What Is It & Cause
This is an allergy which is triggered by presence of dust mites in your home. This allergy causes several skin reactions to people of all ages and pets.
Causes of this the allergy include
When your immune system reacts to foreign substances such as dust mite, you end up with an allergy. Your immune system produces an inflammatory response when you are in contact with an allergen.
This response is mostly in your lungs or nasal passage. The chronic inflammation which causes asthma is associated with too much exposure to an allergen.
There are two ways through which dust mites can cause allergies
- As they eat, dust mites produce waste. This waste is usually the allergen that causes the allergy for some people.
- The body parts or bodies of these microscopic organisms are the other cause of allergies. When dust mites die with their bodies being left behind, you will still be in danger of getting dust mite allergies. Produced during their life cycle, the remains following death of dust mites are considered to be second allergen.
Can Dust Allergies Lead To Asthma
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology , a dust allergy may trigger asthma. This only tends to occur in children, though, and not teens, adults, or seniors. Of course, if someone in your family already has asthma, then an undiagnosed allergy like a dust allergy can absolutely exacerbate symptoms.
Your first inclination may be to thoroughly wipe down the house, covering every nook and cranny. The ACAAI suggests not doing this. Kicking up all that dust and dirt from cleaning will only serve to increase the severity of dust mite allergy symptoms and may trigger an asthma episode as well.
Diagnosis Of Dust Mites Allergies In Dogs
Diagnosing your dog may be hard to do because it seems to be just a general, all over itchiness and runny nose and the veterinarian may think it is just dry skin or chronic dermatitis. You should mention if your dog is fine while outside and that it is a year-round condition. The veterinarian will do a complete and thorough physical exam including skin and coat condition, general health, vital signs, as well as some laboratory tests. Some of the tests your veterinarian may suggest are a complete blood count, blood chemistry profile, electrolyte level, bacterial and fungal swab, urinalysis, and fecal examination.
Even with a physical examination, the veterinarian may not suspect an allergy to dust mites because skin afflictions are so common. However, if your dog is fine while outside but itchy indoors and if it gets worse during or after vacuuming or dusting, you should call your veterinarian and have your dog tested for dust mite allergy.
Serum Allergy Test
If you think dust mites are the cause of your dogs itchiness, be sure to mention this to your veterinarian and ask for a serum allergy test. This test is done by using a blood sample that is tested for signs of allergic response.
Intradermal Allergy Testing
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What Is A Dust Mite Allergy
A dust mite allergy is an allergic reaction to dust mites. Dust mites are tiny, eight-legged relatives of spiders. Theyre too small to see with your eyes. An allergic reaction is your bodys response to an allergen.
Dust mites live on bedding, mattresses, carpets, curtains and upholstered . They feed on the dead skin cells that you and your pets shed.
Dust mites have proteins in their feces and dead bodies. Usually, these substances called allergens are harmless. However, your immune system views them as harmful invaders, like bacteria or viruses, and responds to get them out of your body.
Top 4 Natural Dust Mite Allergy Treatment Options
There are natural dust mite allergy treatment options that reduce the risks associated with using conventional medicines. Here are some of the ones I have found to be most effective in keeping my itchy, watery eyes and stuffy nose at bay.
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Can Dust Mite Allergy Be Treated With A Pill
- By Anna R. Wolfson, MD, Contributor
Its something people dont like to think about, but its a fact that dust mites are all around us. These mites are microscopic relatives of spiders and ticks who live off of skin cells that we shed. It is almost impossible to eradicate them, and even the cleanest home has dust mites. Though dust mites do not bite us or cause rashes, they are a common cause of year-round allergy symptoms such as runny nose, itchy eyes, and sneezing. People with dust mite allergy have a persistently itchy nose even when not physically around dusty objects.
A recent study has shown that a new way of treating dust mite allergy is effective and safe. What do you need to know about this treatment, called sublingual immunotherapy?
Dust Mite Allergy Symptoms And Causes
Symptoms of a dust mite allergy can include sneezing, a runny and/or stuffy nose, and post nasal mucus drip. Red or watery eyes, coughing, and an itchy nose, mouth, or throat may be additional signs of a reaction. Allergies to dust mites are often worst at night and in the morning due to time spent near mattresses, bedding, and pillows where mites often live. Symptoms tend to be milder than those related to hay fever. But unlike a pollen allergy, which is seasonal distress, dust mite allergies occur all year and often peak in the winter when people spend more time inside.
Whether it’s an allergy to pollen, a particular food, pets, insect venom, or dust mites , allergic symptoms occur when the body overreacts to a typically harmless foreign substance. The allergen causes the body to create antibodies to fight against it, and the antibodies attach to cells. When the cells reencounter the allergen, they react by releasing chemicals including histamine. These chemicals, in turn, cause an allergic reaction.8
Why do some people get dust mite allergies but others do not? Allergies may have a genetic component as they often run in families. Exposure to air pollution, cigarette smoke, and other environmental toxins may also increase their likelihood. Usually, dust mite allergies begin in childhood or during adolescence. While you can treat the symptoms, the allergy never goes away.
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How Do I Know If I Have Dust Mite Allergies
Are you finding yourself coughing and wheezing all of a sudden? If there’s no immediate clue of a viral or bacterial infection, you may be dealing with an allergen in your living space or environment. People with sensitivity to respiratory allergens have to pay special attention to their hygiene and cleanliness.
When dust and dust mites get out of control, it affects the air quality in your home, leading to the onset of an increase in the frequency and intensity of allergic responses. Dust is a seasonal problem, occurring when the dry season reaches its peak. Particulate matter floats up into the atmosphere, where it travels great distances.
If you live next to a construction site, then chances are the dust from the site will find its way into your home. Living in a dusty home is a surefire way to start noticing the effects of dust allergies in your life. However, it’s not only dust that can interfere with the air quality in your home.
Dust mites are microscopic parasites that feed off dead human skin cells. They reside all around the home, in carpets and rugs, furniture like the couch, in curtains and your mattress. You wouldn’t believe us if we told you what’s living in your bed.
Dust mites are particularly active when relative humidity levels in the home reach over 55%. At this humidity level, the dust mites start to colonize and spread. As a result, you’ll end up breathing them in at night when you sleep, while you’re resting on the couch, or lying on the carpet.
How Do I Know If I Have A Dust Mite Allergy
Springtime has officially arrived, which means its prime allergy season. You may rely on over-the-counter or even prescription medication to get you through, but this year has been different. Youre still taking your medication, but you cant seem to stop itching, sneezing, and feeling congested.
Youre starting to wonder if this is an issue with your allergies or perhaps something more. Could it be asthma or a previously-undiagnosed allergy, such as a dust mite allergy?
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What Are The Causes Of Dust Mite Allergies
Dust mites live in the fibrous items in your home, like the carpets and your mattress. It’s impossible to remove these microscopic critters from your life entirely. We all live with some degree of dust mites crawling around in our homes.
However, when the dust mite populations get out of control, they start to cause issues without health. Typically, it would help if you overly had overly humid conditions in a room for a persistent amount of time to increase dust mite activity.
Conditions where relative humidity rises above 80% cause dust mites to get busy. They start colonizing and spreading through the home at a rapid rate.
Allergies start to occur when the immune system interacts with foreign contaminants like pollen, dander, dust, or dust mites. The immune system produces IgE proteins, also known as antibodies, to spearhead the bodies defense against the invading pathogen.
However, people with allergies have a type of auto-immune dysfunction where the antibodies recognize allergens as harmful pathogens, creating an immune response in healthy tissues to drive out the substance they deem dangerous.
As a result, the affected individual starts to notice the onset of allergy symptoms, such as a cough, sneeze, or congestion. Prolonged exposure to allergens may be a cause of the development of asthma in affected individuals.
Reduced Quality Of Life
These direct symptoms can lead to debilitating secondary problems. For example, sleep disorders indirectly caused by dust mite allergy have particularly negative social, academic and professional impacts on adults and children, including:
- Concentration and attention disorders
- Poor school or occupational performance
- Fatigue and drowsiness
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Causes Of Dust Mites Allergies In Dogs
Dust mite allergies in dogs are caused by dust mites, their dead bodies and body parts, and dust mite waste. If your dog has been having symptoms the entire year and seems to breathe better outdoors, you might suspect dust mite allergies. There are several ways your dog can be exposed to dust mites:
The Skinny On Natural Dust Mite Allergy Relief
Trust me when I say you do not have to swallow a bunch of pills or spray fluids up your nose to tame your dust mite allergy symptoms. These natural alternatives for achieving dust mite allergy relief have worked for me for years. I wish some of these products had been available when I first was diagnosed. I could have saved myself years of dry skin and nose bleeds from more conventional treatments.
Breathe well!
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Avoid Exposure To Dust Mites
If you do not want to have dust mite allergy, you will need to by all means avoid coming into contact with dust mites.
Constantly cleaning your house and wiping off any dust using a damp cloth is the easiest way to keep dust mites away. There is an article which fully discusses ways of getting rid of dust mites as well as preventing them.
Diagnosing Dust Mite Allergies
You should see an allergist if you find your symptoms are worse at home, especially when cleaning or when you go to bed. An allergist is someone who diagnoses and treats allergies.
Your allergist will use diagnostic tests to determine whether you have a dust mite allergy. The most common type of test is a skin-prick test. During this test, the allergist will prick an area of your skin with a small extract of the allergen. Your allergist will then wait about 15 minutes to see if your skin has any negative reactions. If you do have a reaction, you will likely develop a large bump around the pricked area of skin. The area may also become red and itchy.
A blood test is sometimes used instead of a skin test. Note that a blood test can only screen for antibodies, so the results may not be as accurate.
The best treatment option is to limit your exposure to dust mites. If that doesnt work, there are several over-the-counter and prescription medications that can help relieve the symptoms of a dust mite allergy:
- antihistamines, such as Allegra or Claritin, can help relieve sneezing, runny nose, and itching
- nasal corticosteroids, such as Flonase or Nasonex, can reduce inflammation while offering fewer side effects than their oral counterparts
- , such as Sudafed or Afrin, can shrink tissues in nasal passages, making it easier to breathe
- medications that combine an antihistamine and decongestant, such as Actifed or Claritin-D
Other treatments that may provide relief include:
Singulair
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What Are Dust Allergy Symptoms
If you have an allergy to dust mites, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Persistent coughing
- Mucous dripping from the back of the nose to the throat, which is also known as a postnasal drip
- Itching, reddened skin
- Watery, red, irritated, and itchy eyes
- Excessive sneezing
If you already have asthma, you can expect your symptoms to be more severe. Be prepared for:
- Wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath that makes it hard to engage in physical activities and sleep well
- Wheezing or whistling each time you take a breath
- Consistent chest pain and tightness
- An inability to breathe at times
Diagnosis And Treatment For Dust Mite Allergies
Allergy testing can determine whether house dust mites trigger your respiratory or dermatological symptoms. See your doctor for further information and advice regarding evidence-based allergy tests.
If tests show that you are allergic to house dust mites, there are ways to reduce your immune system response. For example, you could undergo allergen immunotherapy, which involves deliberately exposing you to dust mite extracts to train your immune system not to overreact.
Measures designed to reduce your households dust mite population may also be helpful.
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Slit: The Convenient New Way To Treat Dust Mite Allergy
Sublingual immunotherapy , which was approved by the FDA in 2017, is the newest treatment option for treatment of dust mite allergy. It is sold under the brand name Odactra in the United States. Just like SCIT, SLIT trains the immune system to no longer recognize dust mites as an allergen. The biggest benefit compared to SCIT is the convenience: this is an oral medication that is taken at home.
The daily medication is placed under the tongue, and many patients complain of a bit of tingling in the mouth or an odd taste. And because there is a risk of an allergic reaction, you must carry an EpiPen at all times so that you can treat yourself if necessary. I teach all of my patients on SLIT to recognize and treat anaphylaxis. Your doctor may not prescribe SLIT if you cannot use epinephrine for any reason, such as severe heart disease. SLIT is expensive, and insurance approval has been a major barrier for my patients, despite my best efforts.
Dust Mite Allergy And Management
The first-line management of dust mite allergy is always to manage the environment. Beyond cleaning , encasing any upholstery that cannot be washed will reduce the impact of dust mites, which like to burrow into soft cushions and mattresses. Zippered, allergen-resistant encasements for pillows, mattresses, and box springs can be purchased and are an effective measure in the fight against these microscopic mites. Over-the-counter allergy medications such as steroid nasal sprays and antihistamines can also be helpful.
For decades, when these measures have failed, we have used allergy shots, also called subcutaneous immunotherapy , to treat dust mite allergy. This is an effective but burdensome treatment, which involves weekly shots for approximately six to eight months, and then monthly shots for approximately three to five years. The shots must be given in a doctors office, where a physician is present, because of the risk of allergic reactions. This is an inconvenience during normal times, but even more so during the pandemic.
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What Is The Best Allergy Medication For Dust Mites
Treating a dust mite allergy
- antihistamines, such as Allegra or Claritin, can help relieve sneezing, runny nose, and itching.
- nasal corticosteroids, such as Flonase or Nasonex, can reduce inflammation while offering fewer side effects than their oral counterparts.
How do humans get rid of dust mites?
Specifically, leaving toys overnight in a sealed bag in the freezer will kill the dust mites, and washing them in hot water will remove their bodies. Washing clothes and linens using the hot wash setting will also help remove dust mites.
Can dust mites crawl on you?
But, unlike rodent mites, itch mites and chiggers, skin irritation is rarely caused by exposure to dust mites. Although they may hitchhike on clothing, dust mites do not live on people. They feed primarily on dander, flakes of dead skin that fall from people and animals.
