The house dust mite allergy is one of the most common allergies, and it is almost impossible to escape. It has a deceptive nature, because many sufferers are unaware that they have a dust allergy. The symptoms are hardly different from those of a normal cold and are often mistaken for a cold in autumn and winter.
In spring and summer, a house dust mite allergy is often mistaken for hay fever. Mild to moderate cases therefore often go unnoticed for years, causing apparently chronic symptoms. A house dust mite allergy only becomes dangerous when it develops into allergic asthma.
The "dust allergy" is not actually caused by dust, but by the excrement of microscopic house dust mites that are found in dust and dirt at home. It is sometimes referred to as a "house dust mite allergy".
A house dust mite allergy can be medically diagnosed and successfully treated. This blog post discusses the allergy and its symptoms, as well as possible treatments and measures you can take yourself. Simply jump to the desired section in the table of contents with a mouse click.
What exactly is household dust?
Household dust consists of tiny particles and fibers that settle as a fine, grayish layer on all surfaces. When enough dust particles clump together, so-called dust bunnies form (or "Lurche" if they live in Austria), appearing as frayed, fuzzy structures that are driven through the home by every draft.
The exact composition of household dust depends on your living situation and the conditions on site. Below you will find a list of typical particles that settle as household dust in all rooms where people live or work.
Daily use of furniture and upholstery, as well as wearing clothing, causes minimal wear and shedding of textile fibers and lint. These microscopic particles become dispersed throughout the surrounding environment.
The skin of humans and pets is constantly renewed - dead skin falls off in the form of tiny skin flakes , dries out and breaks down into tiny particles. Various small creatures such as silverfish and mites feed on these skin flakes and/or shed hair.
Hair also contributes to dust formation, as humans and pets such as dogs and cats shed numerous hairs every day. Longer hairs often clump together and act as real “dust collectors,” to which additional dust particles cling. Hair decomposes very slowly. Bird feathers also slowly break down into dust.
House dust mites and their droppings are typical components of household dust. Dead, decaying mites and the excrement of living mites are the actual triggers of a house dust mite allergy.
Fallen leaves, seeds and pollen from houseplants gradually break down into plant fibers and particles that mix with the rest of the dust.
Dirt particles cling to shoes and clothing and are carried in from outside into the home. This is how particles of soil, leaves, construction debris and other road abrasion also end up in household dust.
Exhaust fumes and pollutants contain particles such as soot or fine particulate matter, which enter the home through open windows and settle as dust.
Dust is unavoidable in everyday life. Industrial facilities that must be protected from dust because of its electrostatic properties have to be sealed off with extremely elaborate protective measures. For most people, however, household dust is initially above all an aesthetic problem.
It looks ugly and untidy when floors and furniture are covered with a layer of dust. Normal everyday hygiene reliably removes visible dust. However, to trigger a house dust allergy, even small amounts of dust containing dust mite droppings are enough.
Whether you develop a dust allergy has nothing to do with poor hygiene - as with any allergy, everything depends on how your immune system reacts to a particular allergen.
Symptoms of a house dust allergy
The symptoms of a house dust allergy resemble those of a common everyday illness. Typical symptoms include swollen mucous membranes, a blocked or runny nose and frequent, forceful sneezing. Allergic sneezing attacks can last for a while and be very exhausting - unusually frequent sneezing at home is therefore a good indicator of a dust allergy.
The symptoms can also affect the eyes, where they appear as itching, redness, and severe watering of the eyes. Less commonly, a rash or urticaria with wheals occurs. Symptoms are often most severe when allergy sufferers are lying in bed, as house dust mites like to live in bed linens and mattresses.
In more severe cases, a house dust mite allergy can develop into bronchitis and, in the long term, cause the dreaded allergic asthma. All of these symptoms also occur with colds, flu, or allergies to pollen and animal allergens.
Especially when symptoms are mild, those affected gradually get used to the permanent "cold-like state" and try to live with it. However, the frequent occurrence of symptoms at any time of year should be a warning sign - especially if the symptoms subside in the fresh air, only to return indoors.
Consult a doctor and get examined if the complaints described apply to you - you could be suffering from a house dust allergy.
House dust mites cause dust allergies through their feces
House dust mites are tiny arachnids that have adapted to life in dust. They are found almost exclusively in human dwellings because they feed on our dead skin flakes and hair. They find their food in our dust - but they do not live in it. House dust mites prefer high humidity and like to settle in beds.
The human body sweats during sleep, creating a warm, humid climate that mites love. Thanks to the flakes of skin and hair we shed, they can even have breakfast in bed. Incidentally, some mite species probably also feed on mold spores and fungi - these little creatures are at least somewhat useful.
The mite feces and the remains of dead mites mix as the finest particles with the other dust in the environment. The allergens are then inhaled or come into contact with the mucous membranes in the mouth, nose, and eyes. The allergy is triggered by certain proteins, which are found mainly in mite feces.
These proteins are actually harmless, but in the event of an allergy, the immune system goes on the defensive and sends its antibodies after the mite proteins. The antibodies attack the allergens with histamine - an inflammation-promoting substance. Histamine causes allergic reactions such as itching, sneezing, or a runny nose.
House dust mites themselves are so tiny that they are barely visible to the naked eye. Under favorable conditions, they reproduce quickly and can even survive long periods in life-threatening conditions. If the humidity drops too sharply, mites can enter a so-called "dormant stage".
They retreat into an almost lifeless state and can survive for long periods, becoming active again when humidity rises. Therefore, mite density in homes is lowest in winter, when dry heated air affects house dust mites. The arachnids reproduce most rapidly from spring to autumn.
Diagnosing and desensitizing a house dust mite allergy
An allergy test can easily determine whether you have a house dust mite allergy. Such a test can be performed at an allergy specialist's practice - many general practitioners or dermatologists have also specialized in allergies. A prick test is the usual procedure.
This is a skin test in which the uppermost layer of skin is lightly scratched through a drop of liquid containing allergens. The allergen can penetrate the skin tissue, where it triggers a visible reaction if an allergy is present.
The symptoms of a house dust allergy can be treated with medication to suppress histamine production . Special nasal sprays reduce swelling of the nasal mucous membranes, but their effect diminishes with prolonged use.
In general, in most cases it is probably more sensible to combat the allergy with hyposensitization in order to weaken it permanently or even eliminate it.
Hyposensitization can be carried out by subcutaneous injection or through oral preparations. Over a long period, patients are given gradually increasing doses of the allergen.
The entire process can take three to five years, but it offers good prospects of permanently reducing the severity of the allergy.
Measures for living better with a house dust allergy
Anyone suffering from a house dust allergy can take various measures to reduce allergen exposure in their own home. Although house dust cannot be avoided completely - it can be reduced.
Trying to combat the mites themselves with chemicals is pointless, and any pest controller will advise against it. The animals will keep spreading. Even natural predators such as predatory mites or silverfish do not reduce the house dust mite population sufficiently. Hygiene is the best answer to a house dust mite allergy.
House dust mites live mainly in duvet covers, bed sheets, and mattresses because that is where they find the most skin flakes as well as an ideal, humid climate. Wash your bedding and sheets once a week at a minimum of 60 degrees to reliably remove mites and their feces. In the morning after getting up, air out the sleeping surface before making the bed so that moisture from perspiration during the night can escape.
Carpets also harbor numerous mites - especially if you have pets whose dander and hair end up in the carpets. Vacuum all carpets thoroughly several times a week. Even better: Replace all carpets with parquet, laminate, or tiles. Smooth floors are easier to clean and offer house dust mites no place to hide.
Anything fluffy with a surface made of textile or synthetic fibers can serve as a refuge for dust mites. Cuddly blankets, sofa cushions, curtains, and furniture covers - reduce these where possible, or store blankets and cushions in sealable containers. Furniture with leather or faux leather covers is easier to wipe clean.
Soft toys are naturally ideal habitats for dust mites. However, children should not have to give up their fluffy companions. Many stuffed animals can be washed at 60 degrees. If this is not possible, you can freeze the cuddly toy in the freezer from time to time for 12-24 hours, then wash it at a suitable temperature.
Dust floats in the air as fine particles because it is stirred up from the floor with every movement. Frequent ventilation of all living areas reduces the amount of dust in the air. Air purifiers with powerful HEPA filters can reduce the particle concentration in indoor air to a minimum. If you are allergic to household dust, you should at least equip your vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters to retain even the finest particles.
If you are looking for a natural home remedy against mites, you could try pure tea tree oil. This essential oil is extracted from the leaves of the Australian tea tree and contains no preservatives.
It is said that its scent can drive away insects and mites for a while. Add a splash of tea tree oil to the cleaning water and spray it on furniture and curtains, or use it to wipe the floors. However, this method has not been scientifically tested.
When cleaning, you inevitably come into contact with household dust - so it may make sense to wear protective clothing. Disposable gloves prevent direct skin contact with dust and can simply be discarded after use.
A medical face mask protects you from inhaling dust particles. FFP2 masks are particularly effective because they can filter even the finest particles from the air you breathe. Wipe surfaces with damp cloths to stir up less dust. Using damp disinfectant wipes on keyboards, telephones, and other frequently touched objects makes sense to eliminate germs that could be living in the dust in these places.
