Four Things to Know About Dust Mite Allergies

Many people are allergic to dust mites, which is a common sort of contaminant in indoor air. But how rare is this condition?

Institutions like the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) estimate that between 16 million and 20 million Americans have some sort of dust mite allergy, where some cases are much more prominent than others, with more significant symptoms. Still, that’s a lot of people who need to figure out how to deal with this sensitivity to something too small to be seen with the naked eye.

Dust mites live in people’s homes, and feed off of dead skin flakes from humans and animals. They tend to be present in upholstery, bedding and carpeting.

Although these microscopic critters are very common, they can trigger some health conditions. Some people, as mentioned, develop dust mite allergies that can lead to secondary conditions like asthma. We’ll get into some of these troublesome symptoms later on, but the upshot is that many people are shocked when they start to develop a runny nose, itchy eyes, stuffiness, or other dust mite allergy symptoms – because they never thought that these little critters could be so irritating!

So what should you know about dust mite allergies? One solution is an air purifier that will cycle your air, and take out a lot of the contaminants that trigger the allergies – but there’s a lot more to know about dust mite allergy prevention. 

Here are a few important facts.

Dust Mites and Their Environmental Preferences

Dust might thrive in humidity.

Some experts suggest that keeping humidity below 50% can affect the reproduction of dust mites.

They also like warmer environments.

Dust mites also like to live in soft fabrics and similar items. They have a lot of the same environment as bedbugs, but are less noticeable in many cases. That’s why some of the usual tips for minimizing dust mites including vacuuming and cleaning things like bedding.

Main Dust Mite Allergy Triggers

Female dust mites tend to live up to 90 days, with males having a little bit shorter life span, typically.

While they’re alive, the dust mites are less likely to trigger allergy conditions.

Most of the allergies are caused by the dead bodies of deceased mites, or from their waste.

There are certain kinds of proteins in the droppings and carcasses that can trigger specific immune system responses. Specifically, the immune system can develop an overactive response that leads to some of the symptoms mentioned above. 

Symptoms of Dust Mite Allergies

The symptoms of dust mite allergies are similar to those of various respiratory conditions.

This includes sneezing and coughing, and itchy, watery eyes, or red or itchy skin, as well as things like fatigue and sleep problems.

Getting Rid of Dust Mites

In general cleaning your indoor spaces will help keep down the population of dust mites. That includes vacuuming and washing bedding and things like curtains.

“These bad boys need to be washed at least weekly; in hot water with eucalyptus oil and then put through a hot drier and straight back on the bed,” writes one Reddit poster suffering from a dust mite allergy, referring to the sheets on the bed.

“Eucalyptus Oil is literally now your best friend,” another poster writes. “I hope you like the smell. It kills dust mites.”

You can also run a quality air purifier machine that can filter out the dead mites and their waste from the indoor air. Use a HEPA model like the Airpura I-700, or the IDEAL AP40 or Austin Healthmate, to get rid of the dust mite detritus that can trigger allergies. 

“I found the air purifier did make a difference (in dust mite problems,)” writes another Redditor on the same thread, “but I did a fair bit of research, and found one that was rated to manage the volume of my room … The air is noticeably different in my room when it is cranked up during the day.”

Many of these people who have been through this process before recommend a purifier with a medical-grade HEPA filter which is uniquely powerful with a certain range of small particles – we’ll get back to that later. They also recommend air changes 3-7 times per hour for dust mite allergy protection, so factor that into your purchase. 

Treatments for Dust Mite Allergies

There are now a range of treatments for this allergic condition. You can take antihistamines or other over-the-counter drugs for the symptoms, but you can also get allergy shots for dust mite allergies. There’s even a new tablet treatment for a dust mite allergy, something called Acarizax (it might go by other names as well) that scientists see as a game-changer for this condition.

So if you’re having a lot of problems with sneezing and coughing, or you have a red, itchy rash on your skin, dust mites may be the cause.

The first step is to examine your indoor air with an air monitor device. Then you can see what’s present in the air and what you’ll need to remediate with air purifier machines.

Modern machines with good HEPA filters can eliminate a lot of the allergens and other pollution that can trigger your health conditions. A medical-grade HEPA filter can catch up to 99.97% of particles down to .3 microns – a type of filter called a Super HEPA can filter particles down to .1 microns.

This makes your indoor air cleaner and more breathable over time.

Turn to US Air Purifiers LLC for help with warranties, pricing information and more. We have a good track record advising customers on which machines to buy for certain needs and how to purchase to size rooms, for more effective daily cleaning when running the appliance at a given level. Get peace of mind about your air today!