Dealing with dust mite allergy – Symptoms and treatment options

It’s hard to believe that one can have an allergy to some microscopically tiny insects found in dust, but the reality is these dust mites can cause many problems.

The thought that some tiny bugs feed on the dead cells you constantly shed may cause you just a “yuck”, but learn these dust mites are responsible for a bunch of issues in the case of allergic people, including trouble breathing, itchy and red eyes, chest tightness, coughing, facial pain, and even worse, asthma. It’s unbelievable how these microscopic creatures lead to such serious problems, but it’s true. Dust mites are incredibly adaptable to any climate and altitude, thriving in humid and warm environments.

You can’t see them, but they live everywhere, from carpets and mattresses to upholstery. Since they’re so resistant, you have to deep clean and vacuum your home regularly to avoid exposure to dust mite allergens. Surprisingly, dust mite allergies affect millions of people globally. More than that, house dust mite (HDM) allergens represent the most common cause of allergic asthma and rhinitis. Once in contact with dust mites, their dead carcasses and proteins, more precisely, one’s immune system produces antibodies against these, hence the allergic reactions.

Read on to learn more about this condition and how to deal with it.

Diagnosis

Depending on your symptoms and responses to questions about your house, your physician will determine the diagnosis. To confirm the allergy to some airborne substance, the healthcare practitioner may use a special instrument to observe the condition of your nose lining. If the airborne allergy is positive, the lining of your nose may appear bluish and pale and probably be swollen.

In case you’re suspected of dust mite allergy, which manifests while in the bed or cleaning the house, your physician may call on further tests to deliver an adequate diagnosis, including:

• Allergy skin test. The most common method to determine what you’re allergic to is via a skin test. It is realised with the help of some small amounts of purified allergen extracts comprising dust mite extracts that will further be injected onto your skin’s surface. If you’re allergic to dust minutes, you’re likely to develop an itchy, red bump where the dust mite extract was injected after about 15 minutes.
• Allergy blood test. For many of us, a skin test is not that big of a deal, but some people can’t undergo such a test, be it because of certain medications or skin conditions. In this case, an allergy blood test is a good alternative to identify the type of allergy you may have. This test screens for certain allergy-causing antibodies to various frequent allergens and tells your sensitivity level to these specific allergens.

Some allergic reactions:

If you suspect the allergic reactions are due to dust mite exposure in hotels, don’t hesitate to tell your doctor. Travelling for business purposes, for example, involves many overnight stays. Although it sounds fun, it can transform into a nightmare when the mattresses from these hotel rooms have an infinite supply of dead skin cells from former guests. As you may have guessed, this is the perfect environment for dust mites. Suppose you’ve got an allergy from recently-visited accommodations. In this case, it would be wise to take the needed legal steps explained by https://www.howmuchcompensation.co.uk/ to seek compensation for allergies. Nonetheless, ensure you benefit from the expertise of a personal injury lawyer in this sense.

Symptoms of a dust mite allergy

Dust mite allergy symptoms can vary from individual to individual and range in severity. Some can even be mistaken for a cold, so paying particular attention to each discomfort and how long it lasts is recommended. In the case of a dust mite allergy, symptoms may include:

• itchiness of the throat or mouth roof
• sneezing
• runny and stuffy nose
• itchy, red, and watery eyes
• dark undereye circles
• sinus pressure
• trouble sleeping
• coughing
• postnasal drip

Additional symptoms may occur, particularly if you’re allergic to dust mites and have asthma. In this situation, look for:

• trouble breathing
• tight feeling in the chest or chest pain
• shortness of breath or wheezing
• the worst of the worst – a severe asthma attack

Is there a dust mite allergy cure?

Since these microscopic creatures naturally occur in your home, getting rid of them is almost impossible. The best you can do is to minimise dust mite exposure and religiously clean your house. Nonetheless, your doctor may recommend some treatment to prevent symptoms from worsening and manage them appropriately.

Among the most popular types of allergy treatments are:

Medications

The most popular treatment option to improve nasal allergy symptoms include antihistamines, corticosteroids, and decongestants. Antihistamines such as loratadine, fexofenadine, and cetirizine are efficient in relieving sneezing, itching, and runny nose and are commonly found in drug stores. Corticosteroids, on the other hand, come as nasal sprays that can manage symptoms of hay fever and minimise inflammation. Drugs such as triamcinolone, mometasone, and fluticasone propionate are all corticosteroids.

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT)

Even though SLIT can be categorised as a medication (it’s basically a pill that you can administer at home), we prefer to give it proper attention. SLIT implies training your immune system not to see dust mites as allergens. These tablets contain insignificant doses of dust mite proteins – the allergen leading to allergic reactions – that are gradually increased. People who have taken SLIT under a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology experienced fewer eye and nose reactions. SLIT is, without a doubt, a successful alternative to other related medications. However, it would be helpful to always carry an EpiPen with you in the case of severe allergies and asthma.

Another effective treatment for dust mite allergy is nasal irrigation. This is based on special squeeze bottles (irrigation devices) that help flush irritants and thicken mucus from your sinuses. It’s the saline water that works in this case, cleaning your nasal passages deeply.