According to new data from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, if you have spring allergies, Wichita is one of the worst places to live.
The report identifies the 100 most challenging places to live with spring allergies in the U.S. The research is based on the amount of pollen in the air, the number of prescriptions being written for allergy medication, and the number of allergists available to write those prescriptions.
On a national level, Wichita ranked sixth worst. But for the Midwest region, Wichita came in first. Dr. Jay Portnoy, director of allergy, asthma and immunology at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, says Wichita is located in an area that has huge amounts of pollen.
“This part of the country experiences mild weather," he says. "It’s been relatively dry, the wind blows well, and that is fantastic for trees to produce pollen and put the pollen into the air. However, it’s not so good for allergy sufferers.”
Portnoy says common symptoms of springtime allergies include the obvious: runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing and congestion.
And in case you're considering moving somewhere a little more friendly to allergy sufferers, avoid Jackson, Mississippi: It took the top spot in the report.
--
Follow Abigail Wilson on Twitter @AbigailKMUW.
To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.