There's a good reason why you are wheezing, have runny eyes, and generally feel miserable these days. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation has just named San Antonio as the fourth worst city in the entire country for fall allergies, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Dr. Dennis Dilley of Dilley Allergy and Asthma Specialists in San Antonio says, just look at the weather we've had lately.
"Allergies rank high, major weather changes, barometric pressure shifts, high humidity, major fluctuations in the weather, are major triggerss for asthma," he said.
Kenneth Mendez, President of the AAFA, notes that allergies are more than a nuisance, they are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S., with nasal allergies affecting more than 50 million Americans.
McAllen in the number one city in the country for allergies, with Louisville number two and Jackson Mississippi number three.
"There are a lot of ER visits, a lot of hospital visits in underserved populations, where they don't have access to good preventive care, and that affects these statistics," he said. "That probably accounts for why it is that way in McAllen."
But it is also that way in San Antonio due to our geography. The Hill Country is home to some of the largest pollinators in the world, and allergy causing spores can easily travel on the regions gusty winds.
Dr. Dilley says, in addition to the fall allergies cited in the report, metro San Antonio also experiences mold and pollen generators that stick around all year long.
"Right now the molds have been the main thing because of all the rain, but the rain has also somewhat stiflied the ragweed too," he said. "But what we are coming into right now, is fall ragweed, fall elm, those are the main things we experience this time of year."
The AAFA suggests these steps to easy your allergy misery:
Limit outdoor activities
Keep windows closed
Use central air conditioning with air filtration
Wear sunglasses when outdoors
Wear a hat to cover your hair
Take a shower and shampoo hair before going to bed to remove pollen from your hair and skin
Change and wash clothes worn during outdoor activities
Dry laundry in a clothes dryer, not on an outdoor line
Limit close contact with pets that spend a lot of time outdoors
Wipe pets off with a towel before they enter your home
Remove your shoes before entering your home
Wash bedding in hot, soapy water once a week
Rinse the inside of your nose with a nasal rinse to flush out and remove pollen you have inhaled
Of, if you want to leave allergies behind altogether, pack up and move to Denver or Prove Utah. The two Rocky Mountain cities are the least hit by autumn allergies.
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