According to estimates, at least five percent of Germans suffer from house dust allergy (dust mite allergy). The symptoms are similar to those of other allergies: they range from itching and sneezing fits to shortness of breath and asthma. But what to do if you have a house dust allergy? A few tips, such as regularly changing bed linen and using a special vacuum cleaner, can often alleviate the symptoms. Otherwise, taking medication and hyposensitization should be considered. We provide information about signs, consequences and treatment of house dust allergy.
House dust allergy: mites as a cause
In a house dust allergy, the allergic reaction is not – as the name suggests – directed against house dust, but against mite droppings. This is also the reason for the name house dust mite allergy. Colloquially, it is also called dust allergy or mite allergy. House dust mites are small arachnids that are found in every home and are not visible to the naked eye. One gram of house dust contains up to 4,000 mites. Their presence is completely normal and not a sign of poor hygiene. They are basically completely harmless, so there is no need to worry about bites or stings from them and they do not transmit diseases. Dust mites feed primarily on animal and human dander and hair. When their droppings dry, they decompose and mix in with the house dust. The immune system of allergy sufferers reacts defensively to the actually harmless excrement and the typical allergy symptoms occur. Thus the cause of a house dust allergy lies in an exaggerated reaction of the immune system. An increased risk for the development of allergies can be familial, but can also be promoted by air pollution and cigarette smoke. Fight dust mites: 13 tips for house dust allergy.
When is house dust allergy at its worst?
Mites feel particularly comfortable at 25 degrees and a humidity of 60 to 70 percent and therefore keep them mainly in our beds. Therefore, the complaints are usually worst at night and in the morning. But also in curtains, carpets, upholstered furniture and soft toys you can find larger amounts of mites. Due to the climate, the mite concentration is highest in late summer as well as in autumn. However, allergy symptoms are particularly severe in autumn and winter, as heating the home causes the humidity to drop and a particularly large number of mites die off. During this process, large amounts of allergens are released.
Typical symptoms of house dust allergy
Like other allergies, a house dust allergy is characterized by a number of unpleasant symptoms. However, since many symptoms resemble those of a cold, a house dust allergy is often recognized late or not at all. Due to the typical cold symptoms, it is also called allergic rhinitis or allergic rhinitis. In most cases, a house dust mite allergy already occurs in childhood and adolescence. The typical signs of a house dust allergy include:
- Cough
- Sneezing fits and rhinitis (runny or stuffy nose).
- Shortness of breath and shortness of breath
- Sore throat
- Headache
- Itchy, red, burning or watery eyes, sometimes with conjunctivitis.
- Restless sleep
- Fatigue and exhaustion
- Skin reactions are also possible, such as with itching, hives and rash.
If these complaints persist throughout the year and occur more at night and in the morning after getting up, this indicates a house dust allergy.
Diagnosis by allergy test
Whether you suffer from a house dust allergy, the doctor can easily find out with an allergy test (prick test). In this test, the allergens are applied directly to the skin. By lightly scratching them, they then get under the skin. If a red, itchy rash forms after some time, the test is considered positive. If the test results are inconclusive, the allergens can also be applied directly to the mucous membrane of the nose or eyes (provocation test). In addition, a blood test (for example, the RAST test) can help to confirm the diagnosis.
Asthma and cross-allergies as possible consequences
Asthma can develop in people who suffer from house dust allergy over a long period of time. This shift of the disease to the lower respiratory tract is called a floor shift.Childhood asthma in particular is often caused by an allergy to house dust. In addition, allergic reactions can also occur with certain foods. This is called a cross allergy. In contrast to hay fever, however, this is less often the case with an allergy to house dust mites. Possible cross-allergies are allergic reactions when eating shellfish or molluscs (for example snails, mussels, crabs, lobsters or shrimps). Sinusitis can also develop as a result of a house dust allergy. To avoid such consequences, you should consult a doctor early on if you experience symptoms and talk to him about treatment options.
What to do if you are allergic to house dust? 9 tips against mites.
In the case of a house dust allergy, you should first and foremost try to reduce the house dust, that is, to fight the dust mites and thus avoid the trigger of the allergy as much as possible. That is why it is especially important to follow certain hygienic rules. Then the symptoms of house dust allergy can usually be significantly weakened. These tips can also be helpful in preventing house dust allergy. These nine tips against house mites can help to fight the allergy:
- Try to keep the room temperature as well as the humidity in the bedroom as low as possible. Also make sure to air the apartment thoroughly (advisable is three to four times a day shock ventilation for five to 15 minutes).
- Change your bed linen more often (preferably weekly) and wash them at least 60 degrees. Once a year, you should also clean your mattress. Ideally, do not use a mattress with horsehair filling. Pillow and comforter itself should be washed at least every three months.
- Use mite-impermeable allergy covers (encasings) for the mattress – this cuts mites off from their food source. These covers should be washed at least every three months. Also for the bedding offer mite-impermeable allergy covers.
- Do not change your clothes or shoes in the bedroom. Also avoid combing your hair in the bedroom.
- If you have pets, you should not let them in the bedroom. If you have a severe allergy to house dust, it is even better to avoid pets altogether.
- Remove possible dust traps from the bedroom: this includes curtains and carpets. You should also better do without plants or open shelves in the bedroom. Cuddly toys you should periodically freeze for 24 hours in the freezer or put in the dryer. Subsequent washing will remove the mites that have been killed.
- Clean your home regularly: always damp dust and use a vacuum cleaner with microfilter (Hepa filter). If you suffer from house dust allergy, you should not vacuum yourself if possible. If possible, the floor should also be damp mopped.
- Anti-mite sprays contain an insecticide (acaricides). They can be used, for example, to spray mattresses. Acaricides are also available as an additive in detergent.
- To measure the current level of mite in their home, a mite test from the pharmacy is helpful.
Treatment: medication against house dust allergy
Against the acute symptoms of a house dust allergy help drugs such as antihistamines (over the counter, for example, as tablets with the active ingredients cetirizine or loratadine) or glucocorticoid solutions (cortisone). An adrenaline spray for inhalation can also help to relieve the symptoms. In addition, chromones (in the form of eye drops and nasal sprays) and so-called leukotriene receptor antagonists (for asthma) are used to treat the symptoms of a house dust allergy. In addition, decongestant nasal sprays can also be used for short periods. If these medications do not help sufficiently, you should consider hyposensitization.
Hyposensitization fights the causes
Hyposensitization (specific immunotherapy), unlike the above-mentioned medications, not only combats the symptoms of house dust allergy, but also its cause, as the body is slowly accustomed to the allergy-causing substance. This allows the risk of chronic damage to the respiratory tract to be significantly reduced.In hyposensitization, the allergen is either administered to the affected person in drop form (sublingual immunotherapy) or injected directly under the skin (subcutaneous immunotherapy). In this way, the immune system is trained not to react so strongly on contact with the allergen. However, hyposensitization requires patience: it can take two to three years for the therapy to be completed.
Homeopathy for house dust allergy
Many allergists also work with homeopathic remedies for house dust allergy. In homeopathic treatment, the remedies are chosen to produce symptoms in a healthy person similar to those from which the sick person suffers. As a result, when treating a house dust allergy with homeopathy, the symptoms may initially worsen. For example, Sticta or Sabadilla are used, but also Luffa D6, Arundo D6 or Galphimia glauca D4. Whether homeopathic treatment can actually alleviate the symptoms is controversial. House dust allergy test: do you show symptoms?
