Three Tennessee cities are now in the top ten allergy capitals in the US.
The annual list from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation focuses on fall allergies and ranks cities based on pollen scores, rates of medication use, and the number of board-certified allergists in each city.
Wichita, Kansas, is the top allergy capital, followed by Jackson, Mississippi.
Knoxville is 3rd, with a composite score of 94.32; Memphis is 5th (88.72), and Chattanooga is 9th (85.76).
The national average score is 62.87.
The Tennessee region and has a large amount of pollinating trees which are the cause of ragweed and other pollen spores in the air. Mold is also present, because of this year’s rainfall.
About 30% of Americans suffer from seasonal allergies.
