How are your allergies/sinuses/asthma in this area? (Virginia Beach: 2015, living in)

[LPTP]

This isn't the best time of year to ask the question, but I'm curious how your allergies/asthma/sinuses/overall respiratory health are in Virginia Beach and surrounding areas? Especially compared to other areas you might have lived. I know we are all different but am just curious. My little family is moving from Utah, where my allergies have been atrocious, to Virginia Beach this spring. I'm hoping being near the ocean will be better for me, and I can't recall on our trips there having a lot of trouble, but just curious about everyone else.

Along the same lines, any allergist recommendations would be great.

[Poquoson7]

We moved here from California in 2006 and my allergies, seasonal hayfever, have diminished. I still get the sneezing and itchy eyes in the spring and fall but the duration and intensity have lessened. I attribute the improvement to less dust and other airborne particulates that come with the dry western climate.

[goofy328]

Pretty bad. Not as bad as when I was in Wisconsin though.

[AvgAmericanM]

I'm from the Midwest, sinus infections were common, virtually none in my ~2yrs here.

[JeffConn]

The pollen season is rough here. This spring, you will see yellow rivers full of pollen every time it rains. It will affect you; there's no getting around it.

[UHgrad]

Originally Posted by LPTP

This isn't the best time of year to ask the question, but I'm curious how your allergies/asthma/sinuses/overall respiratory health are in Virginia Beach and surrounding areas? Especially compared to other areas you might have lived. I know we are all different but am just curious. My little family is moving from Utah, where my allergies have been atrocious, to Virginia Beach this spring. I'm hoping being near the ocean will be better for me, and I can't recall on our trips there having a lot of trouble, but just curious about everyone else.

Along the same lines, any allergist recommendations would be great.

I don't have allergies so I can't offer any personal anecdotes but there are places that study this kind of thing and heres what they say... Generally speaking this area is considered worse than average for allergies but not terrible. Of the aafa "most challenging" allergy metros it refers to the VB metro as the 29th worst for both fall and spring. Perhaps you can find some other places you have lived on the list and compare...

http://www.aafa.org/media/Fall-Aller...-List-2015.pdf

http://www.aafa.org/media/Spring-All...5-Rankings.pdf

For what it's worth, Salt Lake City ranks 89th so on the whole we are worse than they are... maybe you'll get lucky and whatever particular thing y'all have issues with is common in Utah but not here.

[The Dissenter]

My mother has bad sinus/allergy issues and Hampton Roads wasn't a terrible spot for her at all. Now where she lives in Indiana/Northern KY is AWFUL.

[avnideshmukh]

For asthmatic patients spring season in Virginia is pretty difficult. I have experienced it myself during my stay there.

[Lockdev]

For 20 years, I had at least two sinus infections a year while living in SE Virginia.

In California, never had a sinus infection but my allergies are a constant problem. Never had those problems in Virginia.

Never had allergy or sinus problems when I lived in Michigan.

[NorthernGator]

Originally Posted by LPTP

This isn't the best time of year to ask the question, but I'm curious how your allergies/asthma/sinuses/overall respiratory health are in Virginia Beach and surrounding areas? Especially compared to other areas you might have lived. I know we are all different but am just curious. My little family is moving from Utah, where my allergies have been atrocious, to Virginia Beach this spring. I'm hoping being near the ocean will be better for me, and I can't recall on our trips there having a lot of trouble, but just curious about everyone else.

Along the same lines, any allergist recommendations would be great.

Hi LPTP,
I have allergies and asthma. I've lived in New England, NC, FL CO, JPN and now VA. I find each time I move at first I always have some asthma and allergies kicking up. It's just part of the adjustment process. that being said, in Maine I never had exposure or issues with seasonal or anything outside. Once I moved to NC I was ok, until certain seasons then I went to the allergist who informed me I was allergic to about 90% of the outdoor plants/trees there. So, I would say it depends on what type of allergies you have. Just to make my life easier, (because moving kicks up dust anyway) I always take my allergy pill for the first week, then try life without it.


I did feel in the south I had far more allergic reactions to the "outside" than in New Eng or CO. Overseas I had chest pains (pleurisy) likely due to the pollution. Many people that didn't even have allergies had issues there. So, I'd just take whatever you take normally for the first week (or what you might take seasonally) and ask the locals or even the local asthma / allergy medical group (specialist) online their opinions. But it will always be unique to you and often you can adapt and or find if things are unbearable, it is just a very bad year and normally you are just fine.


VA is an awesome state and I hope all works out- I'm fairly new so I can't offer any allergist recommendations yet (which meanst I'm doing very well!)