Dust Mite Allergy

I know how unpleasant it is to be allergic to dust mites. Dust Mite Allergy has affected my home too. It makes it hard being allergic to something inside your own home. And to make matters worse, it is all year long.

Dust mites live in our beds, upholstered furniture, and carpets. Their main source of food is the skin flakes that we shed. So they like to live in the same places that we do.

Dust Mite Allergy Facts

• Around 10% of the population has this type of allergy.
• It is the main cause of perennial allergic rhinitis.
• The dust mite allergen is a major cause in the development of allergic asthma in young children.
• Exposure to dust mites at a young age increases the likelihood of developing dust mite allergy, eczema, rhinitis, and asthma in those who have parents that have allergies.
• Heredity and exposure plays a role in developing a sensitivity to dust mites.

The Dust Mite Allergen

Dust mite symptoms are caused by the dust mite droppings, the skin that they shed, and the decaying body parts from dead mites. All three of these have a protein that people become allergic to.

Usually, people come in contact with the dust mite allergen by inhalation.

There are a number of ways that they become airborne through normal household activities. Walking on the carpet, making and un-making the bed, dusting, and vacuuming with a non-HEPA vacuum will all send the dust mite allergen into the air.

The dust mites themselves will not stay airborne for a long period of time. The dust mite length can be as long as the width of one or two human hairs. They are susceptible to mild air currents but will not stay suspended for a long period of time.

The allergen that produces allergy symptoms is another story. Dust mite allergens can easily stay suspended in the air for 2 hours and some particles even longer.

A dust mite can be 200-300 microns in size. A micron is a thousandth of a millimeter. The allergen, however, is closer in size to 4-20 microns. A newly cast skin or a recently dead dust mite or a partially digested waste pellet will be larger in size. They will stay airborne longer than a dust mite but they too will settle out of the air in a few hours.

As the natural decaying process occurs, these allergens become smaller and smaller. This results in them staying airborne longer. This smaller size explains why asthma can be affected. The smaller size particles gets past the nasal cavities and can reach down into the bronchi tubes and lungs.

Along with the small size, the large quantity of allergens compounds the problem.

There can be as many as 2 million dust mites in your bed. Estimates range from 100,000 to 10 million depending on conditions. All of these dust mites are going to shed their skin as they grow. They are all going to die in 2-3 months and begin to decay. A female will replace herself with 20-30 new mites before she dies.

Each dust mite produces around 20 waste particles a day when the temperature and humidity is ideal.

Consider 20 droppings a day for two months and you realize that each mite is producing over 1000 fecal waste pellets. Consider that the population lives year-round. It is easy to see why dust mite allergy is compared to ragweed allergy.

Dust mites are the king of the indoor allergens just as ragweed is the king of outdoor allergens. It is a combination of the shear numbers coupled with the potency of the allergen.

The Immune System Responds

The difference between people who have a dust mite allergy and those that don't is the amount of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in their blood system. For most people, the immune system sees the dust mite allergen as something that is harmless. For those who have dust mite allergy, their immune system sees the allergen as a foreign invader. Their immune system sees it as something that is harmful.

As the allergen is inhaled, the immune system detects the foreign particle. Detecting the substance as harmful, the allergic response begins by B cells producing the IgE antibody. These IgE antibodies attach themselves to the mast cells. Mast cells are tissue cells found in the points of entry into the body such as the nose. At this time, the body is said to be sensitized.

At the next encounter of the dust mite allergen, the IgE antibody marks it for destruction. The attack is launched by mast cells bursting open and releasing histamine and many other inflammatory chemicals. It is these chemicals that cause the allergy symptoms.

Symptoms of Dust Mite Exposure

Symptoms of dust mite exposure are the same for allergic rhinitis and/or hay fever. Dust mite allergy symptoms include, but not limited to;

• Running Nose
• Sneezing
• Red, Watery and Itchy Eyes
• Nasal Congestion
• Itchy Nose and Throat
• Post Nasal Drip
• Mouth Breathing
• Frequent Awakening

Another possibility is that the allergen can trigger allergic asthma in individuals who have an allergic reactions to dust mites. Children especially, who have not yet shown signs of asthma symptoms, can develop asthma by being exposed to too much dust mite droppings and decaying bodies. With those who already have asthma, wheezing more, coughing more, the feeling of lung congestion and shortness of breath are symptoms of dust mite allergy. The feeling of needing to use more of their asthma medication is also a sign.

Lastly, and not as common, is the possibility of eczema (skin rashes). For those who are highly sensitized to the dust mite allergen, laying on them all night long can irritate the skin.

Testing

There are different degrees of dust mite allergy ranging from mild to severe. When you experience allergy symptoms that interfere with the quality of your life, you should consult with an allergist. An allergist can administer skin test and various blood tests to determine exactly what you are allergic to.

It is important to know what you are allergic to.

Once the problem has been identified, your allergist can point you into the right direction for a solution. This can include immunotherapy (allergy shots), prescription and non-prescription drugs, and avoidance. It is not uncommon for several solutions to be put into action and avoidance is always one that should be incorporated into the plan. Dust mite control is the only course of action that addresses the cause rather than suppressing the symptoms.

For my family, we discovered that it essentially comes down to two choices for dealing with dust mite allergy.

1. The first choice is to treat the patient (my family) with drugs to suppress the symptoms.
2. The second choice is to modify the environment and avoid the symptoms altogether.

Dust Mite Control

We did not try to kill all the dust mites in my home. That was not our goal. We did, however, gain enough control over the dust mite population that we breathe in much less of the allergens. Our symptoms are not triggered nearly as much as they use to be.

Gaining control over the dust mite population is not as hard as you might think.

Dust mites like warm, humid environments and they like to live in household dust. Dust mite avoidance means creating an environment opposite to what the dust mites like. For example, lowering the humidity with a dehumidifier does not require much of a life style change and yet it will yield great results.

The key to our success required a small attitude change. Some minor changes in the way we lived produced some great rewards. How many changes you make will depend on how severe your dust mite allergy is. Often, it is a combination of changes that produces the best results.

To learn more, read the article about Dust Mites Allergy by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

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