KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Story courtesy of WVLT) – Knoxville ranks as the 21st worst in the country for seasonal allergies, according to a new national report, and local allergy sufferers say this year has been particularly difficult.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America released its 2026 Allergy Capitals report, which ranks the 100 most populous cities based on pollen levels, over-the-counter medication use and access to allergy specialists.
Dr. Ty Prince, an allergist with the Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Center, has practiced in Knoxville for 30 years. He said Knoxville’s geography plays a major role in its high allergy rates.
“Some people believe there’s more of a bowl effect here,” Prince said. “So coming from the Carolinas and Virginia area and Kentucky that maybe the pollen blows in but it doesn’t pass through.”
The type of pollution in East Tennessee also promotes allergy development. Diesel-based pollution from interstates and sulfur-based pollution from coal-fired steam plants alter the immune system, according to Prince.
wvlt
Spring tree pollen, including cedar, maple, oak and pine, is already showing up in the area. Prince said pollen counts are so high that grains stack on top of each other on counters used to measure levels.
“When you do the counts, you can only count so many grains per slide,” Prince said. “We see the grains stacking on the top of each other on our counters here in East Tennessee.”
The pollen is also more potent than it used to be, he said. Air samples from 50 years ago show the difference.
Allergy seasons have gotten longer over the last 30 years, driven in part by warmer winters, Prince said.
Tree pollen used to arrive in March and April. Now, it starts appearing in February. Ragweed bloomed around Aug. 23 when Prince first started practicing in Knoxville. Now, it appears in early August.
“For sure, you know, again we’re seeing longer springs and longer falls,” Prince said.
Kathy Foster has had allergies her entire life and receives allergy shots.
“They’re worse this year than they’ve been in a long time,” Foster said.
Amanda Alderdice, a lifelong Knoxville resident, said symptoms now start as early as late February. She experiences runny nose, headache and congestion each spring with trees and in fall with ragweed.
“I’ve been here my whole life,” Alderdice said. “So it’s been something I’ve been used to growing up every spring, you know, it’s going to happen.”
Tony Soto moved back to Knoxville a couple of years ago after living in Louisville for 18 years. When he was younger, sinus infections would last a couple of weeks. Now, symptoms last three to four weeks.
“I find that my experience here is worse than when I was in Kentucky,” Soto said.
This year brought new symptoms, including ringing in his ears and congestion.
“It’s an inconvenience,” Soto said. “It can affect work, it can affect just daily routines of life.”
Tammy Lynch’s husband moved to Knoxville from Florida 25 years ago. He has had three sinus surgeries due to allergies.
“He’s originally from Florida, but as soon as we moved here, and we’ve been here for about 25 years, he has allergies probably about five months out of the year,” Lynch said. “And it’s pretty bad.”,
Over-the-counter medications only provide symptom relief and do not change the progression of allergies, Prince said.
“To change the progression, you either need to move out of East Tennessee or do the allergy shots, one of the two,” Prince said.
He recommends seeing an allergist if over-the-counter medications are not enough, or if allergies are causing asthma, sinus infections or fatigue. Allergy shots are the only treatment that changes how the immune system responds to allergens.
The Allergy Asthma Immunology Center has offices across East Tennessee and Middle Tennessee.
