50 WORST Cities for Fall Allergies

Ever wonder exactly what an "allergy" is? According to WebMd, "allergies are an abnormal response of the immune system where the body's defenses react to a usually harmless substance in the environment, such as pollen, animal dander, or food. Almost anything can trigger an allergic reaction, which can range from mild and annoying to sudden and life-treatening."

WebMD has come out with it's 2009 list of the worst U.S. cities for fall allergies. Cities are ranked based on four factors: prevalence data, seasonal pollen, allergy medicine use per patient, and the number of board-certified allergists per patient. Listed below are the top 50, but to see the full list of 100 go to http://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20091002/100-worst-cities-for-fall-allergies

THE TOP 50:

1. McAllen, TX
2. Wichita, Kan.
3. Louisville, Ky.
4. Oklahoma City, Okla.
5. Jackson, Miss.
6. Dayton, Ohio
7. Augusta, Ga.
8. Tulsa, Okla.
9. Knoxville, Tenn.
10. Little Rock, Ark.
11. Madison, Wis.
12. San Antonio, TX
13. Dallas, TX
14. New Orleans, La.
15. Baton Rouge, La.
16. Charlotte, N.C.
17. St. Louis
18. Birmingham, Ala.
19. El Paso, TX
20. Virginia Beach, Va.
21. Memphis, Tenn.
22. Chattanooga, Tenn.
23. Des Moines, Iowa
24. Austin, TX
25. Greensboro, N.C.
26. Omaha, Neb.
27. Columbia, S.C.
28. Philadelphia, Pa.
29. Kansas City, Mo.
30. New York, N.Y.
31. Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
32. Richmond, Va.
33. Indianapolis, Ind.
34. Allentown, Pa.
35. Cape Coral, Fla.
36. Bakersfield, Calif.
37. Nashville, Tenn.
38. Grand Rapids, Mich.
39. Syracuse, N.Y.
40. Tucson, Ariz.
41. Houston, TX
42. Buffalo, N.Y.
43. Tampa, Fla.
44. Charleston, S.C.
45. Columbus, Ohio
46. Lakeland, Fla.
47. Riverside, Calif.
48. Orlando, Fla.
49. Toledo, Ohio
50. Atlanta, Ga.