Real Christmas tree and asthma ?

[elizabethgedge]

Hi Everyone

I have enjoyed reading your posts over the last year . I have a question Real or fake Christmas tree ???? I had flu and my first and last I hope asthma attack on Christmas Day ending up in ITU . I know my attack was due to flu however each Christmas I do seem to get some cough etc so I’m thinking it’s the Christmas tree by the wood burner . Does anyone else get problems

Happy Christmas to all

X

[TuckBox2]

Hi Elizabeth,

I used to get really stuffy head, watery eyes, runny nose cough and sneezing while in the office as the Xmas tree was near my desk, somebody jokingly said "could it be the Xmas tree affecting my asthma" I hadn't thought about it before. Then I noticed that while away from the office all my symptoms seemed to clear up, then on Monday morning going in to the office they all flared up within the 1st hour, so after moving my desk & the Xmas tree things did clear up. I had always had an artificial tree at home, and when I visited friends or family with real trees, as long as I stayed as far away as I could I seemed to be OK.

I was put on anti-histamines to try and keep my head and my airways clear as my asthma worsened, which did lessen the severity of the problems too.

[elizabethgedge in reply to TuckBox2]

Yes I think I’m going to go for an artificial tree this year too

[Taztarr]

This was on the TV recently (can't remember which programme). Seemingly real trees will have moss on the needles, trunk and branches and it's these spores that can trigger asthma.

The presenter went on to warn that artificial trees that may have been sitting in the loft for 12 months could have gathered a lot of dust so shake them off or vacuum them.

[Hidden]

Hi elizabethgedge

You might be surprised to learn that both real and artificial Christmas trees can be a trigger for some people with asthma! Real Christmas trees are a host for mould, which is a common asthma trigger.

There's more information here on staying well with a real or a fake tree: bit.ly/2BWFJTv

Hope that helps,

Dita

[leavemebreatheless]

Christmas trees can be a big problem, real trees can be covered in mould and when exposed to the warmth in the house the mould starts shedding spores. Some people can react very badly to the spores, i find it a real problem and i sometimes get a skin reaction also. Fake trees can be dusty but i get my husband to give it a bit of hoover and that helps. Fake all the way.