According to the WHO data, up to 40% of the world’s population suffers from dust mite allergy. Its symptoms may occur year-round, making routine home chores like vacuuming or sweeping a real challenge. But why? What are the common dust allergy causes?

Dust allergy is a type of year-round atopic disease caused by dust mites – tiny spiders that live in furniture, bedding, carpets and feed off our dead skin cells and house dust. These critters are the most common indoor allergens that cause allergic rhinitis, itching, sneezing, and other symptoms that interfere with the usual routine. However, the root of the problem does not lie in cohabitation with dust mites but in your immune system reaction to them. Allergic inflammation is the organism’s protective function against harmful particles you inhale with dust. If you’re regularly exposed to dust or one of your family members has allergies, the chances are you will develop a hypersensitiveness to dust mites. 

Dust allergy: Symptoms & prevention methods

If you’re new to allergy, you may easily mistake its symptoms for influenza, bronchitis, or even coronavirus. On top of that, these are pretty similar to those of spring allergies. So, let us go through the primary triggers that indicate you have an allergic reaction to dust:

  • runny, stuffy nose
  • teary eyes
  • coughing
  • sneezing
  • hard breathing
  • sinus pressure 
  • itching

Please note that you won’t experience anything like fatigue or fever if you have a dust allergy. These are the symptoms of viral infections that will disappear in less than a week, while atopy can be manifested all year round. 

Now when you know what exactly haunts you and your loved ones, you can discover simple dust allergy prevention methods:

  • do regular moist mopping and ventilate a room 
  • vacuum and wash the floors once in 2-3 days (don’t miss hard-to-reach spots)
  • don’t allow pets in your bedroom, especially of fluffy breeds
  • replace carpet flooring with vinyl or laminate sheets
  • remove soft toys, figures, and other decoration elements that collect dust
  • go with roll-up window shades instead of heavy, blackout curtains
  • use a filter mask when dealing with dust
  • make sure to wash and your bedclothes, towels, and rugs in hot water at least once in 10 days
  • your bedding should be well dried and pressed
  • refuse from bedding with natural fillers, replacing it with synthetic yet hypoallergenic materials
  • cover your pillows and mattresses with airtight plastic anti-mile covers
  • make sure the humidity in your premises does not exceed 55 percent
  • it’s recommended to install the high-efficiency particulate air filter in your air-conditioner to trap dust miles and other allergy agents 

However, if your allergy is acute, you won’t beat it only with preventive means. The medical treatment helps you get rid of the dust mite allergy and get back to a normal life. If the situation is getting worse, don’t wait. Consult an allergy specialist as soon as you can.

What to know about dust allergy treatment?

First off, it should be mentioned that we speak up against self-treatment as it possesses potential risks like overdosing, side effects, incorrect choice of therapy, drug interactions, and others. That is why if you think you need dust allergy treatment, the first thing to do is to pay a visit to a certified allergist. A specialist will ask you a few questions about your medical history and live environment, listen to your complaints, conduct a skin test if needed, and decide on the proper treatment. 

As soon as a diagnosis is identified, you will be prescribed the required medications. They follow into four groups, including corticosteroids, antihistamines, decongestants, and leukotriene modifiers. These drugs change the way how your immune system reacts to dust mites, relieving the symptoms like inflammation, itching, sneezing, coughing, and others. You can use some over-the-counter solutions like nasal sprays as your home remedies to treat dust allergies. 

However, if you want to bid farewell to your allergic disease once and for all, immunotherapy is the solution. You will get a series of allergy shots to train your immune system not to be sensitive to an allergen.

Remember that allergy is not something to tolerate. So, take care of the microclimate and cleanliness in your dwelling, get rid of dust collectors, consult your doctor on the medications suitable for your case, and we hope your allergy reactions will be history.