Dust Mites Allergies: Dust Mites are extremely small insects, only a quarter to a third of a millimeter in size. They are officially arthropods, like tiny spiders, rather than insects because they have eight legs. You can’t see them with your eyes alone because they are too small. They resemble small white insects when viewed under a microscope. Unfortunately, dust Mites are likely to be at ease in an indoor environment. They favour a room temperature of 68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 25 degrees Celsius) and high humidity levels of 70 to 80%.
This strange creatures prefer to feed on the dead skin cells that you constantly lose naturally rather than biting your skin. As disgusting as it may seem, individuals who have just for dust mite allergies are really responding to proteins in the urine, faeces, or decomposing carcasses of these microscopic insects.
Dust Allergies: What Are They?
Dust mites are the cause of dust allergies as previously mentioned. They are the most frequent causes of asthma and allergies. The immune system is triggered to create antibodies to combat dust mites when an individual inhales dust mites waste particles. This results in dust allergy symptoms as coughing, wheezing, sneezing, and stuffy nose.
Symptoms of Dust Mites Allergy
Symptoms of Dust Mites Allergy include:
- Traffic jams
- Coughing
- Itchy throat, nose, or mouth
- Postnasal drip (mucus dripping into throat)
- Watery, red, and itchy eyes
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Wheezing or unable to breathe
- Worsening symptoms of asthma
- Tightness in the chest and trouble breathing
Dust Mites allergies can be mistaken for upper respiratory viral diseases like the common cold and influenza. Consult your healthcare provider if you’re unsure if your symptoms are due to an illness or dust mites allergy.
Causes of Dust Allergies
When your immune system reacts to something alien, like dust mites, pollen or pet danders, allergies happen. Antibodies are proteins produced by your immune system that shield you from foreign invaders that could infect you or make you ill.
Your immune system produces antibodies when you have allergies, which mistakenly perceive your specific allergen as dangerous. Your immune system causes inflammation in your lungs or nasal passages when you come into contact with the allergen. The persistent Inflammation linked to asthma can be brought on by continuous or frequent exposure to the allergen.
Dust Mites consume organic materials like human skin cells and take in water from the atmosphere’s humidity instead of drinking it. Dust Mites faeces and decomposing carcasses are also found in dust. The proteins in this debris or what causes dust Mites allergies.
Relief and Treatment of Dust Mites Allergies
There are several ways to get relief from the symptom of dust allergy:
- Decongestants: This helps in clearing the sinuses and nasal passages. They lessen congestion and puffiness by constricting the blood vessels in the nose.
- Steroids: Often known as corticosteroids, are class of drugs used to assist lower inflammation. They can be used directly on the skin, taken orally, or inhaled.
- Nasal irrigation: Using a saline (salt water) solution to clear your nasal passages is known as nasal irrigation. It can lessen allergies and help in removal of mucous.
- Immunotherapy: This medical intervention helps your body developed immunity and listen allergy symptoms over time by exposing you to trace levels of allergens. Immunotherapy can be administered as sublingual drops or as an injection.
- Antihistamines: This medications are used to help reduce the symptoms of allergies. They function by preventing histamine, a substance generated in response to an allergic reaction from doing its job. This can lesson symptoms including watery eyes, runny nose, and sneezing.
Are You Allergic to Dust?
Many symptoms that are similar to those of other kinds can be brought on by a dust allergy. These two tests are frequently performed for allergy examination:
- Skin Examination: The technician uses small amounts of purified extracts of an allergen to prick your forearm or back during the skin test. After 15 minutes they however watches your skin to see red, itchy bump forms. An eruption of the skin indeed indicates an allergic reaction.
- Blood test: In certain situations, they might advise getting a blood test to look for antibodies to allergens like dust mites if you are taking any medication that could alter the results of a skin test.