Allergies in Knoxville?

[joe_obody999]

This article from March 2022 claims that Knoxville is one of the worst places to live if a person has allergies.
https://www.wate.com/news/local-news...ave-allergies/
I am wondering if anybody can comment from personal experience how true that is? I wonder why allergies are so bad in Knoxville, and if so is it any better if e.g. I were to live in a western suburb where prevailing westerly winds might keep any allergens moving east. Or is the pollen allergens situation widespread in area including suburbs like Maryville, etc?

[Barking Spider]

I had allergies in CA when I lived there. Could not cut. my grass without getting a rash. Moved to TN and didn't have issues for several years. Got tested, and found I'm allergic to most trees and grasses in East TN. If you are allergic to pine pollen, and move anywhere there is a lot of pine trees, you will have issues. My wife and daughter have no issues with allergies and we have lived here since 1994. I get shots regularly for mine.
I know a lot of people that have no issues, and several are like me.
Since we get so much rainfall, there are probably more mold spores too. There is huge variety of trees and grasses in and around Knoxville, and East TN.

[TheShadow]

The state of TN is an incredibly bio-diverse place and we probably have more types of pollen than any other place in the U.S. Many people claim they never had problems with allergies until they moved here. I am a little bothered by the ragweed and goldenrod pollen in the fall. I don't get many spring allergies. It really doesn't matter where you live in east TN, as it's the same everywhere in this part of the state.

[Normashirley]

Originally Posted by TheShadow

The state of TN is an incredibly bio-diverse place and we probably have more types of pollen than any other place in the U.S. Many people claim they never had problems with allergies until they moved here. I am a little bothered by the ragweed and goldenrod pollen in the fall. I don't get many spring allergies. It really doesn't matter where you live in east TN, as it's the same everywhere in this part of the state.

This^^^^^

It probably doesn’t matter where one lives anywhere in Tennessee.

When I retired to middle Middle Tennessee 19 years ago, I brought three horses with me. One of them developed environmental allergies. The home grown vet smiled and said “welcome to allergy purgatory “.

That horse is now 28-1/2, I keep his allergies mostly controlled with a bland diet, extra vitamin E, and a quality brand of the Omega family — which also works for some humans, unless one wakes up to find their eyes swollen shut from ragweed pollen

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by joe_obody999

This article from March 2022 claims that Knoxville is one of the worst places to live if a person has allergies.
https://www.wate.com/news/local-news...ave-allergies/
I am wondering if anybody can comment from personal experience how true that is? I wonder why allergies are so bad in Knoxville, and if so is it any better if e.g. I were to live in a western suburb where prevailing westerly winds might keep any allergens moving east. Or is the pollen allergens situation widespread in area including suburbs like Maryville, etc?

Knoxville is also horrible for air quality, lots of pollution gets trapped in the valley, you have industry like coal power plants and other refineries that also adds to the problem. Combine that with lots of trees and plants, pollen, and mold from all the rain and it is very bad. You already live in one of the best areas of the country for less allergies, the Upper Midwest. Try another city in the Upper Midwest, the shorter growing season and more temperatures below freezing means far less allergies and pollen.

[CrosbyStills]

Originally Posted by TheShadow

The state of TN is an incredibly bio-diverse place and we probably have more types of pollen than any other place in the U.S. Many people claim they never had problems with allergies until they moved here. I am a little bothered by the ragweed and goldenrod pollen in the fall. I don't get many spring allergies. It really doesn't matter where you live in east TN, as it's the same everywhere in this part of the state.

I have heard that Tennessee, and East TN in particular has the second most diverse biosphere in the world. Thanks to the Smokys, it is second only to the Amazon in its bio-diversity. True or not, I do not know, but that is what I have heard. It has the ring of truth and believability to it.

[sluggermatt15]

I moved here in January and I have sneezed more than anywhere else I have ever lived. For the first time in my life I feel like I may have allergies. So, yes it is possible in this part of the state.