while some people might just act like they have an aversion to the holiday season, others may have a real allergy that could make christmas a little less merry and bright.“christmas tree syndrome” is an allergic reaction to mold growing on your christmas tree that can cause symptoms act up if you’re someone who already suffers from allergies over several seasons.back in 1970, dr. derek wyse published a
study in the canadian medical association journal that found approximately seven per cent of people with allergies or a history of respiratory issues saw a spike in symptoms when exposed to conifers at home or school.the study found that, “scrapings from pine and spruce bark yielded large numbers of penicillium, epicoccum and alternaria, but these failed to become airborne.”wyse’s results were ultimately inconclusive because the type of mold he found varied from home to home. but either way, his study revealed that a christmas tree allergy was indeed a thing.then in 2011, researchers at suny upstate medical university
published a study that looked at 28 trees in 28 different homes and found 53 species of mold — 70 per cent of the samples were potentially harmful.
mold is the reason you’re coughing and sneezing
that same study showed that mold spores in an apartment increased from 800 per cubic meter before a live christmas tree was brought in, to 5,000 spores per cubic meter after the tree had been inside for two weeks.if you do have a reaction, symptoms are generally the same as those with a pollen of typical seasonal allergy. coughing, wheezing and stuffy nose are common, according to
the ohio state university’s wexner medical center. and sometimes, symptoms can show up in the form of a rash or itchy, red bumps.now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you should be hauling your fresh tree to the curb a week before christmas and replacing it before the kids notice.
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