Your Christmas tree could be making you ill
![Christmas trees wreak havoc for allergy sufferers [Photo: Getty]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/krmjQmy6RvlLUHzI5hJ2Rw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/homerun/feed_manager_auto_publish_494/a8f8d72338496c475afa51166af51cca)
Most of us probably spent the weekend decorating the house for Christmas with the required tree, tinsel and more.
A good deal of us may also have noticed hayfever-like symptoms springing up.
And it’s all down to that pesky Christmas tree.
According to a poll carried out by Prevalin Allergy, over a third of Brits suffer from an increase in allergy symptoms during the festive season.
If you’re experiencing an itchy nose, watery eyes, chest pains and coughing, you could be being affected.
Experts are calling it ‘Christmas tree syndrome’ and are warning that it doesn’t discriminate, affecting adults, children and babies.
Asthma sufferers are also being told to remain vigilant as the mould that can grow on the trees has resulted in thousands of patients being admitted to hospital every December.
![Tree mould can also affect people with asthma [Photo: Getty]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/43oc7UUHR3r9ajdr1DpTOQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/homerun/feed_manager_auto_publish_494/844dd992a905d56417a6cd121f2bf715)
“Most of the time mould is obvious in the home, but many people don’t realise that mould also naturally grows on Christmas trees,” Dr Andy Whittamore told the Express.
“This is made worse when people turn their heating on, as the warmer temperature encourages mould to grow faster.”
He also explains that the tree mould can cause allergic reactions that can trigger asthma symptoms and “in some cases, life-threatening asthma attacks.”
Asthma sufferers should take their preventative inhalers as prescribed to reduce the risk of being affected by their Christmas trees.
If you think that real trees are the only problem, you’d be wrong. Even artificial Christmas trees harbour dust, making them one of the worst offenders for dust allergies.
Bit of a downer, really, especially when you also hear the news that your tree could be housing 25,000 insects.
*shudders*
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