unhappiness people face will depend on where they live and what they are allergic to, but there are stuff you can do to feel higher.

(*3*)Pollen counts were high at first

Dr. Rachna Shah normally starts checking pollen counts in the Chicago area in April. However, in mid-February, she checked out her data and located that tree pollen was already at “moderate” levels.

“This season has been really crazy,” said Shah, an allergist and director of the Loyola Medicine Allergy Count. “It’s true, the winter was quite mild, but I didn’t expect it to be so early.”

Shah said she believes this season will probably be longer than other years, assuming the weather stays warm. Experts say climate change has led to longer and more intense allergy seasons.

Which cities are the worst?

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America annually publishes a rating of the hardest cities for allergy victims to live in, based on the use of over-the-counter medications, pollen counts and the number of accessible allergy specialists. This 12 months’s top five were Wichita, Kansas; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Greenville, South Carolina; Dallas; and Oklahoma City.

Dr. Nana Mireku is an allergist in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and stated that “people are quite unhappy right now and allergists are very busy.”

Which pollen causes allergies?

There are three principal sorts of pollen that cause seasonal allergies. In early spring, the principal offender is tree pollen. Then grasses are pollinated, and weeds in late summer and early autumn.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the most typical tree pollens that cause allergies include birch, cedar, poplar, maple, elm, oak and walnut. Grasses that cause symptoms include Bermuda, Johnson, rye, and Kentucky bluegrass.

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Pollen trackers can help you intend your day

The best and first step to controlling allergies is to avoid exposure. This is simpler said than done when everyone desires to enjoy the spring weather.

To prevent allergies, close the windows at home and in your automotive, avoid leaving the house when pollen levels are highest, and alter your clothes if you return home.

Pollen trackers can help with planning. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology tracks asthma levels through a network of counting stations throughout the United States. The counters are available on its website and via email.

How to alleviate allergy symptoms

The very first thing to find out is what exactly you are allergic to, Mireku said, and lots of Americans are allergic to several things directly. Allergists can test for various triggers.

Over-the-counter nasal sprays can help relieve symptoms, but they take time to work, so it is best to begin using them in early March, Shah said.

Another option is antihistamines. Shah said she has seen some patients profit from switching to the same brand of drug if one stopped working, but said there just isn’t much broader data to support this advice.

For young children and folks who must take many alternative allergy medications, immunotherapy in the type of injections and oral drops can help desensitize the immune system to allergens, treating symptoms at the source.