General Information
- Dust mites are a common cause of allergy
- House dust mites are found in mattresses, pillows, carpets, furniture and stuffed toys - Dust mites are in most homes, even those that are cleaned frequently
- Having a dust mite allergy has nothing to do with visible dust in your home
House Dust Mite Allergy Symptoms
- People with house dust mite allergy can have nose, eye and / or breathing symptoms
- Nasal symptoms include runny nose, congestion, sneezing, itching and post nasal drip (sensation that mucus is draining down the back of the throat or frequent throat clearing)
- Eye symptoms include itchy, red, watery eyes
- Throat and ear symptoms include sore throat, hoarse voice, congestion or popping for the ears and itching of the throat or ears
- Asthma symptoms such as cough, wheeze (whistling noise), shortness of breath and chest tightness can become worse when around house dust mites and you may need more medications
- House dust mite allergy can also make eczema worse in some patients
Avoidance and Environmental Control
- Use a dust mite proof cover for the mattress and pillows. Replace pillows every 2 - 3 years
- Wash bedding once a week in hot water, and avoid feather bedding as they collect dust mites
- If stuffed animals cannot be washed, place in hot dryer for 45 minutes every 2 weeks
- If possible, avoid carpets especially in the bedroom
- Avoid clutter, such as several stuffed toys, in the bedroom which will collect house dust mites
- Clean all hard surfaces at least once a week with damp cloth
- Use a dehumidifier to decrease humidity to less than 50% in the home. Air cleaners / purifiers are not helpful to remove dust mites
Treatment Options
- Discuss medication options with your doctor
- Saline rinse and sprays clean the inside of the nose
- Antihistamines such as cetirizine (Reactine), loratadine (Claritin), desloratadine (Aerius) and fexofenadine (Allergra) can be used alone or with a nasal spray
- Nasal steroid sprays such as mometasone furoate (Nasonex), ciclesonide (Omnaris) and fluticasone furoate (Avamys) decrease inflammation in the nose if used on a regular basis
- Nasal and oral decongestants are NOT recommended unless directed by your doctor
- Eye drops such as for olopatadine hydrochloride (Pataday) can be used as needed
- Montelukast (Singular) daily tablets
- Allergy shots / immunotherapy may be an option for certain patients. Discuss with your doctor to see if you are a candidate