Knoxville residents, brace yourselves for the sniffling and eye-watering days of spring, as the city ranks as one of the worst places for allergy sufferers. Citing the Allergy, Asthma, and Sinus Center in Knoxville, WBIR reports that Knoxville is a hotbed for severe allergies, consistently making the top 30 cities list most years.

Pollen from birch, poplar, and cedar trees, along with over 1,600 species of flowering plants from the Great Smoky Mountains, inundate the city come spring. With the region's unpredictable "five little winters," making the true onset of spring hard to pin down, allergy season becomes equally difficult to forecast. As a physician assistant with Summit Medical Group, Sarah Bachor told WBIR, "Here in East Tennessee, it depends on Mother Nature. If we get another hard frost, it can push it off, but it's really dependent on what she does, unfortunately."

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America also backs up Knoxville's notorious reputation, placing it as number 35 on their top 100 list of challenging cities for allergy sufferers. Sue Wright, a longtime Knoxville resident, spends time outdoors despite the onslaught of pollen that exacerbates her symptoms. "Running nose, sneezing, not a sore throat really but just sneezing. Almost like a cold but not quite," Wright said in an interview obtained by WATE.

Aside from taking daily allergy medication and carrying eyedrops, Bachor suggested, in an assessment shared by WBIR, that a sinus saline rinse can alleviate nasal symptoms. Not to mention bathing pets regularly and washing your bed sheets, considering pollen can ambush one's sleep when spring ambushes you.

Dust, mold, pet dander, and even summer smog add to Tennessee's allergy woes, as described by Wyndly, which suggests personal treatment plans for enduring relief. As the sneezes echo and the eyes tear up, it's clear Knoxville's spring beauty comes with a price for those plagued by allergies.