Litchfield Hills Today

• Though many people suffer from allergies year-round, the holiday season can be especially triggering.
• Christmas trees, wreaths and other decorations can collect mold and dust.
• The scent of pine from a fresh tree can worsen allergy and asthma symptoms.

Dr. Robert Weiss of CT ENT Sinus Center said he can help people figure out where they are encountering allergens and how to minimize contact with them.

“There are a lot of indoor allergies that we test for," Weiss told Litchfield Hills Today. "Pets, cats and dogs, mold, dust, dust mites, that kind of thing. We usually can give the patient a pretty good idea of where they're encountering the things that are making them sick. Is it in your home? Is it in your office? Is it a certain time of year? That's very valuable information, because if you know this as a patient, you can anticipate when you're going to encounter this stuff, when you're going to be sick and feel bad, and you can do something about it. That could just mean avoiding it. If it's in your home, maybe tear up some of that carpeting with all the dust mites or change your bedding."

According to WebMD, more than 40 million people in the U.S. have year-round allergies, but symptoms can be exacerbated during the holidays because of evergreen trees, wreaths and various decorations. These can attract mold, causing an allergy trigger. Artificial decorations can help, but they need to be stored in a dry container to avoid mold. Mold can set off allergy and asthma symptoms.

Pine-scented Christmas trees and various decorations can trigger allergy symptoms, according to GoodRx. Pine tree sap contains a chemical called terpene, and this can cause irritation to the skin, eyes and nose. Also, trees that have fake snow, called “flocking,” can send small particles in the air and cause irritation.

Mice, cockroaches and spiders can also be a cause of allergies. These pests like to nest in dark, damp areas such as basements and garages. The tend to find holiday decoration bins because they aren’t moved often. Their droppings can be the reason for allergy symptoms as well.

If you'd like more information on allergy testing and treatment options, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.