Allergens found in the home can cause symptoms including watery eyes, sneezing and congestion. While allergy medication and changing cleaning routines may help decrease allergens in your environment, identifying their sources is the first step toward effective reduction.
Indoor allergies can be caused by exposure to pet dander, dust mites or mold spores and can trigger year-round symptoms that include sneezing, itchy eyes and nose, nasal or sinus congestion, postnasal drainage drainage drainage drainage throat clearing as well as worsened asthmatic attacks.
Dust Mites
Millions of people experience allergy symptoms year-round from household dust mites, mold spores and pet dander. These allergens float freely through the air and settle on bedding, mattresses, pillows, upholstery furniture and carpets where they cannot be effectively removed by normal cleaning methods. When an allergic person breathes these microscopic particles in, their immune system overreacts by producing antibodies against them – these travel to cells where chemicals release into their system that cause characteristic symptoms associated with allergies.
These symptoms typically include a runny nose, watery eyes and itching in the nose, throat, ears or roof of the mouth. In severe cases, sinusitis may even block sinuses leading to congestion and chronic coughing episodes; for those suffering from asthma, prolonged exposure may trigger full-scale attacks.
Allergy testing can help your physician pinpoint exactly what allergens you have an allergy to. Your physician will first clean a small area of skin (usually forearm or upper arm) before lightly pricking it using a lancet-type tool and placing drops of solution containing what they suspect could be allergenic substances (if allergic to house dust mites for instance, these droplets will contain proteins from dead mites as droplets) on scratched spots in this region of skin; after testing has taken place, your doctor can compare results against an existing database of known allergies
Pets
Millions of people around the world enjoy having pets as companions and sources of unconditional love, yet being around some animals may trigger indoor allergy symptoms like sneezing, itching and watery eyes. Pet allergies are caused by proteins found in saliva and skin glands which cling to fur or dander that becomes airborne; dogs and cats tend to cause more reactions than hamsters, guinea pigs and rabbits do however.
These allergens can exacerbate asthma, which is more serious than simple sniffling and sneezing. A severe allergic reaction to pets, in particular children and elderly individuals, could even prove fatal.
To ease pet-related allergy symptoms, create a pet-free zone in your bedroom and install a HEPA air cleaner to trap dander. Consider adopting furless pets such as fish, reptiles or birds; bathe regularly by inviting someone without pet allergies into the bathing process with you.
Be mindful that just like seasonal allergies, pet allergy symptoms may shift over time or you could actually be allergic to something other than your pet. Therefore, always visit a board-certified allergist for a complete diagnosis including medical history review and physical exam with skin or blood testing to confirm allergies.
Mold
Mold is a widespread household problem that can trigger allergic reactions. This fungus thrives in warm, damp environments and can grow on almost anything; when inhaled by people, its spores become airborne and cause reactions similar to allergies. Mold exposure may even contribute to asthma in children as well as worsen existing cases.
Mold spores are very small particles that travel easily through the air, landing on people’s skin or in their nose and throat. If someone is allergic to mold, their immune system recognizes these spores as invaders and produces antibodies to fight them; when inhaled again, these antibodies may trigger an allergic response in their airways and result in symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes.
Mold can produce toxic mycotoxins that can lead to serious illnesses. Some mycotoxins may affect lung tissue or trigger allergy symptoms known as anaphylaxis that could prove life-threatening.
Mold allergy symptoms often include itching in the nose or throat and rashes or other skin reactions. Your doctor can use either a skin test or blood test to identify whether you have a mold allergy; if they believe you do have one they will most likely prescribe medicine such as antihistamines or nasal steroids to help.
Asthma
Asthma is a progressive disease of the airways in the lungs that leads to coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath in both adults and children of all ages and races. Although its exact cause remains unknown, hereditary factors may play a part. Some individuals may be more predisposed than others and certain triggers like smoking cigarettes, allergies to dust mites or pet dander/pollen and exercise can aggravate symptoms further; other irritants and pollutants that exacerbate asthma symptoms include ozone pollution (smog), fragranced cleaning products/chemicals as well as viral infections that make symptoms worse; other pollutants include fragranced cleaning products/chemicals etc.
Discovering what triggers a person’s asthma and allergy symptoms is key to creating an asthma action plan, and must involve all three of the patient, caregiver and healthcare provider working together in identifying these triggers and then finding ways to minimize or avoid exposure.
Keep a symptom diary to identify asthma triggers. Patients should record when their symptoms arise and what activities or events trigger or alleviate them; this will allow healthcare providers to better identify patterns and trends. When taking histories from patients, health care providers should inquire as to any allergens that might exacerbate symptoms – this might include pet dander, grass or tree pollen, mold growths, strong soaps or perfume. Also important is understanding whether there is a family history of allergic reactions such as hay fever or eczema that they should investigate further.
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