Montgomery News

• More than 40 million Americans suffer from allergies. 
• Christmas decorations such as trees, wreaths, and ornaments can collect dust and mold. 
• Holiday decorations that are pine-scented can provoke allergy and asthma symptoms.

The holiday season can be an especially difficult time for allergy sufferers, as travel, stress, and even Christmas decorations can lead to worse allergic reactions. According to Dr. Manish Khanna of Capitol Breathe Free, even something as simple as dust can lead to sinus issues.  

“Breathing in dust can clog those little tiny openings in your nose, and when those openings are clogged, the mucus that the sinus lining is producing just hangs around in the nasal passages,” Dr. Khanna told the Montgomery News. “That’s a nice culture medium for bacteria to overgrow and can lead to a sinus infection, and can also lead to really thick post-nasal drip that patients feel and lead to a lot of throat clearing and they start to feel that mucus in the back of their throat, so that's a common symptom of patients who have allergies.”

According to WebMD, experts recommend choosing an artificial tree for the holiday season rather than a live one, as live Christmas trees could have mold or chemicals on them. Additionally, washing ornaments before decorating is recommended, as is choosing non-fabric ornaments, and storing firewood outdoors until it's ready to be used.

The pine scent of organic Christmas trees and other decorations can also trigger allergy and asthma symptoms, according to Good RX. A chemical called terpene, which is in the sap of pine trees, can be irritating to the eyes, nose, and skin. Trees that are decorated with “flocking,” or fake snow, can also set off allergy and asthma symptoms because the flocking releases small particles into the air.

Another cause of allergy triggers during the holiday season is droppings from pests such as mice, cockroaches, and spiders, according to Good RX. Those pests like to nest in dark, damp locations such as basements and garages and often find decoration bins to be good hiding places because they aren't moved often. Droppings from those pests can set off allergy symptoms.

A lot of traveling, stress, and inconsistent usage of medications during the holiday season can also lead to worsened allergies, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Stress in particular can lead to asthma attacks.

According to Capitol Breathe Free's website, Dr. Manish Khanna earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The following year, he completed postgraduate research at the National Institutes of Health. In 2002, he obtained his medical degree from Albany Medical College. where he later completed both his surgical internship and residency, serving as chief resident until 2007. After his residency, he pursued a fellowship in rhinology, specializing in advanced endoscopic sinus surgery, at the California Sinus Institute in Palo Alto, California. He completed this fellowship and achieved board certification in otolaryngology—head and neck surgery in 2008 before returning to the D.C. metro area.