Contrary to popular belief, house dust allergy is not only caused by dirt or dust, but a combination of materials like pollens, fibres, dust mites, mold spores, animal fur, plant and insect remains, hair, feathers, flakes of animal and human skin, and dried spit and excreta of pets. Most of these allergens are microscopic and cannot be seen with the naked eye.
House dust allergy symptoms are similar to those of pollen allergies.
When affected by the condition the body will display certain symptoms which include:
In some cases some people may have asthma symptoms that could lead to shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing. Dust allergies can imitate the common cold, so if the sneezing and eye irritation continue for a longer period it would be advisable to visit the doctor. The most common cause of house dust allergy is dust mites. In case you are prone to such allergies, you could develop allergic reactions to pets as well, especially dogs and cats.
While it is difficult to keep your house free of all allergens, here are a few house dust allergy prevention tips to help reduce their presence:
There is no cure for a house dust allergy. The best thing you can do is keep your home clean and allergen-free. To confirm that you have a house dust allergy, you can visit your doctor, discuss your symptoms as well as home and work environments, and get an allergy test. A house dust allergy test is essentially a skin test in which the doctor will prick your skin with various allergens; reactions will indicate the presence of an allergy. A positive response (causing swelling and redness) indicates that you are allergic to that substance. A blood test will doubly confirm any allergy that shows up in a skin test.