Each year the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America puts together a comprehensive list of the cities that have the worst fall allergies. It bases this list on pollen counts, reported use of allergy medications and access to board-certified allergy specialists in the respective cities.
If you are suffering from severe fall allergies and are wondering why symptoms are worse than previous years, take a look at the organization's list. You could be living in one of worst cities.
Dr. Clifford Bassett, the founder and medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York, says that one of the reasons many of these cities are suffering may be caused by the high amount of CO2 present.
"There's a couple factors," said Bassett. "One is the rising long-term increase in carbon dioxide and its effect on increased production of pollen."
The top five cities include:
- Syracuse, New York: This city scored a 94.01 out of 100 on the Asthma and Allergy Foundation's rankings. It is up 15 spots since last year.
- Memphis, Tennessee: This area put up a 97.23 out of 100. It is only up slightly since last year when it ranked 6th in the nation.
- McAllen, Texas: McAllen scored a high 98.23 out of 100. Last year it ranked 5th.
- Jackson, Mississippi: Jackson scored a 99.65 out of 100. It is up six spots from last year.
- Louisville, Kentucky: The city ranked as the worst place to live if you suffer from fall allergies.
While rising CO2 levels may be a reason for the increase in allergens, one thing that stands out about the top five cities is almost every one is located in the South. Dry air can also play a major role in increasing the severity of symptoms.
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