I was born and raised in Germany and I suffered of allergies every summer. I think I am allergic mostly to weeds and grasses. I moved to Hawaii 9 years ago and since then all of my allergies have disappeared. I think Hawaii is perfect for people with allergies, because a lot of the weeds, trees and grasses that you’ll have to deal with on Continental US simply don’t grow there. I am convinced of this, because presently I am in Kansas City/Missouri and I have a terrible time with my allergies. So, I know the allergies haven’t just disappeared. Since I haven’t had to deal with it in Hawaii at all in the past 9 years I can only conclude that moving to Hawaii was indeed a geographic solution to the problem. I hope this helps somebody! — Simon, Hawaii

Over the past 51 years I have traveled through all 50 states and lived in 16 of them. Most of my years have been in the Hawaiian Islands, Florida, California and now Oklahoma. I have NEVER been alergic to anything in my life, with the exception of Oklahoma, since my husband and I moved here 2 years ago. I AM MISERABLE! The doctor has me on 7 different meds and told me, “Move to Missouri!” After reading updates on the message board about MO, I’m sceptical… — Tamara, Oklahoma

I live in Missouri and this is the worst I have been sicker here than I was in California. I’ve been here for 13 years and it seems like I’m getting sicker and sicker every year.I don’t know where a person can go to escape. When I lived in California I lived in the Bay Area (the San Fransisco region), Northern California,L.A.,and the high dessert and I was sick in all of them. I’ve suffered with this all my life.

They say I’m allergic to dust and mold in addition to having many environmental allergies. There are times when I’m in a car and drive down a street and will become violently ill for no apparent reason to the point of passing out. I have learned that when this begins to happen I need to immediately pull over and go inside one of the larger resturants because they usually have a clean air system (Casa Gallarda saved my life) and I will normally recover in 5 to 10 minutes.
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I’m from Jamiaca by way of the Bahamas and I’m a chronic, perennial allergy sufferer. My allergens are mold, ragweed, trees and dust. I’m sure there are some food ones thrown in as well.

Anyway I’m living in St. Louis since 1999 and it has been just awful. I’ve had two surgeries because my nasal passages keep growing shut and I’m always stuffy and breaking out in hives despite being on zyrtec, allergy shots, rhinocort and singulair. My ENT says he doesn’t know how to help me and my allergist keeps trying different combinations of drugs that wokrk for a time and then stop.

Alaska sounds like the place for me! What do you think? — Hillary, St. Louis

“There’s no such thing as an ‘asthma-free’ city,” says Mike Tringale, Director of Communications at Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. This is from a February 8, 2006, press release announcing the 2006 U.S. Asthma Capitals.

Topping the list are Scranton, PA, Richmond, VA, and Philadelphia, PA. Only one southern city, 4th ranked Atlanta, GA, made the top ten this year. You can check out the entire list of 100 Worst Cities for Asthma in 2006 from the AAFA website.

This is the third year AAFA has ranked cities for asthma. During the first two years, southern cities took the top three spots with the exception of third-ranked St. Louis, MO in 2005. St. Louis has consistently scored in the top ten all three years. In 2004, KY and TN topped the list, and last year (2005) Little Rock, AR (directly east of my western AR location) and St. Louis, MO (directly to my north) took the #2 and #3 spots. This year brought some surprises, as the North Central and North Eastern seaboard areas seem to dominate. See the 2004, 2005, and 2006 lists to see how your area fares.

Feel free to share any local reports or commentary from your area in the comments. Copyrighted material should be in the form of links with your comments about the link. Please do not post copyrighted material, with the exception of a brief sentence to introduce the link.

About 11 years ago, I moved from Alaska to St. Louis to go to school. i still live in St. Louis. From the moment I stepped off the plane I noticed a difference in my ability to breathe. Whenever the climate goes from spring to summer, I have great difficulty breathing, as if my lungs just won’t expand. I usually take allegra, and after about a month, I don’t have a problem anymore. This is a difficult month, though, and I often wish I could go back to Alaska during that time. — LB, Missouri

I am 25 years old and moved to Kansas city, MO from ND three years ago. Since I have moved, my allergies have gotten out of control. I am greatly allergic to mold and grass pollen. I have had recurrent sinus infections in ALL seasons and have subsequently developed asthma since moving here. I take allegra-D, inhalers and nasal sprays, but it doesn’t seem to do much. My allergies are better when I do go back up to MN and ND, however there are much worse even there than they ever were before I moved to Kansas City. Does anyone have experience with Arizona, specifically Scottsdale, and allergies? — Karri, Kansas City, Missouri

I lived in Missouri till the age of 14, then moved to Arkansas, were my allergies have gotten so bad, it seems that the older I get the worse? I am now almost 30. I am interested in knowing where can you go to get allergy relief! My allergies get way worse and I get pretty sick with them usually in the spring time, like around March to May then summer time they seem to get better, then in the fall here it comes again, I usually get the sickest in the fall.

I love this website it helps me so much to control a lot of my misery and has very helpful info for me and my family to use! Thank you!! — Tami, Arkansas

[Originally posted to AllergyNursing.com on April 13, 2004]