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From Louisville to Los Angeles, allergies
have a grip on American cities, according to a new ranking of cities by the
Asthma and
Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). The Allergy Capitals(TM),
identified and ranked based on the impact that key environmental and medical
factors have on the severity of allergies in each market, are considered to
be the American cities that are most severe for people with allergies. The
Foundation announced the Allergy Capitals(TM) today as part of the
organization's nationwide Allergy Action Plan to help consumers recognize,
prevent and safely treat allergy symptoms.
"Living in or traveling to an Allergy Capital(TM) should be a reminder to
allergy sufferers to control allergy symptoms by planning ahead," says Derek
Johnson, MD, an allergist at Temple University Medical Center and a medical
advisor to AAFA. "Having a personal Allergy Action Plan can help allergy
sufferers prevent symptoms from flaring up and understand how to treat
symptoms when necessary."
On the campaign website,
www.allergyactionplan.com, consumers can
find a list of simple prevention measures, such as:
- Spending more time inside when pollen
and mold counts are high
- Decreasing the allergens in the home by
keeping windows closed and using
an air filter that is cleaned regularly
- Reducing the amount of dust mites in the
home by washing bedding often
The site also contains a 4-day allergy
forecast tool that predicts the likelihood of suffering from allergies based
on the types of pollen and the weather conditions in an area. When
prevention isn't an option,
www.allergyactionplan.com provides
information about treating allergies with over-the-counter and prescription
medications. This is the first year American allergy sufferers have the
option of non-drowsy, 24-hour allergy relief medication without a
prescription, with products such as Alavert(TM) and Claritin(R). While these
over-the-counter medications will work for many people, a doctor should be
consulted if symptoms persist. "We
hope the Allergy Capital(TM) rankings will keep allergy sufferers alert,
because allergies do not end when spring comes to a close," continues Dr.
Johnson. "As summer begins, grass pollens are active. Later in the summer,
weed pollens take over and cause allergy symptoms as fall begins.
It's important to remember to plan ahead -- and get a jump on allergy
symptoms before they start."
America's Top 50 Allergy Capitals(TM) are:
1. Louisville, KY
2. Austin, TX
3. St. Louis, MO
4. Atlanta, GA
5. Charlotte, NC
6. Hartford-New Haven, CT
7. Nashville, TN
8. Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville, NC
9. Harrisburg-Lancaster-York, PA
10. Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo, MI
11. Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM
12. Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
13. Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
14. Orlando-Daytona-Melbourne, FL
15. Greensboro-Winston Salem, NC
16. Birmingham-Tuscaloosa, AL
17. Indianapolis, IN
18. San Antonio, TX
19. Jacksonville-Brunswick, FL
20. Houston, TX
21. Oklahoma City, OK
22. Memphis, TN
23. Kansas City, MO
24. Phoenix, AZ
25. Las Vegas, NV
26. Baltimore, MD
27. Boston, MA
28. Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
29. New York, NY
30. Providence, RI
31. New Orleans, LA
32. Salt Lake City, UT
33. Philadelphia, PA
34. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota, FL
35. Pittsburgh, PA
36. Columbus, OH
37. Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH
38. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
39. Detroit, MI
40. Seattle-Tacoma, WA
41. Chicago, IL
42. Cincinnati, OH
43. Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, CA
44. Washington, DC
45. Portland, OR
46. Milwaukee, WI
47. Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, VA
48. Denver, CO
49. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA
50. Los Angeles, CA |
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