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That Rash Might Come From an Allergy to Dust Mites |
 Perhaps the biggest challenge we have when we develop an allergy is sorting out the cause of the problem. Many allergy symptoms resemble illnesses like a cold or a stomach flu. The clue that your problem is not a bug may only be that you don't develop a fever or other symptoms of an illness and that allergies don’t go away when you "get better". They come back each time you come in contact with the thing that you are allergic to which is what we call the "allergen".
One allergy that can be quite puzzling is the dust mite allergy. We understand that dust mites live in our homes and they are so tiny that you will never see one except in a picture or under a microscope. So one would expect that a dust mite allergy comes from bites and you could expect to see little bite marks around your skin. But the actual allergic reaction people have to dust mites is not to the bugs directly but it is an allergy to the residue of dust mites, which includes their feces, and dead dust mite bodies that form into a fine dust.
When we breathe that dust, the immune system often reacts with allergic symptoms that many times feel like hay fever. Common symptoms of a dust mite allergy include wheezing, sniffles, sinus problems, inflammation and congestion when you breathe and other respiratory problems.
But like other allergies that are not that easy to categorize, it is also possible that if you become allergic to dust mites, it could surface as a rash. If the allergic rash you are suffering from is very itchy and looks like a red bump, it could be an allergic reaction to dust mite residue. If you live in a part of the country where there is a lot of humidity, that is a perfect setting for dust mites to thrive. They live on dead skin so you can probably assume you have dust mites in your carpets, your beds and your furniture.
The dust mite rash has a lot of similarities to eczema. This makes it tough to know what is causing your rash because these various allergic rashes are so similar. But if your rash is just one symptom and you also are going through allergic symptoms that seem like asthma as well as congestion, runny nose and wheezing, those combined symptoms point to a dust mite allergy problem.
Dust mite allergy symptoms can be relatively mild. But they can progress to the severe stage quickly if the exposure to the allergen is not eliminated. If you decide to seek medical advice, that is smart so that your doctor can lend his or her expertise to diagnosing your allergy problem. Your doctor may be able to give you some medication that will ease the suffering from dust mite allergy symptoms. But that doesn’t cure the allergy. The only complete solution to a dust mite allergy problem is to get them out of your home.
There is no magic formula for getting dust mites out of your home. They thrive in dust in your carpets, your furniture, your clothing, your bedding and your mattresses. So look at each potential home for dust mites and mount a serious cleaning effort. A good start is to have the carpets steam cleaned which will begin a lifestyle of routine vacuuming and dusting of the home. Have the mattresses cleaned and begin a habit of washing the bedding much more regularly in hot water. You should even look at hidden places where dust mites might hide like inside stuffed animals that your children play with. Anything with fabric or soft cushions is a candidate for cleaning or being replaced so you create an environment where dust mites are not welcome.
The fight against dust mite allergies is one time when developing a virtual obsession with cleanliness is entirely appropriate. It will be an obsession that will bring a quick stop to dust might allergy rashes and the other unpleasant and sometimes serious symptoms of the dust mite allergy. And getting rid of that suffering for you or in a family member is worth making cleaning a top priority now and from now on as well.
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