The House Dust Mite & Allergies

What are House Dust Mites?

Found in every home, without exception, House Dust Mites are microscopic living organisms and, as such, are invisible to the naked eye. They thrive in any environment that is dark, warm and humid, without air circulation and with large quantities of human skin flakes, which defines perfectly, every human bed in the world.

Other soft furnishings around the home such as fabric sofas & carpets come a close second.
Given these perfect conditions a house dust mite will produce as many as 20 droppings every day and, as the average bed hosts in excess of 10, 000 mites, (Source: British Allergy Foundation), that's a mind boggling amount of droppings to have in your bed!

However, it isn't the dust mite itself or its droppings that cause allergic reactions, it's a group of enzymes called proteases, found in the droppings, that provoke the problem. These enzymes break down any nutrition left in the droppings so that the mites can still find food, even in times of shortage. Droppings that are inhaled by a human being dissolve, which allows the enzymes to be released into the airways and, if the individual is allergic, will break down the sensitive linings. This causes the airways to narrow and creates irritation, which can, ultimately, result in an asthma attack.

What is an Allergic Reaction?

Allergy is a term used to define the body's unnatural and extreme reaction to any substance, that isn't, in itself, normally harmful. This abnormal response is caused by the allergic persons immune system mistaking the sustance for something harmful whereas an unallergic individuals immune system would simply ignore it. The reaction results in a release of histamine, which is the chemical that brings on an allergic reaction causing inflamation at the point of contact. A chronic allergic reaction can be, at best, inconvenient but, in many instances, it can create a great deal of misery leading to a decreased quality of life for the individual. Anyone with a family history of allergy is quite likely to be at risk of sensitivity to mites, symptoms of which can include a runny nose, itchiness of the eyes, sneezing, and coughing attacks and asthmatic breathing difficulties. In children it can even provoke a flare up of eczema.

House Dust Mite Allergies Affecting Sleep

House dust mite allergies and associated asthmatic conditions can disturb getting to sleep and the actual quality of the sleep. It's known as ‘nocturnal asthma' and a study from 1989 highlighted that, of the 7,729 sample, 63% of patients woke at least three times a week and 39% woke every night. Of those waking nightly, 96% still had asthmatic symptoms in the morning and suffered impaired mental performance through disturbed sleep, 78% were allergic to at least one substance, 56% being specifically allergic to dust mite. Most important, of the people who woke every night, 22% classed their asthma as only a mild form but their disturbed sleep over a prolonged period of time has more serious consequences, causing chronic fatigue that will have a long term detrimental effect on their lives.

Compromised sleep, over a prolonged period causes, amongst many other things, lethargy, poor concentration and irritability, which in turn, leads to a reduced quality of life. Children particularly, are at risk, as they require more sleep so, consequently, they spend more time in bed and may not make the connection between tiredness during the school day and disturbed sleep during the night. Over a prolonged period this could lead to them struggling to keep up with their education and poor performance may result in low self-esteem. The resulting stress could cause the allergic condition to become worse, creating a vicious circle unless recognised by parents or carers and expert help sought.

Asthma and associated respiratory illnesses in the UK are three times more prevalent than any other childhood disease. Of the 5.1million people diagnosed and being treated as asthmatic, 1.4 million are children and, of these 80%, are mite sensitive.

Once a person or child has become sensitive to the house dust mite it must be avoided at all costs if the symptoms are to be reduced.