If you are experiencing dustallergy symptoms, you may be surprised the dust itself does not cause them.
Dust mites, tiny creatures that live in the dust, trigger the allergic reaction.
The bulk of the allergens come from their feces.
Carol Yepes/ Getty Images
Dust allergy symptoms may include sneezing, stuffy or runny nose, watery eyes, and more.
This article discusses dust allergy symptoms, treatment options, and how to prevent them.
Carol Yepes/ Getty Images
Who Gets Dust Allergy Symptoms?
Dust mites are one of the most common year-round allergy triggers.Theyre especially prevalent in warm, humid environments.
No matter where you live, avoiding all contact with dust and dust mites is almost impossible.
That histamine leads to symptoms as your body tries to flush out anddefend itself from the allergen.
This is an effort to get rid of whatever is irritating it.
When you have an allergy, sneezing is also triggered by inflammation in the nasal passages.
The inflammation, not the mucus, often causes your nose to be stuffed up.
Eye Symptoms
Histamine also causes itchiness in your eyes.
Thats due to the allergen coming into contact with amast cell, which releases histamine.
Asthma Symptoms
If you haveasthma, dust-mite allergies may triggerasthma symptoms or attacks.
Its a serious condition that can have serious and even fatal consequences if left untreated.
Recognizing Symptoms in Young Children
Allergies most often come on during childhood and adolescence.
Pay close attention to their symptoms and report them to your childs healthcare provider.
Childrens allergy symptoms tend to be very similar to those of adults.
Some are easy to spot, such as sneezing and a runny nose.
Does All Dust Have Mites?
They thrive in places that are dark, warm, and humid.
Dust mites primarily eat dander.
Rather than drinking water, they absorb moisture from the air.
That makes them less prevalent in dry places, but theyre still found in most homes.
They include:
A hyposensitization orallergen-specific immunotherapytreatment involves shots that expose you to small amounts of an allergen.
Over time, this controlled exposure may reduce your sensitivity but generally takes about three years for full effect.
When it comes to dust, this primarily means cleaning your house.
The longer you live with an allergy, the more likely you will eventually develop allergy-related asthma.
A dust allergy may also lead toallergies to shellfish, which contain a similar protein.
These include:
Severe dust-allergy symptoms increase your risk of sinus inflammation, calledsinusitis.
Summary
Dust contains many allergens, but dust mites and their feces are chief among them.
Dust mites are found in almost all homes, usually in bedding, carpet, upholstery, and curtains.
Frequent cleaning and allergy mattress covers can help minimize mite exposure.
Prescription and OTC medications are available for treating dust-mite allergies.
Nasal sprays may also help.
Immunotherapy may lower your sensitivity, but it’s a long-term treatment.
Dust allergies can lead to asthma, chronic sinusitis, and shellfish allergies.
National Center for Biotechnology Information.Dust mite allergies: Overview.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Dust mite allergy.
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: Allergist.Dust allergies.
Henry Ford Health.Why do I sneeze so much?
An ENT expert explains.
National Health Service: NHS Inform.Allergic rhinitis.
Allergy & Asthma internet.What is a dust mite allergy?
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: Allergist.Eye allergy.
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: Allergist.Children.
Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia.Seasonal allergies: Keeping symptoms in check.
University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.House dust mites.
Oomen AG, Janssen PJCM, Dusseldorp A, Noorlander CW.General Information on House Dust.
National Institute for Public Health and the Environment; 2008. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568957/.
Stanford University Health Care.Understanding dust mite allergies.
American Lung Association.Dust mites.
Nationwide Childrens Hospital.Allergy to dust mites.
