[Translate to English:] POTEMA Matratzenreinigung

House Dust Allergy

[Translate to English:] Allergene Grafik

Almost one in four people suffers from the effects of allergic reactions - with an upward trend. The cause is always an overreaction of our body to foreign substances. Actually innocuous substances are wrongly classified as dangerous - there is an overreaction of the body. This false reaction leads to an increased release of the messenger histamine - which in turn leads to the known allergic symptoms.

The second most common cause of allergic reactions is house dust allergy. In Germany alone, over 4.5 million people suffer from the unpleasant side effects. In principle, a corresponding immune reaction can occur at any age. However, the first symptoms are particularly common in childhood or adolescence: every fifth child is already sensitized to house dust allergens.

To prevent (or minimize) the onset of a house-dust allergy, it is important to know the symptoms:

  • Runny or stuffy nose and sneezing, especially in the morning
  • Burning or swollen eyes
  • Frequent onset of coughing
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Restless sleep
  • Swollen mucosa in the nose and throat
  • Skin reactions such as itching and rash
  • Difficulty in breathing

If the symptoms are not recognized early and treated properly, allergic asthma may eventually develop as a result of the persistent irritation. With appropriate precaution the outbreak of a house dust allergy can be prevented.

Cause and effect

The trigger of house dust allergy are certain proteins in the feces of mites. The excreted mite excrement accumulates on the mattress, dries, disintegrates and finally mixes with each turn in the sleep or by shaking the blankets and pillows, with the house dust and is distributed on floors, sofas and curtains throughout the apartment. Through turbulences, the dried mite droppings enter the room air for a short time, can deposit on the mucous membranes in the eye, nose and lungs and trigger the described hypersensitivity reactions.

In a house dust allergy occurs a rapid (within seconds or minutes) reaction of the immune system to the allergen. There is therefore a so-called type I allergy (immediate allergy).

Since house dust mite allergy sufferers are especially exposed to the allergy-causing substance at night, they often have the strongest symptoms in the morning. While pollen allergy sufferers can breathe out during the pollen season, house dust mite allergy causes year-round complaints. The symptoms are particularly severe, especially in autumn and winter. The house dust mites multiply mainly due to the better climatic conditions between May and October. In autumn, with the beginning of the heating season, the humidity in the living rooms drops and most of the mites die. The feces dry out and are distributed over heating air with the house dust. In the process, large amounts of the allergens (allergens) are released and the symptoms of allergies reach their peak.