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What is an allergic
reaction?
An allergic reaction is your immune systems way of defensively
responding to foreign substances in the body. The body produces
antibodies to fight off the intruding substance(s) (the allergen(s)),
which in turn produces a chemical known as histamine. When the
body produces an excess amount of histamine the allergy or asthma
symptoms surface. Symptoms of an allergic reaction can include
itchy and/or watery eyes, sneezing, wheezing, and coughing.
What is an allergen?
The term allergen refers to any substance that can trigger an
allergic response. Common indoor allergens include pollen, mold,
animal dander, and house dust mite waste. Common outdoor allergens
include weeds, grasses, plant and tree pollens, ragweed and mold.
What are dust
allergens?
House dust is a
mixture of many substances. Its content varies from home to home.
A speck of dust may contain fabric fibers, human skin particles,
animal dander, microscopic creatures called dust mites, parts of
cockroaches, mold spores, food particles and other debris. Of
these, the house dust mite is the most common culprit to cause an
allergy and asthma reaction.
What is a dust
mite?
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Dust mites
are microscopic arachnids that you cannot see without using a
microscope. They feed on skin flakes and thrive in warm, humid
or damp conditions. They can be found in mattresses, pillows,
carpets, upholstered furniture, bedcovers, clothes, stuffed
toys, and fabric or other fabric-covered items. |
How do I know if
I have dust mites?
Dust
mites are invisible to the naked eye. Even in the cleanest of
homes, mites can inhabit mattresses, pillows, blankets, quilts,
carpets and fabric-covered furniture. They thrive in warm, humid
or damp conditions and live on a diet of skin scales which we shed
daily.
What triggers
allergies?
Dust… Mold…
Pollen… Particles shed by your pets. You’ll find plenty of
allergens in your home, but the most important are allergens from
the dust mite and its fecal pellets.
Up to 30% of all people have allergic symptoms, with the majority
being triggered by the house dust mite. Also, skin tests have
shown that up to 80% of asthmatics react to the house dust mite.
What are common
allergy symptoms?
The
most common symptoms include: Sneezing… Itchy eyes… Itchy palate…
Runny, blocked or itchy nose… Night-time cough… Wheezing… These
symptoms may occur year-round and can occur inside or outside the
home.
The symptoms listed above are common and vary depending on the
person and the particular allergen. Keep in mind that each person
has his or her own threshold to the amount of allergen they can
tolerate before symptoms start to occur. A person can also develop
an allergy later in life or stop having an allergy as they age.
What common allergy
myths are false?
Dust mite allergies are not caused by the dust mite themselves but
to the fecal matter. By just eliminating the dust mite you will
not prevent your allergy symptoms from occurring. You must treat
the allergen with neutralizing agents or water that is hotter than
130°
Fahrenheit.
People who suffer from pet allergies are not
allergic to the animals fur as most believe. Their allergic
reactions are actually caused from the proteins found in the
animal’s dander, urine, and saliva. Reactions to pet allergens can
occur immediately or build up and surface up to 12 hours after a
person’s initial exposure. Also, allergens from animals can cause
asthma and an allergy symptom for several months after the animal
has been removed from the home.
How do I know the
difference between allergies and the common cold?
Allergies cause you to sneeze repeatedly, cause your eyes and nose
to be itchy, and continue on for long periods of time. Colds
usually have body aches and cough associated with them and go away
in about a week.
Additional
Information Links:
Allergy & Asthma
Foundation of America -
www.aafa.org
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology
-
http://www.aaaai.org
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology -
http://allergy.mcg.edu
American Lung Association -
www.lungusa.org
Mothers of Asthmatics -
www.aanma.org
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases -
www.niaid.nih.gov/default.htm
National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine -
www.nationaljewish.org
AllerNurse -
www.allernurse.com
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