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The proportion of Norwegians who have allergy symptoms at Christmas is increasing. According to a new survey, 960,000 Norwegians have a “Christmas allergy”, about 200,000 more than in 2019.
This is demonstrated by a survey conducted by the YouGov analysis agency for the Allergy Guide.
“Christmas allergy” means that you have allergy-like symptoms in the decorations and scents that we normally surround ourselves with at Christmas. The things that most often cause irritation include Christmas trees, Christmas plants, and incense.
Symptoms are usually a stuffy and runny nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes, but the Allergy Guide study also shows that many people experience an itchy nose, as well as red and flushed eyes.
Several of the symptoms can be mistaken for symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as a cold, seasonal flu, or corona, but there are differences.
– While a respiratory infection often passes after a week or two, allergic symptoms will persist if you are still exposed to irritants. Fever is another sign that you have a respiratory infection and are not allergic, because fever is not a common allergy symptom, says Dr. Anders Østrem, a specialist in general medicine.