What kind of illness is a dust mite allergy?
House dust mite allergy is a condition where an individual has an allergic reaction to indoor dust and mites.
House dust refers to fine dust that accumulates indoors and includes various substances such as dead dust mites and their waste, mold, pet hair, and fiber fragments.
Of these, dust mites are one of the primary causes of year-round allergic rhinitis.
While hay fever (pollen allergy) often causes symptoms during specific seasons, mite and house dust allergies can lead to persistent symptoms like a runny nose, nasal congestion, and sneezing throughout the year.
Symptoms may worsen in environments where dust mites tend to proliferate, such as bedrooms, futons, carpets, and sofas.
Mites and house dust can be related not only to hay fever, but also to asthma, coughing, and atopic dermatitis.
What are the symptoms of dust mite allergies?
The main symptoms are a runny nose, stuffy nose, and sneezing.
If you experience a runny nose and sneezing upon waking, a worsening of symptoms during cleaning or when making your bed, and persistent nasal allergy symptoms year-round, it's possible that dust mite and house dust allergies are related.
In addition to nasal symptoms, it can also be accompanied by itchy eyes, a feeling of discomfort in the throat, coughing, and itchy skin.
If symptoms persist for a long time, they can affect your quality of life by reducing sleep quality and concentration.
What tests are performed when mite and house dust allergies are suspected?
When mite or house dust allergies are suspected based on the onset of symptoms and living environment, specific IgE antibodies are measured through a blood test.
Specific IgE antibodies are antibodies that react to substances that cause allergies.
Results are rated on a 7-point scale, with 2 or higher being considered positive.
By investigating reactions to mites and house dust, you can get a reference for considering the cause of your symptoms.
However, a substance testing positive in a blood test is not necessarily the cause of the symptoms.
In reality, it is important to make a diagnosis by considering the timing and location of symptoms, living environment, and the presence of other allergies.
What is the treatment for dust mite allergies?
Treatments include measures to reduce the causative allergens, as well as "treatments to suppress symptoms" and "treatments aimed at improving the allergy itself."
Effective measures against dust mites include washing and cleaning bedding, using a futon dryer and vacuum cleaner, ventilating the room, and reducing carpets and fabric products.
Your bedroom is a place where you spend a lot of time, so measures against dust mites are important.
For symptom control, medications are used that suppress the action of histamine and leukotrienes, which cause symptoms, and steroid medications that reduce inflammation. Typically, oral medications that suppress histamine are used first, and eye drops or nasal sprays are used in combination depending on the symptoms.
Additionally, for allergic rhinitis caused by dust mites, allergen immunotherapy may be performed as a treatment aimed at improving the allergy itself.
This is a treatment that aims to reduce symptoms by gradually administering small amounts of the causative allergen to the body to get it used to it.
Currently, sublingual immunotherapy against dust mites is available.
About sublingual immunotherapythis way (direction close to the speaker or towards the speaker)We provide detailed information at.
What are the mite and house dust mite allergy tests and treatments available at Ikejiri-Ohashi Sera Clinic?
The clinic specializes in orthopedics, internal medicine, and sports medicine and can provide a variety of tests and treatments.
The following are tests and treatments for mite and house dust allergies that can be performed at our clinic.
Examination: Blood test
Treatment: Prescription of medication to control symptoms, sublingual immunotherapy
At our clinic, we aim to ease your concerns and support your health
through attentive medical care in a calm and welcoming environment.
Please feel free to stop by and consult us, even during a casual walk around the neighborhood.