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Did you know:
Dust mite allergy affects 20 million Americans
4 out of 5 homes in the US have detectable levels of dust mite allergens
A mattress may contain between 100,000 to 10 million dust mites
Dust Mite Allergy Symptoms
Uncontrolled dust mite allergy can lead to long-term health problems
If you experience one or more of these symptoms, it may mean that you have an allergy to dust mites.
If you experience one or more of these symptoms, it may mean that you have an allergy to dust mites.
Get A Test!
An allergy test is a first step to finding the right treatment for you. A skin prick test or a blood test can help detect if you are sensitive to house dust mites.
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Don't Let Dust Mite Allergy Hold You Back
Meet Perilla. She's living her dream of being a dancer despite her dust mite allergy.
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Prepare For Your Doctor Visit
Be ready to describe your medical history and your symptoms, how bad they are, and how long they last Keeping an allergy diary can help.
Dust Mite Allergy Treatment: What Can I Do?
If your dust mite allergy symptoms are holding you back from feeling like yourself, you have options. Learn about dust mite allergy treatment.
Short-Term Relief
Medicines such as antihistamines and corticosteroids can help to counteract or alleviate symptoms when you have an allergic reaction.
Long-Term Relief
The aim of allergy immunotherapy is to retrain your immune system to tolerate dust mite particles through tiny doses of your trigger. The idea is to reduce your symptoms long-term.
Short-term relief medicines are probably the most commonly known allergy medication. Here's how some common types work.
Antihistamines: Block the effect of histamine – a substance released during an allergic response. Dosage forms include tablets, eye drops, nasal sprays and creams.
Corticosteroids: Mimic a hormone in your body and reduce inflammation caused by an allergic reaction. Dosage forms include nasal sprays, inhalers and creams.
Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for advice.
If your symptom-relieving medicines aren't helping, your healthcare provider might suggest allergy immunotherapy as the next step.
This treatment works naturally with your body and targets the underlying cause of your condition. A controlled amount of your allergen is given to you regularly, either in the form of tablets or shots. The aim is that your body learns not to react so much.
Ask your healthcare provider if allergy immunotherapy is for you.
Allergy Immunotherapy Treatment
Allergy immunotherapy tackles the root cause of your allergy. Through tiny doses of your trigger, it can make you less sensitive to dust mites – reducing symptoms long-term. Allergy immunotherapy is often given as injections. Not a fan of allergy shots? An alternative here is tablets, which are taken in your own home.
Allergy Tablets
This type of allergy immunotherapy is taken under the tongue where it dissolves. The medical term is sublingual allergy immunotherapy or SLIT. Sublingual means under the tongue.
You take your daily allergy tablet in the convenience of your own home. The first dose is given under medical supervision at the doctor’s office.
A treatment plan typically spans several years as it takes time to retrain the immune system.
Allergy Shots
This type of allergy immunotherapy is administered in the form of injections. The medical term is subcutaneous allergy immunotherapy or SCIT. Subcutaneous means under the skin.
During regular visits to the doctor’s office, allergy shots are injected just under the skin of your arm. Shots are given approximately once a week to once a month.
A plan typically spans several years, as it takes time to retrain the immune system.
Dr. Jacqueline Eghrari-Sabet, MD
Double Board-Certified Allergist And Paid Consultant
It’s not normal to feel stuffed up all the time. To be itchy, sneezy, pooped and wheezy. These are symptoms that can be due to dust mite allergy. And to add insult to injury the year-round dust mite allergy problem can make your seasonal allergies worse.
Dust Mite Facts And Tips
Dust Mite Facts And Tips
Dust mites are invisible to the naked eye and live in most of our homes. Dust mites don't bite or transmit diseases. They eat flakes of dead skin. It's dust mite waste and skin cells that you react to. Dust mites prefer warmth and humidity and love mattrasses, pillows, sofas, carpets, curtains and soft toys.
To support your treatment try our tips for keeping dust mite levels under control
