Syracuse, N.Y. -- Syracuse University football coach Scott Shafer has plenty of company when it comes to hay fever misery.

That's because Syracuse ranks No. 25 among the nation's 100 worst cities for fall allergies, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

The foundation ranked and scored the cities based on their pollen levels, allergy medicine use and the number of certified allergists in the area. Witchita, Kansas ranked No. 1, making it the worst U.S. city.

Syracuse has worse than average fall pollen, according to the report. Pollen from weeds is a greater problem in the fall than in the spring, the report said.

Allergies are caused by an overreaction of the human immune system to a foreign substance. The most common type of allergy in the fall is allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever. Hay fever symptoms include nasal stuffiness and congestion, sneezing, nasal itching and coughing.

Syracuse University football coach Scott Shafer.

Shafer has been plagued by coughing fits during recent news conferences.

He's blamed the problem on hay fever.

Ragweed causes most fall allergy symptoms. Other fall pollinating weeds in Syracuse include Amaranth, Goosefoot, and Sage, according to the report.

The foundation said rising temperatures and carbon dioxide levels are extending ragweed season by more than a month.

You can contact health writer James T. Mulder at jmulder@syracuse.com or (315) 470-2245. Follow him on Twitter @JamesTMulder.

