Indoor allergies can be caused by many substances in your home, including pet dander, dust mites and mold. Allergens may be present year round but become particularly visible during the winter when doors and windows remain shut, recirculating air around your living space.
Allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to normally harmless substances (allergens). Common symptoms include sneezing, runny nose or eyes and itching.
Pets
Indoor allergens tend to be less seasonal than outdoor allergies but can still be highly irritating and difficult to avoid. They include molds, dust mites and pet dander – the symptoms for which can include sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion and itchy eyes.
An allergy specialist can conduct allergy testing to identify what allergens you’re sensitive to. Your specialist may prick your skin with small doses of tree pollen or pet dander and observe any allergic reactions from it.
To decrease pet dander levels in your home, remove wall-to-wall carpeting in bedrooms, use “mite-proof” mattress covers and wash mattresses and pillows regularly in hot water with “mite-proof” cases, keep pets outdoors as much as possible and vacuum and clean frequently if they must come inside; have longhaired pets groomed professionally during high pollen seasons for extra cleanliness; be prepared with allergy medicine should symptoms arise if visiting friends with their own pets increases exposure; immunotherapy is a way of desensitizing immune systems from any reactions related to pet dander and other allergens that trigger reactions by desensitizing immune systems from allergic reactions caused by other allergens causing reactions in them both!
Dust Mites
Dust mites are tiny arthropods that are only visible under a microscope, living in beds, mattresses, upholstery furniture, carpeting and curtains. They feed off skin flakes shed during the day while living in warm and humid environments; when they die their feces and hard shells end up in household dust where they cause allergy symptoms – sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes and itchy skin are typical reactions in people allergic to dust mites – similar to what would occur with hay fever but can also occur alongside asthma as hay fever is.
There’s no foolproof way to eliminate allergens completely from your home, but there are steps you can take to reduce symptoms. Install air conditioning to decrease humidity levels and use a HEPA vacuum cleaner regularly; wash bedding, drapes and rugs regularly in hot water; remove clutter from bedrooms and reduce the number of stuffed animals on beds – these are all things that may help.
Immunotherapy treatment could offer long-term relief. Your allergist will give weekly injections with increasing doses of dust mite allergy extract for 6-12 months; over time this causes your immune system to adapt, leading to decreased reactions or complete relief altogether.
Mold
Allergies can be caused by numerous things, including pet dander, dust mite droppings, cockroach droppings and mold spores. Indoor allergens tend to cause year-round symptoms whereas seasonal outdoor triggers like grass pollen can present new challenges.
Dust mites, microscopic organisms that feed on dead skin cells, are one of the primary sources of allergies. They hide in pillows, mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpets and drapes and should be washed weekly in hot water with laundry detergent and used allergen-proof mattress and pillow covers to reduce dust mite levels.
Molds are tiny fungi that thrive in damp environments like basements and kitchens, often leading to household mold allergies in affected individuals. Exposure can result in runny nose, itchy eyes and throat irritation as well as other allergic symptoms.
Antihistamines and decongestants may help manage symptoms associated with indoor allergies. Allergy shots, however, may help prevent allergic reactions by providing broad coverage against allergens that could otherwise require medication to manage. Speak to a Baptist Health allergist today about treatment options.
Medications
Allergies can cause runny noses, itchy eyes, and other symptoms that make life unbearable. Indoor allergens like pet dander, dust mite droppings, cockroaches and mold spores are especially problematic and may cause symptoms year-round – more so than seasonal allergies (hay fever).
Allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to normally harmless environmental substances known as allergens, producing antibodies called Immunoglobulin E in response. These antibodies travel to cells that release chemicals which produce allergy symptoms which manifest themselves through nose, throat, lung and eye symptoms.
Avoidance is always the preferred treatment for allergies; if that isn’t an option, medications such as antihistamines, decongestants and nasal sprays may provide some relief from symptoms of allergy such as stuffy, runny or itchy noses and eyes. Nasal corticosteroids reduce swelling to alleviate stuffy or runny nasal passages while antihistamines block histamine, the chemical that triggers allergic inflammation; pills, liquids, melting tablets and nasal sprays block histamine production whereas antihistamines block histamine’s activating chemical action and reduce runny nose or itchy eye symptoms while mast cell stabilizers keep histamine release by your body to reduce runny nose or itchy eyes symptoms.
Comments are closed