Incense Allergy (how do you cope?)

[QUICUMQUE_VULT]

KathleenElsie:

I am so glad you are allergy free. Many of us are not so blessed. Maybe it would be a KINDNESS on your part to pray for those of us that make you angry while we are having breathing problems. I am sure I would like to let you pray in peace and not have you hear when I can’t breathe.
As one of those people that cough in Mass sometimes, I apologize for bothering you.

Quite the contrary, Sister Kathleen, I am not allergy free. I have the worst sinus problems you could imagine. all due according to my Doctors to pet dander, mold, and being A native born Louisianian.

I do pray for people with allergies as I suffer myself. Like I said some of the people coughing at Mass, sit in bars all night with no problems, but as soon as the incense starts here they go.

I am an usher at our Tridentine Mass, This Christmas Midnight I was standing in the back of Church, where the younger ushers stay during the Mass. Here comes this Lady waving her arms and asking me “Why so much incense?” do they use so much?
coughing, tears rolling down her face. I just looked at her and said 'It’s the latin Mass! welcome to the Catholic Church!

May I add that I saw this lady and her husband (both visitors) smoking outside before we opened the doors.

 

[littleflower033]

This is the first time I have read these replies and I am shocked at the callous attitude that some of the members have shown in their responses. How sad it is that some are judging those they have never even met and could not possibly know what suffering they are going through.
My daughter is severly allergic to both incense and fish and is forced to miss Eucharistic Healing Service, Feast Day Masses, and just had to opt out of a wonderful youth retreat put on by the University of Steubenville because they use incense at every liturgy during the weekend. She cannot go up for Communion even if she does sit in the back because the air around the altar is saturated with incense. The air conditioning carries the incense all over the building anyway.
How sad it is for those who love the Lord and want to participate in the fullness of their faith but are not able to do so because they could potentially go into anaphylactic shock and die.
And shame of those of you who do not have enough compassion to cut these people a little slack.
I will pray for you.

 

[littleflower033]

Allergies tend to be very specific. It is possible to be allergic to incense and not to cigarette smoke. Just like one of my daughters is allergic to shellfish but can still eat fish. Another daughter is allergic to tree nuts but can still eat peanuts.
So don’t be so quick to judge another. Only God knows a person’s heart.

 

[Spiller]

One thing that will help is if the sacristans throughly clean the censor after every mass where it is used and insert a piece of foil that can be thrown out after each mass where it is used. Also, the cheaper versions of incense cause people to have the worst reactions so if a parish is willing to spend the money on the more expensive “real” as opposed to mostly plastic incense then you will breath easier.

GOOD advice!

 

[Spiller]

I always wondered about those who complain about incense smoke. I get hammered by it in my Eastern parish and it might make my nose itch or run, but it’s never caused me a problem.

UNTIL

I loaded my own thurible (scrupulously clean) with “Damascus Rose” scented incense at my Latin parish. After incensing the celebrant I went to incense the faithful and I thought my head was going to explode. That particular incense gives me a major headache!

I think the best advice is to choose incense carefully, maybe pop a Benedryl before Mass and/or bring a small after bottle to Mass with you.

 

[Brenda_V]

This is the first time I have read these replies and I am shocked at the callous attitude that some of the members have shown in their responses. How sad it is that some are judging those they have never even met and could not possibly know what suffering they are going through.
My daughter is severly allergic to both incense and fish and is forced to miss Eucharistic Healing Service, Feast Day Masses, and just had to opt out of a wonderful youth retreat put on by the University of Steubenville because they use incense at every liturgy during the weekend. She cannot go up for Communion even if she does sit in the back because the air around the altar is saturated with incense. The air conditioning carries the incense all over the building anyway.
How sad it is for those who love the Lord and want to participate in the fullness of their faith but are not able to do so because they could potentially go into anaphylactic shock and die.
And shame of those of you who do not have enough compassion to cut these people a little slack.
I will pray for you.

Well put littleflower . This is not the usual type of post on this subject and as much as I want to respond to them, I end up deleting my posts because I feel they are uncharitable. I don’t have any allergies that are bad enough o cause anaphylactic shock or severe asthma attack but it is annoying to go to Mass and get a tickle in your throat causing you to cough, and cough and cough - those who do not have bodies that respond even in this least serious of reactions are blessed.

My solution is to do my best not to attend a Mass that has incense or the one directly after either. I am sure if I sat in the back it would be okay but then I wouldn’t be able to see - yes, my Parish church is that big!

Brenda V.

 

[LindaS]

I also sit in the back, as far from the censer as I can get! I’m not allergic to incense, but I have asthma, so I suffer from incense too. Please know that many of us here are sympathetic to your plight. Allergies are becoming more common, and I think it might have to do with things like increased pollution and other environmental stuff.

Peace,
Linda

 

[po18guy]

And once, when the incense holder (what is that called?) got too close, my throat started to close up and I was frantically struggling to breathe for several minutes.

All the churches now seem to use hypoallergenic incense, so I’ve not had to struggle for breath anymore. But I still get a severe headache, sore throat, and other allergy symptoms (even when I’m doped up with Benadryl)

Do you carry an Epi-Pen (Epinephrine self-injector) with you at all times? Your reaction bordered on anaphylaxis, which can quickly kill you! My son, who has asthma and numerous food allergies (all seafood, all dairy, carrots, eggs, beef, etc. etc.) had similar allergic reactions, has been an altar server since about third grade. We were able to cope by giving him Benadryl beforehand if we knew that incense would be present, but if that does not do it, extreme caution must be used.

Have you spoken with your pastor about this? Do you have a cutting edge allergist? Severe reactions account for many deaths of otherwise healthy persons each year. If you have other health issues as well, please have the medical aspect well under control, then consult with the pastor or sacristan at your parish regarding the incense.

I can also see the problem when you are traveling or visiting other parishes. There might be a mask that would help to some degree. I would keep asking questions and trying solutions until you “nuke” the problem. Gasping for air is not my idea of fun.

Christ’s peace be with you.

 

[Newbie2]

I don’t wish to seem insensitive to your plight, but we heare here all the time from people who are “allergic” to one thing or another that is a typical and desirable part of the service. Sometimes (a wheat communion wafer) it is a necessary part. I’m surprised we have not heard from a bunch of agoraphobes who cannot get to Mass at all for fear of a panic attack (perhaps we have–I’m a relatively new member).

Speak to a priest, unless, of course, you have presbyterophobia, which is another possibility. God does not deny his grace because of the accidents of relatively rare indivdual circumstances. Homosexuals are ten percent of the population, and they are not by the rules allowed ever to have any fulfillment in physical love in a context of grace, without being given additional gifts to endure that. Divorced and remarried people are a huge proportion of attendants at Sunday Mass who are not allowed to communicate. They include women who were battered, cheated upon, and then deserted. Let everyone who comes here complaining about how worship is personally uncomfortable because of a twitch here or a tickle there think about that the next time before they complain about a thing like being allergic to incense, which can be avoided by attending services where it is not used.

Actually, it cannot always “be avoided by attending services where it is not used.” I can tell when there’s been a funeral at our parish within the last FOUR DAYS, as I can still smell it and react to it. And it’s not merely a “twitch or a tickle”, we’re talking major nose-faucet turning on.

Clearly you’ve not experienced allergies; I hope you never get them. Otherwise you’d seem more sensitive to the OP’s plight.

I think the United States, (God Bless Her) Is the only country in the world where people are allergic to food! Third World countries dont seem to have that problem

as for the Incense, It makes me angry when I hear people coughing and hacking during solemn High Mass and or Solemn Benediction. Usually some of these people will sit on A bar stool in A juke joint all night and breathe just fine. Or light one up after Mass.

Again, allergies are very specific and one may or may not have cross reactions to different specific allergens. What is it that makes you angry? It sounds like you think that it’s our own fault (those of us that have incense allergies) that we have allergies or that it’s something that we can control, which I can say from experience is definitely not the case.

As far as how to handle such allergies, avoidance helps, but if they’re really bad like mine, best to seek the advice of a good allergist.

 

[uwwhitewater84]

I have an reaction to incense and I realized it was the first time I went to a Latin Mass. It got so bad with headaches and frequent trips to the bathroom…I thought I had the flu after every Mass.

What works for me is to pop two benadryls before I leave, one an hour before Mass beings, and then another right away when Mass is over. I haven’t had a problem with it now for months.

 

[JMMK]

The type and purity of incense can make a big difference. Purer incense solves most peoples problems, but not all. My girlfriend had a similar problem when she was in the choir, but they switched to the higher quality of that scent and she was fine. But one day they used myrrh and she had to leave the building to breathe. It is quite possible that you will not be able to handle any sort of incense, in which case you’ll have to deal with your priest and see what can be done. Try not to make him the villian, not that it sounded like you were.

I have no allergy to incense, but after it rains and the molds/mildew come out, I can be practically bed-ridden with an allergic reaction that makes it nearly impossible to stand. You have my sympathies.

 

[dchet121272]

First off, I saw someone mention food allergies…to that I say . What a sham.

Second, I digress…I for one LOVE the smell of the incense. However, my wife gets SUPER sick at the smell. Severe headache and a bit of nausea. She is not catholic, doesn’t attend regularly with me (that’s a whole other topic…)…but she has to leave when she sees or smells the “smokey smelly ball” as she lovingly refers to it as. Churches out here don’t use it all that often, but at Christmas and Easter it is. Bummer that she can’t stay for the mass with me.

I know that leaving is not really what you are looking for, but I think that excusing yourself during the times it is used is certiainly better than hacking through it or worse with the throat swelling up. Good luck.

 

[po18guy]

First off, I saw someone mention food allergies…to that I say . What a sham.

My son has an extreme allergy to the protein in beef. He nearly died from the reaction after eating beef some years ago. He was tested and the allergist was surprised at the degree of allergy to beef. What else can you say about this? It’s observable and scientifically measurable. The reaction was similar to the OP’s reaction to the incense.

Christ’s peace.

 

[bcuster]

It seems to me that there may be Masses at hospitals or nursing homes that may not use insense because of the health of the patients. You might check out these possibilities. I am also very sensitive to insense.

 

[Salonika]

As someone who also reacts adversely to incense (and other perfumes) thanks to all posters who have recognised this as a real problem, been understanding and have made suggestions which may help those of us with milder reactions.

Also I would prefer that those who make light of the problems of those with milder allergies because others have worse ones would recognise that allergies are on a continuum, that most of us would love to be without them and and do what they can to make life easier for us.

 

[quiet52]

It seems to me that there may be Masses at hospitals or nursing homes that may not use insense because of the health of the patients. You might check out these possibilities. I am also very sensitive to insense.

Although some parishes arrange for a monthly Mass to be celebrated in a nursing home, it’s unlikely it’s done on a Sunday or feast day or that incense is used.

 

[Bob_Bullman]

I personally have recently acquired an allergic reaction to incense, and my wife and children seem to be bothered by it also. I have spoken to some priests about it. One priest reacted with a laugh and said “I love it, get used to it”, while another said he would try to use it in moderation. One can only hope that when a priest is made aware of people’s reaction to too much incense they will take that into consideration and use it in moderation.

 

[Newbie2]

As someone who also reacts adversely to incense (and other perfumes) thanks to all posters who have recognised this as a real problem, been understanding and have made suggestions which may help those of us with milder reactions.

Also I would prefer that those who make light of the problems of those with milder allergies because others have worse ones would recognise that allergies are on a continuum, that most of us would love to be without them and and do what they can to make life easier for us.

Amen! If there was a way to give my allergies away…someone could have them for free! I’d even pay you to take them.

 

[VACatholicMom]

OP - I can understand your problem. I don’t have such a severe allergic reaction as you do, but the incense has been problematic for me during Mass. When I’m pregnant, especially, I become almost completely intolerant to any kind of smoke or perfume, so we used strategic seating during Mass so I’d smell the least amount of incense possible. However, when I went up to receive Communion and walked past the incense, I often gagged and was terrified of accidentally dropping the Host from my mouth. I was able to find another Mass where incense was not used, and I attended that Mass until the baby was born and my senses were back to normal. The smell still bothers me and we still have to avoid certain seating areas, but it’s managable. Prayers for you; I hope you can find a solution.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I’m curious about how those with incense allergies cope?

I’ve always been allergic. My first parish used a non-hypoallergenic incense, and whenever the incense came out, I lost my voice completely. Every time. (My parents were all freaked out the first time it happened). And once, when the incense holder (what is that called?) got too close, my throat started to close up and I was frantically struggling to breathe for several minutes.

All the churches now seem to use hypoallergenic incense, so I’ve not had to struggle for breath anymore. But I still get a severe headache, sore throat, and other allergy symptoms (even when I’m doped up with Benadryl)

When I finally got my confirmation, my priest had to get a special dispensation from the bishop, to confirm me on a regular Sunday, instead of the Easter Vigil (because of the incense)

How many of you out there are allergic to incense? How do you cope with it?

I mainly try to avoid it at ALL costs. I have a LONG history of numerous alleriges, which continue to get worse the more I am exposed (I have a lot of chronic health problems anyway)

Tif =

If it’s that serious you most likely have a reason to ask for a dispensation from the Sunday obligation. Go during the week to receive Holy Communion.