Take a warming climate, a wet spring, and the fact that it's, well, spring, and you have the recipe for a fun-filled allergy season. And by "fun-filled" we mean not fun at all — sniffles, sneezes, watery eyes, and all the joy that comes with an immune system lashing out like a berserk warrior in a role-playing game.
Some cities, though, are better for allergy sufferers than others — looking at you, Akron, Ohio, (where you'll find the lowest 'allergy burden' among major US cities).
On the other end of the spectrum, send some thoughts and prayers to Wichita, Kans., which is the worst city to live in if you have seasonal allergies. That's based on "pollen scores for tree, grass, and weed pollen, over-the-counter medication use (allergy), and number of allergy specialists," in a new report (PDF) from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
Geography only plays a small role, as the 20 worst cities are scattered through the East Coast and Midwest. (If you want to avoid pollen you want to head west.)
The first stop to dealing with those seasonal allergies is your pharmacist, who can recommend which of the basics OTC meds might work for you (Allegra, Claritin, Zyrtec, and kin). And if they don't cut it, that pharmacist — especially a compounding pharmacist — can work with your primary care physician to find a medication that'll help you deal with the blooming of spring.
And if you have kids with allergies, that same compounding pharmacist can probably whip up a dosage form other than a pill — maybe an allergy-relief lollypop? You won't know until you ask.
