Dust Mite Allergies and Treatments
Millions of people all over the world suffer from dust mite allergies. Dust mites are microscopic creatures belonging to the family arachnids and they are found in almost all the houses. They are found on upholsteries, curtains, bookshelves, beddings, carpets etc, nearly everywhere where there is dust, and a gram of dust can contain an average 100 to 500 dust mites. Dust mites thrive in warm, dark and damp environment. Bedrooms are the ideal habitants of dust mites and there might be thousands of dust mites on your bedding and you might never realize it.
Diseases associated with dust mites
Dust mites live on the dead skin cells shed by human beings and they absorb water from the humidity in the atmosphere. More than 100 million people worldwide suffer from asthma caused by dust mites. The main cause of dust mite allergy is a protein present in the dust mite feces and decaying bodies that circulate in the air and inhaling these allergens can cause asthma, lung infections and other allergies. If you have family history of allergies and you are constantly exposed to dust mites, you are at a high risk of developing dust mite allergies. Allergies occur when your immune system reacts to the dust mites and produces inflammatory response in your lungs.
Some of the diseases caused by dust mites include
- Asthma
- Sinus infection
- Lung infection
- Hay fever
- Conjunctivitis
- Atopic dermatitis
- Glue ear
- Nasal polyps
- Eczema
Symptoms of dust mite allergies
Some symptoms of dust mite allergies are
- Sneezing
- Running nose
- Watery eyes
- Frequent upward rubbing of nose by children
- Cough
- Itchy eyes and itchy nose
- Tightness in the chest
- Difficulty in breathing
- Nasal congestion
- Wheezing
If left untreated dust mite allergy can lead to severe asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and sinusitis.
Treatments for dust mite allergies
- Antihistamine medications
- Decongestant medications
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Bronchodilators
- Nasal sprays
- Eye drops
- Ear drops
Allergies can be safely treated at home with some natural remedies such as drinking hot peppermint tea, breathing steam, irrigating the nose with saline solution (made with distilled water, salt and a pinch of baking soda, drinking apple cider vinegar, drinking nettle leaf tea, consuming honey etc.
Dust mites are the leading cause of allergy and one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family against these dust mites is to keep the house always clean and vacuumed.
