According to the CDC, allergies were the sixth main cause of chronic illness in 2016. More than 50 million Americans are affected by allergies every year. While they can be a drag for adults, they could pose a serious threat to seniors. The bad news is that an increasing number of senior citizens experience allergic reactions for the first time at this age.

What makes allergies so dangerous to seniors is that they can complicate other chronic conditions such as asthma. Even worse, antihistamines commonly used to cure allergies can interfere with medications seniors take to regulate blood pressure. Allergy medications could also cause dizziness and sleepiness, increasing the risk of falling and injury.