Millions of individuals throughout the world, from infants to the elderly, routinely suffer from a variety of allergies and, in more severe cases asthma.
If you happen to be one of the unfortunate ones that routinely suffer from allergies then you are well aware of the discomfort that it can cause. From a runny to stuffed nose, continual sneezing, watery and itchy eyes, difficulty breathing, cramps, headaches, and even vomiting, allergies, put simply, can be miserable to deal with.
If you have allergies or suffer from asthma, it may be best to keep scented products such as air fresheners, wick diffusers and candles out of your home and workplace, according to recent fragrance allergy research from a number of medical experts.
The timing of the research news could not have come at a better time, the cusp of the holiday season. A time when many families are just beginning to decorate their homes with a large variety of scented products designed to create a more festive and enjoyable environment.
Battling with Allergies or Asthma – Avoid Scented Products
For individuals that routinely suffer from allergies it is important to begin with consulting your medical professional to assist you in determining the “root cause” of your allergy(s). Since your allergy(s) could be originating from a wide range of sources, the first step is always to understand the actual allergy that you have and thereafter, specifically address the source that is causing the allergy. This being said, the intent of this article is to specifically discuss allergies related to scented products.
Chemical Scents Affect Lung Functioning
Dr. Stanley Fineman of the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Clinic says that the chemicals contained in many scented products lead to runny nose, sneezing and nasal congestion. He said that those with asthma are especially sensitive, and that study data indicates a change in their lung functioning when exposed to certain chemical fragrances.
According to Fineman, very few doctors are aware of the issue as of now. He’s hoping that his research will change that, and believes that he’ll be better able to spread awareness as the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology’s new president.
Increasing Allergies or Increasing Exposure?
Fineman believes that the reason behind his findings isn’t that people are developing new allergies to artificially scented products, but rather that they’re simply exposed to them more often than they used to be. He said that wick diffusers, plug-in deodorizers, scented candles and even mild air fresheners all contain chemicals that could trigger fragrance allergy reactions and asthma attacks.
Stanley Caress of the University of West Georgia agrees. According to a study conducted by Caress in 2009, about 30% of individuals with asthma have a related condition known as chemical hypersensitivity. Individuals with that condition almost unanimously reported experiencing irritation when exposed to scented products during the study.
According to Caress, the likelihood of experiencing an asthma attack as a result of a scented product is directly correlated with the duration of your exposure. In other words, a brief visit to a store with scented products may not cause any irritation, while keeping scented products in your home permanently may pose a problem.
Natural Vs. Artificial Scents
Caress said that when it comes to allergic reactions and asthma attacks, there may be little difference between artificially scented products and those labeled “natural.” However, the only way to know for sure is to try a product and see whether a reaction occurs, though even this may not be worth the trouble for those with higher levels of sensitivity.
Fragrance Allergy Problems: The Bottom Line
If you frequently experience asthma attacks and/or a fragrance allergy reaction, your best bet is to simply remove scented products from your home.
There are other (albeit less convenient) ways to freshen up the scent of your home, such as baking cookies or using dried, whole herbs in an aromatherapy diffuser. Even the latter may cause irritation depending on the specific herbs that are used, so trial and error is once again the only real option.
