Have you ever experienced sneeze or cough while cleaning the house, or your kids usually sneeze and have red watery eyes? Well it can be because you are allergic to the dust around you. There can be many allergens in this dust like human dander, animal dander, waste of cockroaches and other insects. When any of these allergens comes in contact with the body, it causes the immune system to develop an allergic reaction in persons who are allergic to it.
When you inappropriately react to these allergens, you are having an allergic reaction and can be referred to as allergic or atopic. Therefore, people who are prone to allergies are said to be allergic or "atopic." Most of us never experience such allergy, but in some it is quite severe.
Most common allergy caused in home is the dust mite allergy which is caused by a microscopic organism that lives in dust and can be found in almost all the houses and workplaces. They can be anywhere around you. You must have seen that your mattresses and unused clothes become heavy in course of time. This is because of dust and organisms living in it.
These mites thrive in summer and die in winter. But in a warm, humid house, they continue to thrive even in the coldest months. The particles seen floating in a shaft of sunlight includes dead dust mites and their waste-products. These waste-products, which are certain types of proteins, are the reason behind provoking the allergic reaction.
You can get rid of these allergies by following simple steps:
• Clean your house thoroughly on regular basis.
• Use vacuum cleaner to remove dust completely from mattresses, upholstered furniture, curtains.
• Try to avoid pillows that have feather or rubber foam as filling.
• Don't let your pet wander around house much. Limit their access in most of the rooms.
• Avoid carpets. Dust mite love carpets. If you have carpets then vacuum clean them along with washing them on regular basis with good disinfectant.
• Keep stuffed animals in plastic containers and wash them regularly.
• Use AC to keep humidity low and to limit growth of dust mites in warmer months. Change AC filter regularly.
Dust mites are perhaps the most common cause of perennial allergic rhinitis. Dust mite allergy usually produces symptoms similar to pollen allergy and also can produce symptoms of asthma. Common symptoms of dust mite allergy are:
• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• Itchy, red or watery eyes
• Nasal congestion
• Itchy nose, roof of mouth or throat
• Postnasal drip
• Cough
• Facial pressure and pain
• Frequent awakening
• Swollen, blue-colored skin under your eyes
• In a child, frequent upward rubbing of the nose
Dust mite allergy can contribute to asthma as well, if it happens you may experience:
• Difficulty breathing
• Chest tightness or pain
• An audible whistling or wheezing sound when exhaling
• Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing
• Bouts of coughing or wheezing that are worsened by a respiratory virus such as a cold or the flu
If you experience any such situation then you must contact an allergist or immunologist in your city for better consultation. Don't be late as these allergies can turn bad with time and may even be the reason to cause asthma. In Delhi during summer time we have many dust storms adding to the household dust and increasing dust allergy. So keep in touch with the allergist if you already have allergy or have a few of the symptoms. Moreover consulting your doctor becomes more important if you have asthma.
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