Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Air Fresheners & Allergies

They might make your house or work space smell great, but they could also be causing you health problems.

We're talking about air fresheners and scented candles. Both are causing a rise in the allergic reactions around the country. And since they tend to be used more often this time of year, they can cause more problems for more people.

We've all seen then and most of us have used scented candles and air fresheners to get that seasonal smell into our homes or offices. The reason they spread a good smell around is because they emit VOC, volatile organic compounds. Those are chemicals from an unseen gas or vapor these products put out that float around in the air. It's those chemicals that can cause an allergic reaction. According to a new study, around 1 in 3 of us have reported adverse reactions to these types of scented problems. Oftentimes these reactions mean sneezing, coughing and runny nose; typical allergy symptoms.

This doesn't mean you need to get rid of these products, it just means you need to be aware that if someone starts having allergic type reactions in your home or office, look to see if these products are in place. If so, then you might want to consider putting them aside, at least while the affected person is around.

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