EUGENE, Ore. - If you are allergic to grass, cedar or juniper, you might want to hold your breath.

For a week.

Pollen.com ranked Eugene, Ore., as the single worst spot in the country for allergy sufferers on Tuesday. Salem, Portland and Medford rounded out the top four while Toledo, Ohio, came in fifth.

Pollen counts in Oregon are predicted to be medium-high to high for at least the next week.

The best cities for allergy sufferers on June 17 were: Miami, West Palm Beach and Jacksonville, Fla.; Montgomery, Ala.; and New Orleans, La.

You can check the latest pollen reports for your ZIP code on KATU.com. by clicking the following: LOCAL POLLEN COUNT

Oregon Health and Sciences University offers the following information about pollen allergies:

What is pollen?
Pollen is the tiny egg-shaped male cells of flowering plants, including trees, grasses, and weeds. Pollen is microscopic in size.

Pollen is the most common cause of seasonal allergic rhinitis, sometimes known as "hay fever."

Which plants produce pollen that cause allergic reactions?

Plants that have powdery granules of pollen that are easily blown by the wind, such as:

• Trees: oak, western red cedar, elm, birch, ash, hickory, poplar, sycamore, maple, cypress, walnut, and others.
• Grasses: timothy, Bermuda, orchard, sweet vernal, red top, some blue grasses, and others.
• Weeds: ragweed, sagebrush, pigweed, tumbleweed, Russian thistle, cockleweed, and others.
• Most flowering plants, such as roses, have heavier, waxy pollens that are not as easily wind-blown.

When is "pollen season?"
Each plant has a pollen season. It usually starts in the spring, but may begin as early as January in the southern areas of the US. The season usually lasts until October.

Can allergic rhinitis in pollen season be prevented?
To lessen the effects of allergic rhinitis during pollen season, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology suggests the following:

1. Keep windows closed at night and use air conditioning - which cleans, cools, and dries the air.

2. Minimize outdoor activities early in the morning, between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., when pollen is most prevalent.

3. Keep car windows closed when traveling.

4. Take a vacation to an area where pollen is not as prevalent - such as to the ocean.

5. Take the medications prescribed by your physician.

6. Don't spend much time outdoors when the pollen count is high.

7. Don't rake leaves during pollen season.

8. Don't hang bedding or clothing outside to dry.

9. Don't grow too many indoor plants.