Maryland State Wire

• Though many people suffer from allergies year-round, the holiday season can be especially triggering.
• Christmas trees, wreaths and other decorations can collect mold and dust.
• The scent of pine from a fresh tree can worsen allergy and asthma symptoms.

Dr. Jamie Oberman of Frederick Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers says people who experience allergy symptoms have many options available to help them find the source of their allergies.

"You're doing either skin pick testing on the back of the forearm and you're placing the allergen and seeing if they develop a flare," Oberman told the Maryland State Wire. "That's called in vivo testing, and that is still performed, but equally as sensitive and specific is what's called in vitro testing or RAST. In vitro testing, which is a blood test, we're testing for a specific allergy-type antibody. This is a specific antibody to an allergen that somebody is allergic to, and it would be elevated on a blood test. And it's specific for a geographic region, for the Frederick, mid-Atlantic states that we test for, in addition to other panels for food and other allergens."

While more than 40 million Americans suffer from allergies year-round, the holiday season can be an especially triggering time for allergy symptoms, according to WebMD. Evergreen trees, wreaths and other decorations can attract mold, which is a common allergy trigger. Artificial decorations could be the solution, but those decorations should be stored in dry containers to prevent mold that might form if they're stored somewhere damp. Those decorations can also collect dust, which could set off allergy and asthma symptoms as well.

The pine scent of Christmas trees and other decorations can also trigger allergy and asthma symptoms, according to GoodRx. 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 are droppings from pests such as mice, cockroaches and spiders, according to GoodRx. Those pests like to nest in dark, damp locations like basements and garages, and they often find that decoration bins are good hiding places because they aren't moved often. Droppings from those pests can set off allergy symptoms as well.

If you'd like more information on allergy testing and treatment options, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.