Are you or any members of your family suffering from a dust mite allergy?
In this post we’ll explore some of the symptoms to look out for, and some of the things you can do to help manage your allergy.
Dust mites are tiny creatures that look a little bit like ticks and spiders. When we say they’re “tiny”, we mean it: They’re invisible to the naked eye, and you could fit around 50 of them on the head of a pin.
Dust mites thrive in warm and humid environments, which is why it’s common to find them in pillows, carpets, upholstery, mattresses, and household dust.
They feed on dead skin cells, but they don’t bite. As a result, they’re mostly harmless.
Unless, of course, you happen to be allergic to them.
A dust mite allergy looks a lot like a common dust allergy. It can lead to inflammation of your nasal passages, resulting in the following symptoms:
And like many allergies, a dust mite allergy can make existing conditions worse. If you suffer from asthma, for example, a dust mite allergy can cause breathing difficulties, a tight chest, and fits of coughing and wheezing. And in almost all cases, a dust mite allergy can make it hard to sleep at night.
No two cases of dust mite allergy are quite the same. It affects different people in slightly different ways, and at different levels of severity. So where one person might just feel a bit sniffly, someone else might really struggle.
Some people might be able to live with dust mites and allergies. But if it’s causing you any significant health issues, there are some things you can do to help fix the problem.
Unfortunately there’s no cure for a dust mite allergy. But here are some ways you can make things easier for you and your family.
Keep clutter in your home to a minimum to give dust, and dust mites, fewer places to settle. Dust as often as you can using a wet cloth, to prevent dust from flying into the air as you clean.
Wash your upholstery and other soft items – from curtains to cuddly toys – in hot water as often as possible.
Regular vacuuming can also make a difference, but some vacuum cleaners will be more effective than others. If you can, get a vacuum with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter, as this will trap dust and dust mites.
One of the worst things about a dust mite allergy is how your symptoms can lead to sleeping difficulties.
You can get special dust mite allergy covers for your mattress and pillows. These are made from tightly-woven cloth to trap existing dust mites while preventing any news ones from settling in.
You should also commit to washing all of your bedding at least once a week. Wash in hot water and dry in high heat to kill the dust mites and remove the particles that can inflame your airways.
You should certainly call your doctor if your symptoms get particularly bad. But in any case, it might be a good idea to get some professional medical advice.
Your doctor might refer you to an allergens specialist, who’ll be able to advise on extra steps you can take to manage your dust mite allergy. They might also be able to prescribe you some medication to help alleviate your symptoms. They could even recommend some over-the-counter remedies.
Combine regular cleaning with an air filter and you can effectively remove all of the dust from any room in your house.
Our air purifiers use advanced HEPASilent technology to capture 99.97% of all airborne particles down to 0.1 micron in size. This includes dust and the dust mites that live in it. But it will also capture many other common allergens, including pollen, mould, and pet dander.
So as well as helping you to manage your dust mite allergy, our air filters can help you manage pet allergies and asthma symptoms.
Head here to learn more about how our air purifiers work, and the difference they can make for you and your family.
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