Allergies can drastically impact daily life if they’re left uncontrolled, especially if symptoms persist year-round. Your allergies could be triggered by something in the home environment that triggers them.
Keep a record of your allergy symptoms to aid in pinpointing their source. Your physician can conduct allergy tests and prescribe medication to control them.
What Are the Common Allergens?
Millions of people suffer from allergies to various environmental irritants in their home, such as dust mite droppings, animal dander, cockroach droppings and mold spores. Allergens such as these often result in symptoms including itchy eyes and watery discharge, as well as year-round sneezing and in some instances asthma flare-ups.
Allergens are substances that your immune system misidentifies as foreign threats, prompting antibodies known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) to attack them and remain on guard for future exposures. When IgE antibodies find an allergen they attach themselves to it and release chemicals which lead to symptoms associated with allergies.
People react to allergens for various reasons, including pollen in Central Texas from spring through summer and pet dander during autumn months. Other common allergens include dust mites which thrive in warm and humid environments like mattresses, box springs and upholstered furniture; as well as cockroach feces and droppings which may trigger symptoms including difficulty breathing.
Food allergies are also possible and celery is one of the more popular food allergens that causes reactions that range from mild to severe mouth inflammation. Other foods to avoid include wheat, milk, sulphur dioxide and sulphites as well as fish shellfish crustaceans peanuts soy sesame seeds tree nuts
Symptoms
Your home should be your safe haven, but if you suffer from indoor allergies it can become the source of uncomfortable allergy symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose and nasal congestion. Indoor allergies are typically triggered by allergens found within the house itself such as dust mites, mould or pet dander – which should never be found there!
Dust mite and mold allergy symptoms tend to manifest themselves all year-round, in contrast to seasonal allergies (hay fever) which typically only appear at specific times due to releases of tree, grass and ragweed pollen. Animal dander allergies also tend to persist throughout the year and worsen significantly in winter.
Cockroaches are another cause of indoor allergies and often do so due to their slime. Humans inhaling it while crawling over or through their habitats may become exposed, which then dries out and becomes airborne causing respiratory irritation.
Avoiding allergens that trigger symptoms is key to managing indoor allergies effectively. Skin testing by an allergist is an efficient and quick way to determine which common allergens cause your reactions; medication like antihistamines may also be prescribed by them to relieve their symptoms; in addition, a healthcare provider can recommend changes to cleaning procedures and air filters that could reduce your exposure.
Treatment
Millions of people worldwide suffer year-round allergies caused by dust mite droppings, cockroach parts, animal dander, mold spores and other indoor allergens. When exposed to these allergens, your immune system overreacts by producing antibodies known as Immunoglobulin E (IgE), which travel throughout your body releasing chemicals which cause inflammation in nose, throat, mouth, eyes or skin; leading to symptoms like sneezing, runny noses, itchy eyes/nose or scratchy throats being most noticeable.
Treatment for indoor allergens that aggravate symptoms should focus on limiting exposure. Antihistamines and decongestants may help relieve symptoms by inhibiting histamine release; corticosteroid sprays may reduce inflammation in the nose and nasal passages; while immunotherapy, which involves gradually exposing yourself to small doses of an allergen over time to desensitize immune response responses, may also be effective.
Allergists at UPMC in Central Pennsylvania can assist you in identifying indoor allergy triggers and creating an effective treatment plan. By keeping track of when your symptoms arise and where and what was being done at the time, allergy specialists may use skin testing or blood tests to pinpoint exactly which allergens you’re reacting to – skin testing involves pricking your skin with extracts from common allergens like tree pollen or pet dander extracts and monitoring the reaction, which often appears as raised welts on skin testing results.
Prevention
Millions of allergy sufferers suffer sneezing, itching and other symptoms from indoor allergens like pet dander, dust mite droppings, cockroach droppings and mold spores; unlike outdoor allergens like tree, grass, weed and ragweed pollen and mold spores which arise and dissipate throughout the seasons.
Aiming to limit exposure to common allergens indoors, the key to combatting indoor allergies lies in adhering to a regular cleaning schedule and employing simple home maintenance steps like running a dehumidifier. Wearing a mask while performing house chores is also recommended to protect from inhaling irritants; air conditioning and keeping doors and windows closed also helps avoid trapping allergens inside; finally limiting house plants as well as using air cleaners equipped with certified asthma & allergy friendly filters can further diminish them indoors.
If you suspect an allergy to indoor allergens, seek advice and undergo allergy testing from your primary care physician to see if any are appropriate. Once tested, work with an allergist/immunologist to identify which allergens are triggering your symptoms and develop a treatment plan; medications like antihistamines, decongestants and inhaled nasal steroids may help keep symptoms under control while allergy shots may help build tolerance to common allergens; keeping track of when your symptoms flare up will provide insight into which allergens they could potentially triggering them!
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