Is a Christmas tree allergy making you sick? If mold spores make you sneeze, your living Christmas tree could be giving you symptoms.
Is a Christmas tree allergy making you sick? If mold spores make you sneeze, your living Christmas tree could be giving you symptoms.
Once a pine tree leaves the forest and lands in your living room, it may be festooned with mold along with ornaments, tinsel and lights. A study presented to a scientific meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAA) found that bringing a live Christmas tree into a home can significantly increase indoor mold counts.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, inhaling or touching mold spores may cause a reaction in people who are allergic to them.
Symptoms of the allergy — sometimes called Christmas tree syndrome — include:
- Runny nose
- Congestion
- Red, itchy eyes
- Skin rash
The study suggests replacing your natural tree with an artificial one or opening a window for several minutes each day to help prevent allergic reactions.
Care when you need it, even from home
Norton eCare allows you to visit with a local Norton Healthcare provider any time, any day, through your MyNortonChart account.
But if your Christmas tree already has you looking like Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, it may be time to turn to a professional for help, according to Rachel Alexander, APRN, a nurse practitioner with Norton eCare.
“It’s important for your physician to help you determine whether you are experiencing allergies or something more, such as a cold or the flu, and provide the right treatment,” Rachel said.
However, if you are unable to see your primary care provider, you can schedule a virtual visit through Norton eCare to help determine if it’s an allergic response or something else. A Norton eCare provider can refer you for drive-thru testing if needed.
| Signs and Symptoms | COVID-19 | Cold | Influenza | Allergies |
| Symptom onset | Abrupt | Gradual | Abrupt | Abrupt |
| Fever | Common | Rare | Usually; lasts 3 to 4 days | No |
| Aches | Sometimes | Slight | Usually; often severe | No |
| Chills | Common | Uncommon | Fairly common | No |
| Fatigue, weakness | Sometimes | Sometimes | Usually | Sometimes |
| Sneezing | Rare | Common | Sometimes | Common |
| Stuffy nose | Rare | Common | Sometimes | Common |
| Sore throat | Sometimes | Common | Common | No |
| Chest discomfort, cough | Common | Mild to moderate; hacking cough | Common; can be severe | Sometimes |
| Headache | Sometimes | Rare | Common | Sometimes |
| Extreme exhaustion | Sometimes | Never | Common | No |
| Shortness of breath | When serious | Rare | Rare | Sometimes |
| Runny nose | Rare | Common | Sometimes | Common |
| Diarrhea | Sometimes | No | Sometimes | No |
| New loss of taste or smell | Common | No | No | No |
