Allergies are overreactions of your immune system to normally harmless substances that enter your body and can trigger symptoms like watery eyes, sneezing, nasal congestion and itching.
Millions of people suffer from year-round indoor allergies caused by dust mites, cockroach parts, mold and pet dander. To combat this problem, keeping your home clean and using air cleaners with certified asthma and allergy filters are vital steps in relieving symptoms.
Outdoor Allergens
Outdoor allergens can find their way indoors, where they can cause allergic symptoms to manifest themselves. Pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds may enter homes through open windows or be carried in on clothing, shoes, or pets; once inside they can become airborne and cause symptoms such as sneezing, itching, congestion and more.
Closed windows during pollen seasons and using an air purifier can help combat allergens from entering indoor spaces, and laundry and hair washing frequently will remove allergens from skin as will bathing pets and regularly cleaning houseplants. Limiting how many house plants exist will also help decrease dust and mold build-up in homes.
Outdoor allergens that may provoke a reaction include roaches, rodents and cat dander; their saliva and feces contain proteins which cause allergic reactions in humans. Over-the-counter and prescription medicines can alleviate symptoms; sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has proven very successful at treating allergies related to outdoor allergens like pollen.
Indoor allergens come from numerous sources, such as pets, cockroaches, mold and smoke; household cleaners and disinfectants may also act as allergens; water damage and high humidity levels as well as new furnishings or carpeting can contribute to allergic reactions in the home environment. Making changes such as improving ventilation, wearing a mask when cleaning, running a dehumidifier and discontinuing smoking may help lessen allergic reactions in your environment.
Indoor Allergens
Allergies to indoor allergens can cause itchy eyes, runny nose and scratchy throat symptoms. Allergy symptoms may surface year-round but become particularly bothersome in winter when people spend more time inside with doors and windows closed, sealing in allergens that make removal harder. Heating systems further spread these allergens throughout homes.
Indoor allergens often come from dust mites, cockroaches and rodents. Their allergens can be found anywhere from wallpaper, drapes and carpeting to clothing books and toys – not forgetting mold spores from mold growth, yeast spores or plant sources like psyllium fiber (used for bowel control purposes by many individuals) or latex from rubber products like latex latex gloves causing reactions in some individuals.
Insects can also cause inhalant allergies. Allergies to insects may result from their stings or bites or from inhaling their excreta (venom). There have been reports of inhalant allergy reactions related to flies, locusts and crickets.
Allergen levels vary widely by environment and home type as well as socioeconomic and ethnic considerations, and can range widely depending on allergen exposure levels (or allergen burden) in homes; it varies between them considerably; although levels tend to be higher among asthmatics, allergic patients and inner city populations. Elevated levels of cat (Fel d 1), dog (Can f 1) and mouse urinary protein allergens are generally linked with higher cockroach and Alternaria antigen counts in these studies.
Pet Allergies
Pet dander (dead skin flakes) and saliva can trigger allergic reactions in people. Reactions occur because proteins present in both are bound by IgE antibodies to allergy cells in your immune system, where histamine release occurs causing symptoms associated with allergies.
Dogs and cats are among the most frequently recognized allergens; however, other mammals including rabbits and hamsters can also produce histamines that cause allergy symptoms. Frogs and toads, lizards, snakes and reptiles all also release histamines that may trigger allergy attacks.
Pet dander allergies can occur through inhalation, direct skin contact or by touching an animal directly. Reactions typically manifest themselves within minutes and may become severe quickly – symptoms include nasal passage inflammation, runny nose and watery eyes along with itching, sneezing and wheezing.
At any rate, it’s essential that people with allergies visit an allergist for testing to accurately pinpoint which allergen(s) they’re reacting to. Skin prick tests are particularly helpful at pinpointing potential allergens; this involves placing small amounts of the suspected allergen onto their forearm and scratching it with a lancet; any red bump that forms indicates where IgE antibodies may be present. Many who live with pets find relief from their symptoms by taking over-the-counter or prescription antihistamines, avoiding contact with them altogether, using an air purifier to remove pet dander/dust mites from air purifiers and immunotherapy (allergy shots). For allergic individuals it would also be wise to experiment without getting permanent pet ownership before making a lifetime commitment before making a permanent commitment before making such commitments!
Mold Allergies
Allergic reactions to mold can develop when inhaling airborne mold spores. Your immune system recognizes them as foreign substances and overreacts by producing antibody-causing proteins which travel throughout your body to release chemical signals that lead to symptoms like sneezing, watery eyes and itchy skin.
Mold spores can be found anywhere, but tend to thrive in damp or dark spaces like basements and crawlspaces. Mold can also thrive in humid or moist conditions; having an allergic condition such as asthma, chronic sinusitis or living in humid climates are all risk factors for mold allergies.
Mold allergens vary greatly by person and can produce mild to severe reactions that occur all year round or more frequently in certain weather conditions. You may even react adversely to multiple mold species at once!
There are multiple methods available to test for mold allergies, including skin and blood tests. Your physician will use your results, medical history and physical exam findings in combination with symptoms to reach a diagnosis of your mold allergy, which could include itchy eyes and nose, sneezing, wheezing and shortness of breath. Treatment options could include antihistamines, oral and nasal corticosteroids, decongestants as well as allergen immunotherapy therapy.
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