Clues to live with dust allergy

Sneezing, itchy nose, tearing ... If you have any of these symptoms when you are in areas where there is dust or while cleaning, you may be allergic to dust mites . That is, your body overreacts when you are exposed to these small arthropods that live in the dust of the home and are too tiny to be seen without a microscope.

“Dust mites feed on skin cells that people lose, growing in hot and humid environments. It is their waste that causes symptoms to allergic people, ”explains Nancy Ortega, member of the board of directors of the Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (Seaic) . Unlike other types of allergy, such as pollen allergy, dust allergy is not seasonal and can occur at any time of the year.

Where are these intruders? Some of the areas of the home for which they feel preference to settle are objects with cloth, such as mattresses, pillows, quilts, upholstered furniture, carpets, curtains or stuffed toys, among others.

What symptoms do people with dust allergy have?

 Rhinitis

"Some of the symptoms of dust mite allergy are those that appear due to inflammation of the nasal passages, that is, rhinitis, " explains the allergist. “ Rhinitis is preferably morning and can manifest as nasal itching and obstruction , but sometimes it can also show itching on the palate or throat . These symptoms are usually accompanied by sneezing in salva (sequence of sneezing followed) and watery rhinorrhea (nasal discharge). ”
Allergic conjunctivitis
 
Other symptoms that may appear is allergic conjunctivitis . "In this case the patient also manifests eye symptoms such as red eyes, tearing and conjunctival itching," says Ortega.

Asthma:

Finally, the situation can evolve and affect the bronchial asthma . "The patient will have episodes with difficulty breathing, tightness or pain in the chest, noise or wheezing ... Sometimes sleep problems can also occur due to difficulty breathing or coughing," says the specialist.



How can we survive dust mites at home? 

These symptoms can become very annoying for people who are allergic to dust and even have a strong impact on their quality of life. The spokeswoman for Seaic gives the keys to learn to live with them and control the allergy:

• To start, you have to try to keep the humidity level low . “Ideally, a relative humidity below 50 percent in the home would be achieved. A dehumidifier can help keep it low, ”he recommends

• How to clean? One trick to prevent dust from spreading in the air and settling again is to use a damp cloth to clean the dust. Use allergen-proof bedspreads. Protecting the mattress and pillows with dustproof or allergen covers. These covers, made with a tightly woven fabric, that prevent dust mites from colonizing the mattress or pillow.    

•  Wash the bedding weekly . When choosing bedding, bedspreads that accumulate dust with ease and that are difficult to clean frequently should be avoided. “ Sheets, blankets and pillowcases must be washed with hot water at a temperature of at least 60 ° C to kill dust mites and eliminate allergens. If the bedding cannot be washed with hot water, it may be useful to use the dryer for at least 15 minutes at a temperature above 60 °, ”says Ortega.

 The specialist also notes that you can also enter in the freezer for 24 hours, those objects that do not support high temperatures. "With this method, dust mites can be removed, but allergens are not eliminated," he adds.

• Vacuum regularly . Vacuuming carpets and upholstered furniture removes dust from surfaces, but is not effective in removing most dust mites and their allergens. "Ideally, you should use a vacuum cleaner with a double-layer bag with a microfilter or a high efficiency air particle filter (HEPA) to help reduce household dust emissions from the vacuum cleaner." 

• Avoid excess ornaments . To control the allergy it is important to remove the table decorations, books, magazines and newspapers from the patient's bedroom.
   

• Remove the carpets. Carpets are one of the prohibited objects for those allergic to dust mites. “They provide a comfortable habitat for dust mites, so it is preferable to opt for ceramic, wood, linoleum or vinyl floors. It is convenient to replace other furniture that accumulates dust in the rooms, such as upholstered furniture, non-washable curtains and horizontal blinds, ”he advises.

•  Stuffed animals yes, but they are washable. If there are stuffed animals at home, they should be washed frequently with hot water and dried completely. In addition, it is better to store them outside the patient's bedroom.