| Q.
What is an 'allergy'?
An
allergy is a sensitivity in a person to a normally harmless
substance called an 'allergen'. Allergens can be found in
dust particles, foods, drugs, insect venom, mold spores,
insect droppings and pollen. People who suffer from allergies
tend to be sensitive to more than one allergen. Scientists
believe that people inherit the tendency to be allergic,
although not to any specific allergen. Children of allergic
parents are more likely to develop allergies than other
children.
Another factor in the development of allegies seems to be
exposure to allergens at certain times, when the body's
defenses are lowered or weakened, such as after a viral
infection, during puberty, or during pregnancy.
People
with seasonal pollen allergies often develop sensitivities
to other troublemakers that are present all year round:
troublemakers such as dust and mold. Year-round allergens
like these cause perennial allergic rhinitis, as distinct
from seasonal allergenic rhinitis, or hay fever.
Q.
What is a Dust Mite?
(DermatophagoidesFarinae)
Dust
Mites are members of the same family as spiders and ticks
- the Arachnids. Dust Mites are microscopic, sightless,
eight-legged creatures that are completely invisible to
the naked eye. They infest your, and everyone else's, bed,
carpet and other suitable places. They feast on the scales
of skin that fall - naturally - from your body as you move
in your sleep.
Egg laying females can give birth to as many as 30 offspring
within their 30-day life span. Dust Mites cannot be killed
with household sprays, disinfectants or insecticides.
Q. Where, exactly, do these Dust Mites live in my bed?
To
give you an idea of their size, one gram of household dust
(half a teaspoonfull) on average contains up to 20,000 Dust
Mites and over 250,000 of their droppings. The most common
place to find these creatures in your home is in the bedroom.
A 2-year old pillow's weight can be up to one-third Dust
Mites and their feces. Not a pleasant thought. Research
shows that feather pillows, common in many homes, are by
their nature an excellent breeding ground for Dust Mites,
although mattresses provide the largest home for these microscopic
creatures. It also shows that the average person tosses
and turns approximately 60-70 times a night during sleep,
shedding skin and expelling thousands of Dust Mites and
clouds of their feces from the mattress each time, which
you, the sleeper, inhale. Dust mites can also be found in
other such hospitable places (from their point of view)
as carpets, stuffed toys, duvets, curtains, and other such
fabric-based items.
Dust Mites eat the dry flakes of your skin, which you are
constantly shedding and accounts for 80% of house dust -
the tiny dust particles you see in a ray of sunlight piercing
a dark room. They also consume the water vapor you exhale
at night, which averages a liter per night. Since you will
spend 1/3rd. of your life in bed, Dust Mites are well supplied
with food and water, and they thrive in the warm, humid
environment of your mattress and pillows.
Q. What are mold spores and mildew?
Mold
Spores are so small and lightweight that they travel through
the air easily. When airborne Mold Spores are present in
large numbers, they can cause allergic reactions, asthma
attacks, infections and other respiratory problems. Exposure
to high sope levels can cause the development of an allergy
to that particular mold that had not been present before.
Q. Who is at the most risk when exposed to Mold?
Infants
and children, the elderly, immune-compromised (people with
HIV infections, cancer chemotherapy, liver disease, etc.),
pregnant women, those with existing respiratory problems
such as allergies, those with multiple-chemical-sensitivity,
and asthmatics. All are at greater risk from Mold.
|
Q.
What symptoms are most common?
Allergic
reactions may be the most common health problem occuring
due to Mold and Dust Mite exposure. Typical symptoms reported
(alone or in combination) include: respiratory problems,
such as wheezing and difficulty breathing; nasal and sinus
congestion; burning, watery or reddened eyes; blurry vision;
light sensitivity; dry, hacking cough, sore throat, nose
and throat irritation; central nervous system problems,
such as constant headaches, memory problems; aches, pains,
possibly a fever.
Q.
How can I create a dust-free bedroom? I have difficulty
getting a good night's sleep, as my allergies often surface
when I'm in bed.
Dust-sensitive individuals, especially those with allergies
and asthma, can reduce some of their misery and improve
their 'quality of sleep' by creating a "dust-free"
bedroom. Dust may contain molds, fibers, and dander from
dogs, cats, and other animals, as well as tiny dust mites.
These mites, which live in bedding, upholstered furniture,
and carpets, thrive in the summer and, in some cases, die
in the winter. The particles seen floating in a shaft of
sunlight include dead mites and their waste products; it
is the waste products that actually provoke the allergic
reaction.
*
Keep only one bed in the bedroom. Most important, mattresses
and pillows should be in a dust-proof and allergen-proof
cover. Scrub bed springs outside the room. If a second
bed must be in the room, prepare it in the same
manner.
* Use polyester fibrefill mattress pads and pillows.
Avoid fuzzy wool blankets or feather and wool-stuffed comforters.
* Use only washable materials on the bed. Sheets,
blankets, and other bedclothes should be washed frequently
in water that is at least 130F. Lower temperatures will
not kill dust mites. If you set your hot water
temperature at home to a lower value (which
is commonly done to prevent children from scalding themselves),
then take the wash items to a commercial establishment that
uses high wash temperatures.
Source
- NIAID, a component of the National Institutes
of Health, supports research on AIDS, tuberculosis and other
infectious diseases as well as allergies and immunology.
Prepared by:
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD 20892
AAFA
- The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Tips
on fighting Dust-Mites.
* Cover all pillows, mattresses, and box springs
in non-allergenic, impermeable covers.
*
Purchase ONLY non-allergenic fibrefill pillows. If
they are not encased in an impermeable cover, wash the pillow
once a week. Make sure to dry them well.
*
Wash all bedding, including blankets, mattress pads,
and comforters in hot water (130 degrees) every week.
Dust-mites will live through a warm water wash.
*
Keep humidity level below 50%. Dust-mites thrive in
humid conditions.
*
If you have curtains, wash them weekly. Blinds
are easier to clean.
*
Linoleum and hardwood floors are best. If you
have carpeting, vacuum every few days.
Q. As you can see from the above, the use of Non-Allergenic
mattress and pillow protectors is highly recommended for
allergy and asthma sufferers. You really should try them.
|
