Dust Mite Allergies Are Common And Frustrating

A dust mite allergy is a common illness that affects millions of people globally each year. Dust mites are tiny bugs that reside in house dust and belong to the spider family. Their primary diet is dead skin cells shed by people and pets. Unsurprisingly, no one actually wants their home to become infested with these troublesome pests. This is especially true if you or someone m

This article will take a look at several different aspects of dust mite allergies. Please feel free to read on to discover how dust mites cause allergies, signs and symptoms of illness and how to manage, prevent and control dust mite related diseases.

Causes of Dust Mite Allergies

Allergies arise when your immune system responds to substances such as pollen, pet dander and dust particles. Dust mite allergens enter your system when you breathe in the waste products of the bugs. Soon after, your immune system swings into action by producing antibodies to counter these alien substances. The immune response causes inflammation of the lungs and nasal passages.

Though dust mite waste is primarily harmless, your body's spirited immune response is what brings about symptoms of running nose, sneezing and wheezing. However, individuals allergic to dust mites tend to develop bad reactions due to the bug's waste. For most people, the allergy symptoms take time to manifest as you continue to inhale dust mite waste over time.

Signs of Dust Mite Allergy

Symptoms associated with dust mite allergy can vary widely, ranging from mild to severe depending on your immune system response. Mild allergy cases can bring about the following symptoms: running nose, sneezing, red, watery and itchy eyes. Severe symptoms may include nasal cavity congestion, coughing, sore throat, facial pressure and pain.

Asthmatic patients may also experience difficulties in breathing, tightness of the chest, audible wheezing sounds when inhaling, shortness of breath during bedtime, and aggravated coughing and sneezing.

While most symptoms can be managed using home remedies, it is crucial to visit an allergist if your symptoms are severe. Allergists are the specialists who diagnose and treat allergy-related illnesses. These specialists perform a series of diagnostic tests to establish if you have a dust mite allergy.

The skin prick test is one of the most popular dust mite diagnostic tests. It entails pricking an area of your skin using an allergen extract to determine if your skin has any adverse reaction to the allergen. A negative reaction manifests through large bumps or swelling around the pricked area.

An alternative to the skin test is the blood test. Blood tests are ideal for people with prevailing skin conditions and those on medication that can affect the accuracy of the skin test. However, unlike the skin test, which tests for actual dust mite allergies, blood tests can only screen for allergen causing antibodies arising from your immune response.

Managing Dust Mite Allergies

The bugs can thrive in a wide range of environments ranging from hot and humid but mostly prefer warm regions with an average temperature of 21 degrees Celsius. The best way to manage dust mite allergies is to minimize exposure to the bugs. Maintain high levels of hygiene throughout your home by regularly cleaning your carpets, beddings, fabric furniture where these bugs like to hide. Reducing dust mite numbers in your home is the best way to keep yourself and your family safe. However, if you already exhibit dust mite allergy symptoms, your allergist will prescribe medical treatments. 

Antihistamine drugs are medications that work by suppressing the production of antibodies by your immune system. Antihistamines provide relief from running nose, sneezing, itchy and watery eyes. The drugs are available as over the counter or as prescription medication. 

Decongestants are another popular medication for dust-mite allergy whose primary role is to contain nasal inflammation to ease breathing difficulties in patients. However, these drugs are best taken under a doctor's prescription, especially for patients with cardiovascular complications.