Is Your Christmas Tree Making You Wheeze?

James Thompson, MD is How are you doing? Health Professional Board Certified Allergist and Internist I spend most of my time treating patients with asthma and allergic... Send Message Subscribe: James Thompson, MD

Thursday, December 11, 2008
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Doc, I get sick every Christmas and end up missing a few days of work. I take my family out to pick a live tree the weekend after Thanksgiving every year and 1-2 weeks later my asthma flares up. Could I be allergic to my Christmas tree?

A Pile of Evergreens- Millions of dormant molds lay with them.

The Christmas holiday season brings more than song and joy to asthma and allergy sufferers across the nation. After Thanksgiving, for many families the next order of business is to hunt for the most perfectly shaped, live Christmas tree from their favorite outdoor nursery. In northern parts of America many evergreen trees are pre-cut and bound together in stacks until time for display. As they lay in waiting, mold, bacteria, dust and dirt collect on their blades and branches. The cold weather allows for some trees to be well preserved despite being cut weeks before being sold.