Allergy Season Creates Damper for Sufferers during Spring Season

Emma Lazerson, Views Editor

Dear sniffle-sufferers, allergy-muddlers, Claritin-lovers and itchy eye-strugglers, welcome to St. Louis.

 

As of March 10, St. Louis was named the No. 6 worst city for asthma and allergy sufferers by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the St. Louis Post Dispatch reported.

 

In comparison to last year, when St. Louis ranked No. 1, it seems like we’re living in an oasis of anti-mucus decongestants.

 

So, what makes St. Louis so much worse than other places?

 

Allergies are typically caused by airborne pollutants, animal dander, dust mites and mold, according to the Mayo Clinic.  Mind you, I’m not referencing food-based allergies, but rather the lovely ones that sprout during spring.

 

And I do mean sprout. Between March and May it seems nearly impossible to escape air pollutants.

 

The constant weather fluctuations didn’t make things better.

 

“Blame a perfect storm of weather conditions for the season’s awful allergies, including a snowy, rainy winter in some parts of the country that led to an abundance of tree and grass pollen; a sudden shift from wintry to warm weather that encouraged the pollen’s release; and windy conditions that sent particles airborne,” Beth Levine of Everyday Health said.

 

The best way to rid yourself of allergies is to find decongestants or Claritin-type pills.  Of course, these may make you drowsy, but it’s that or a constantly-runny nose.

 

If the doldrums have overtaken you, remember that it could always be worse: we could be living in Richmond, Va, the No.1 worst allergy city in 2018.