AAFA Reveals Top 50 Fall Allergy Capitals

Newswise — In many cities across the country, allergies are more severe in the fall than in the spring, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s (AAFA) new list of the nation’s top 50 Fall Allergy Capitals™. Ranked by the impact that key environmental and medical factors have on the severity of allergies, the Fall Allergy Capitals™ designate the most severe cities for people with allergies during the fall season.

"This new information should make a person who lives in a Fall Allergy Capital™ think twice before assuming that their runny nose, sneezing, congestion, watery eyes and itchy throat are due to a cold," says Derek Johnson, MD, an allergist at Temple University Medical Center and a medical advisor to AAFA. "These are classic symptoms of seasonal allergies. When it comes to seasonal allergies, instead of thinking about spring, think about having a year-round Allergy Action Plan."

This surprising new data has prompted the Foundation to highlight the Fall Allergy Capitals™ as part of its nationwide Allergy Action Plan education campaign. On the campaign Web site, http://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 most prominent fall allergen is weed pollen. Billions of weed pollen particles can travel by wind during the fall season from August to November. In fact, ragweed can generate a billion grains of pollen each season.

“Unfortunately, seasonal allergies are not just about springtime. In some cities, the pollination of different plants, changing weather and other environmental factors can cause a greater impact for allergy sufferers during the fall than in the spring,” continues Dr. Johnson. "A key part of a personal Allergy Action Plan is checking the allergy forecast, which takes these factors into consideration, and helps you to determine the likelihood of suffering from allergy symptoms in your area. If the forecast is bad, you can plan accordingly to keep your allergy symptoms under control.”

Log on to http://www.allergyactionplan.com for the most updated allergy forecast in your area. In addition to prevention tips, the site contains information on safely treating allergies with over-the-counter and prescription medications when prevention isn’t an option. 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™ and Claritin®. While these over-the-counter medications will work for many people, a doctor should be consulted if symptoms persist.

More About Fall Allergy Capitals™
The Fall Allergy Capitals™ ranking is part of the Foundation’s Allergy Action Plan, a multi-year – and multi-season – campaign to help consumers recognize, prevent and safely treat allergy symptoms. The Fall Allergy Capitals™ were identified and ranked based on the impact that the following key environmental and medical factors have on the severity of allergies in each market:

- Average recorded fall pollen levels over the last 7 years
- Length of the peak fall season for the most offensive pollen types
- Number of antihistamine prescriptions written per capita in the last year
- Number of board certified allergists per capita

Each factor was weighted, in consultation with medical and research experts, to reflect its relative importance as an indicator of allergy severity. The weighted factors were then tallied to assign a total score that determined the ranking as a Fall Allergy Capital™. For the full rankings of Fall and Spring Capitals™, go to www.allergyactionplan.com.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is the leading nonprofit consumer and patient organization 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 a cure. Allergy Action Plan is an educational initiative from AAFA that is made possible by an unrestricted educational grant from Wyeth Consumer Healthcare, the makers of Alavert™.

Alavert™ is a trademark of Wyeth Consumer Healthcare.