It turns out that the main symbol of the New Year is not only the smell of pine needles and a magical mood, it is also the risk of undermining health.
What is New Year without a tree? Fluffy green twigs, balls, the smell of tangerines – this is our everything! Many are already stocking up on citrus fruits and caviar for the table, and in a week, if not less, the first conifers will appear in the apartments. It is generally accepted that everything natural is certainly better than artificial. So it is with the tree. Well, how can a live one give way to a factory one? However, not all so simple. In recent years, there have been more and more reports of spoiled holidays. The editorial staff of Wday.ru found out why the guest from the forest is dangerous.
“Allergy to needles can manifest itself in varying degrees,” Denis Aleksandrovich Prokofiev, head of the therapeutic department of the diagnostic center No. 5, explained to Wday.ru. – Starting from the banal contact dermatitis of the type of allergic urticaria, which occurs after you touch the tree. In this case, you need to take antihistamines – tablets inside and ointment on the skin. Often people turn to an ophthalmologist with complaints of redness of the eyes, which appeared as soon as a forest beauty was brought into the apartment. There have been cases when small particles of needles got into the eyes, causing corneal erosion; in such circumstances, an urgent need to consult a doctor. And, of course, an allergic reaction can develop in people suffering from bronchial asthma, which occurs against the background of an exacerbation. Although the needles are hypoallergenic, they can act as an allergen and provoke asthma attacks due to essential oils (attacks must be stopped immediately with the help of special medications). “
As you can see, there are many reasons for excitement. Even if you put a Christmas tree at home every year, this does not mean that you can sleep peacefully. It happens: a person lived with a cat for twenty years, and in the twenty-first year a number of factors coincided, and he developed an allergy to the pet. The same goes for the Christmas tree. Therefore, before you buy a live tree, first bring home some coniferous twigs to test for compatibility. Or go to your doctor and have an allergy test.
“By the way, in our clinic there were cases when patients complained that they touched the trunk of a Christmas tree and they developed a rash, but it was an allergic reaction not to the needles themselves, but to the chemicals that the tree is treated with during cultivation and after the felling, so that it better preserved, ”added our expert.
If you still decide to buy a tree, as soon as you bring it home, immediately moisten it with water to remove dust from the branches. Place the tree away from the battery so that it does not heat up, otherwise it will actively produce essential oils. And try to put it away from the children’s room. Unfortunately, there are more and more children with allergies in recent years. Doctors associate this with poor ecology and the lifestyle that modern mothers are forced to lead.
Alternatives to a live tree:
– artificial – made of synthetic materials, which can also be allergic. Try to choose the highest quality wall. A sure sign – there should be no unpleasant chemical smell from the Christmas tree.
– do it yourself: the tree can be built from any materials at hand. For example, from books.
– drawn – on a Whatman paper or even a poster. A good alternative for those who have cats at home.
– from a garland: attach the glowing Christmas tree garland to your wall, door, or even curtain.