Indoor allergies may be caused by many different triggers, including pet dander, mold or dust mites. Common symptoms of indoor allergies can include itchy eyes, runny nose or throat irritation.
Allergy medications can provide much-needed relief. Furthermore, regular cleaning with air filters or using cleaning solutions to rid the environment of allergens is also essential in keeping our environments free of allergens and mold spores.
Allergens
Allergies are an immune response caused by harmless substances, like pollen, dust mites, pet dander, mold spores, medications or foods entering the body and triggering an allergic response in its immune system – leading to symptoms in your nose, throat, ears, eyes skin or roof of mouth – inducing anaphylaxis, which is life threatening in its severity. Allergies can range from mild to severe reactions.
Allergens can cause allergy symptoms in various ways depending on their nature and interactions with your body. Airborne allergens, for instance, may trigger respiratory allergy symptoms like itchy, runny nose, sneezing, mucus production and wheezing; skin contact allergens may lead to symptoms including itching, redness, swelling blisters or even rashes on contact; they can even aggravate existing medical conditions like sinus problems, eczema and asthma further.
Recent molecular advances have increased our knowledge of indoor allergens and enabled their avoidance for allergy prevention. This report takes an integrated and comprehensive approach to indoor allergies involving contributions from multiple disciplines: allergists, epidemiologists, industrial hygieneists, mycologists, pulmonologists, general and family physicians as well as engineers, educators and policy experts comprised the committee that produced it.
Symptoms
Dust mite, pet dander, mold spores and cockroach allergies can trigger year-round symptoms including itchy eyes, nose or throat; runny or congestion-filled nose; sneezing; coughing. Some individuals also report skin rashes or difficulty breathing as a result. In wintertime these reactions tend to worsen dramatically.
Allergies caused by indoor allergens can significantly disrupt daily life and cause chronic inflammation of nasal, sinus and throat passageways, throat and lungs. Fungi, yeast and mildew allergies as well as mold are often more prevalent in damp areas like basements, bathrooms or kitchens than elsewhere; while outdoor pollutants like smog or other air pollution also negatively impact indoor air quality.
As pollen counts increase during the summer, outdoor allergies to tree, grass and weed pollen can result in itchy eyes, watery eyelids, red nose or face and sinus congestion – especially on windy days when pollen counts peak. Indoor allergens can also trigger similar symptoms; such as runny nose and congestion; postnasal drainage; an itchy throat or tongue; persistent clearing of throat and wheezing are among them.
Indoor allergens tend to thrive in homes with damp conditions such as basements and bathrooms that experience high levels of humidity (above 70 percent), as well as those that house new pets, smoking cigarettes, remodeling their home or water damage. It is essential that allergy sufferers monitor their symptoms to identify patterns when their symptoms flare up most severely.
Treatment
Allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to substances normally considered harmless to most people, like pollen from trees, grasses and weeds, mold spores, pet dander or dust mite droppings. Your body overreacts by producing antibodies which travel to cells and release chemicals which cause runny noses, sneezing fits, watery eyes or itching of the nose roof, throat or ears.
Allergy treatments focus on managing symptoms and limiting exposure to allergens. Allergists often recommend medications like antihistamines, decongestants and inhaled steroids as effective ways to do this. You can assist your allergist by keeping a record of when and why your symptoms flared up; perhaps the basement flood worsened or when going on vacation might be contributing factors – all valuable insights for their analysis of possible allergen triggers.
Allergy specialists often suggest allergy shots as a solution, which gradually expose you to increasing doses of the allergens that trigger your reactions until eventually, your immune system adapts and reduces or eliminates them altogether – ultimately relieving allergy symptoms altogether. It takes several weeks before allergy injections fully take effect – yet many find they last for many years thereafter.
Prevention
Allergies to dander, dust mites, mold spores and chemicals are an ongoing condition and may result in runny noses, watery eyes and sneezing. Many individuals can find relief through lifestyle modifications and medication.
People spend much of their time indoors, where air quality may often be worse than outdoor spaces. This is especially true for young children whose immune systems are still developing; exposure to allergens in the home may exacerbate existing allergies further.
Step one in combatting indoor allergies for your child should be to visit an allergist for a skin allergy test. This will reveal whether they are sensitive to common indoor allergens like mold spores, pet dander, house dust mites or insects that could trigger reactions in them.
Once your child has undergone an allergy test and received positive results, you can make changes in the home to reduce his/her exposure to allergens. These may include:
Stay on top of dust particles by regularly using a damp microfiber cloth for cleaning. Consider replacing carpeting with hard floors such as wood or tile to reduce dirt accumulation. Also limit indoor plant count as these could also contribute to allergy symptoms. Finally remove toys that collect dust – these simple steps could make an incredible difference to your child’s allergy symptoms!
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