Your Nose Knows It's Fall Allergy Season

LANDOVER, Md., Nov. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Gesundheit! Fall is the season of sneezin' for millions of Americans living with seasonal allergic rhinitis – also known as nasal allergies. Location and time-of-year, among other environmental factors, can have a significant effect on the severity of symptoms for fall allergy sufferers. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has released its annual Fall Allergy Capitals report, at www.AllergyCapitals.com, ranking the 100 most challenging places to live in the United States with fall allergies. The report reviews regional pollen data, medication use and the number of allergy specialists in the largest 100 US metropolitan areas, and ranks cities based on these criteria.

Nasal allergies affect an estimated 50 million adults and children leading to more than 16 million visits to doctors, costing over $17 billion in health-related costs and forcing patients to miss more than 6 million work and school days each year. "For over a decade, our Allergy Capitals rankings have reminded patients and doctors that nasal allergies affect families and communities nationwide," says Dr. Cary Sennett, AAFA's President and CEO. "But, no matter where you live, you can get help from an allergist and learn how to manage your fall allergies better."

On this season's list, Louisville, KY, is named the #1 national Fall Allergy Capital – the most challenging place to live in the US with fall allergies – for the 2^nd consecutive year, and the 3^rd time in 13 years. Louisville's very high pollen scores and very high medication utilization were the main factors contributing to its place in the top spot. Louisville has appeared in the top-20 on the Foundation's fall list 12 times since the rankings debuted in 2003. This year's other top-20 cities include:

National Rankings

Regional Rankings

View the complete list of 100 national metro areas and regional rankings to find out which cities made the list at www.AllergyCapitals.com. The website also has information about allergy diagnosis, prevention and treatment, and more information about the ranking methodology.

The Foundation offers these tips to help prevent symptoms and to be prepared this fall:

• Make an appointment with an allergist to get properly diagnosed, learn about your specific triggers and develop a customized allergy management plan.
• Avoid allergens – ragweed pollen is the most common trigger during the fall season. Check local pollen counts and plan outdoor activities accordingly. Pollen counts tend to be worse in the morning.
• Be proactive and start fighting symptoms before they occur. Take medication daily during fall allergy season, especially before going outside, to help prevent and manage symptoms.
• Learn more and support AAFA at www.aafa.org/donate. Your donation helps AAFA to do more research, patient education and advocacy in communities and schools.

About AAFA

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is the leading nonprofit consumer and patient organization dedicated to fighting asthma and allergic diseases. AAFA provides free information to the public, offers educational programs to consumers and health professionals, leads advocacy efforts to improve patient care, and supports research to find cures. For more information, visit www.aafa.org.

SOURCE Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America