The Most Challenging Places to Live with Spring Allergies – 2015
The Allergy Capitals is an annual research project of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) to identify “the 100 most challenging places to live with allergies” during the spring and fall seasons.
The data measured and compared each season includes:
- Pollen scores (airborne grass/tree/weed pollen and mold spores)
- Number of allergy medications used per patient
- Number of allergy specialists per patient
This year, St. Louis ranked #25, based primarily on the higher than average pollen and higher than average medication usage per patient.
Although this ranking is not great news for those living in St. Louis, there are ways to reduce or relieve symptoms. The first step is to rule in or out allergy and, if allergies are present, measure the severity level. A diagnostic allergy test is truly the only accurate measure for this. A simple allergy test can be performed at the ST. LOUIS SINUS CENTER® or through a blood test called ImmunoCAP. Both evaluate for the most common allergens in the region and measure the severity level to each allergen. (Click here to learn more about allergy testing.)
If allergic, the second step is to understand if the allergy triggers are indoor or outdoor. Furthermore, if outdoor, what time of year are they present. (Click here for more information on indoor allergies or outdoor allergies.)
The third step is preventing exposure to the allergens to which you are allergic to. We realize it can be nearly impossible to prevent all exposure, but minimizing the exposure can make a big difference.
The fourth step is medical management, immunotherapy or a combination of both.
