About Dust
Mites
What
are dust mites?
Dust mites are tiny bugs - not
insects per se, but more closely related to
spiders and ticks. They measure about 1/100th of
an inch in length, which is smaller than the
period at the end of this sentence. Due to their
very small size, these dust mites are not
visible to the naked eye. They live in bedding,
couches, carpet, stuffed toys and old clothing.
Dust mites feed on the dead skin that falls off
the bodies of humans and animals and on other
organic material found where they live.
Dust mites love warm, humid areas
filled with dust. Bed pillows, mattresses,
carpets and furniture are great places for them
to live.
How
do dust mites affect people?
For most people, while they are
disgusting, house dust mites are not actually
harmful. However, the medical significance of
house dust mites arises because their
microscopic cast skins and feces are a major
constituent of house dust that induces allergic
reactions in some individuals.
For those individuals, inhaling
the house dust allergen triggers rhinitis
allergica or bronchial asthma. Symptoms are
usually respiratory in nature (sneezing,
itching, watery eyes, wheezing, etc.) but there
are also reports of a red rash around the neck.
Other allergic reactions may include headaches,
fatigue and depression.
House dust contaminated with the
fecal pellets and cast skins of dust mites is
one of the most strongly allergenic materials
found indoors. Estimates are that dust mites may
be a factor in 50 to 80 percent of asthmatics,
as well as in countless cases of eczema, hay
fever and other allergic ailments.
How
do I know if there are dust mites in my
home?
Pretty much every home contains a
dust mite population to some degree. The
volume of house dust mite presence is often
suspected before they are actually seen and
accurately identified. Usually it happens when
somebody in the household experiences any of the
above symptoms.
The presence and volume of house
dust mites can be confirmed microscopically
which requires collecting samples from textiles
materials that trap them... items
like mattresses, couches and carpets.
Also, it requires the use of a microscope with
sufficient magnification and the technical
ability to recognize house dust mites under the
microscope.
There are also diagnostic tests
sold and distributed in the U.S. One must
collect dust samples and mix a portion of the
sample with reagents packed with the test. Then,
a dipstick is placed into the mixture, and the
color change then compared to a chart packed
with the test.
 A Small Child
Continually Exposed To Dust Mite Allergens Over
A Period Of Time Can Become Susceptible To
Asthma Later On In Life
Allergies are on the increase. They are
an unwanted response of the immune system. They
result in inflammation in the eyes and nose
(rhinitis), lungs (asthma) and skin (eczema) -
and may contribute to migraine, hypo activity
and rheumatoid arthritis.
The house dust
mite excrement is one of the most widespread
allergen triggers for asthma, eczema and
allergic nasal mucous membrane inflammations.
This trigger was a microscopic protein
found in the excrement of the dust mite. The
substance, now known as the allergen Der p1, is
today recognized throughout the world as the
major cause of the distressing symptoms of
asthma, rhinitis, eczema and other dust
sensitive conditions. Those tiny creatures
thrive in their millions in the warmth and
humidity of carpets, mattresses, bedding,
upholstery and furnishings of even the most
scrupulously clean homes. They are too small to
be seen without a microscope, feeding mainly on
shedded human skin scales, fungi and bacteria.
The
Breakthrough
Dust Mite
Anti-Allergen neutralizes and renders harmless
the allergen Der p1 and Der p2, the proven root
cause of more than 90% of all asthma/dust
attacks in the home.
Dust Mite
Anti-Allergen contains powerful, yet non-toxic,
natural ingredients formulated to de-nature dust
mite and feline allergen, bringing immediate and
positive benefit to people with asthma,
rhinitis, eczema or other related conditions.
How
Does Dust Mite Anti-Allergen
Work?
Allergy Relief
Treatment changes the shape of allergen
proteins, making them unrecognizable to the
body, which prevents them from causing an
allergic reaction.
They are no longer
"recognized" by the body's immune system and
they do not bond with the antibodies sent to
destroy them. This bonding process is the cause
of the body's allergic response (the allergy
attack).
Cycle Of Dust
Mite
The house dust mite
lives for approximately 4 months producing about
200 times its own body weight in excrement and
laying approximately 300 eggs, making the
concentration of allergens in areas we most
frequent. These then in turn are the areas which
require the most attention with Dust Mite
Anti-Allergen.
As the dust mite
excrement dries, breaks away and becomes
airborne, vacuuming with conventional cleaners
using conventional filters can do more harm than
good by blowing out up to 40% of the dust they
collect into the surrounding atmosphere. This
can cause even more distress to the people with
asthma or other dust related allergy problems.
Alleviating the Problem
- What You Can
Do
- Reduce Exposure
Special Carpet Treatments
should be used to inactivate the allergen
accumulated in your upholstery, mattresses,
area rugs and carpet and to reduce the mite
population.
- Floor Care
In all areas
of extended exposure (bedrooms, family rooms,
computer room etc.) where hard flooring is
installed a DAILY damp mopping or tack-rag,
dusting is important to keep settled dust and
allergens from becoming airborne.
Frequent vacuuming is recommended for
the removal of surface allergen from upholstery,
area rugs, mattresses and carpets. Unfortunately
however, not just any vacuum will do. Many
vacuum cleaners have poor filtration or leak,
blowing allergy-causing particles (allergens)
into the air. Allergen containment is an
important consideration in evaluating the
performance of your vacuum. We recommend
choosing a CRI Green Label approved
vacuum with true HEPA filtration.
A
well-made HEPA vacuum cleaner fitted with a HEPA
filter and offering a high degree of allergen
containment is very effective at minimizing
exposure to allergen while vacuuming. A HEPA
filter added to a vacuum will retain particles
at 99.97% efficiency down to 0.3 microns and
will reduce the amount of airborne allergen
dispersed during vacuuming. Scientific studies
have shown that a vacuum with a completely
sealed system is an excellent way to contain
dirt and allergen particles within the machine.
- Professional Cleaning
Because
the biggest culprits in allergen exposure
in your home are your upholstered items and
mattresses, annual cleaning of these items
by an approved service provider who uses safe,
non-allergenic products is highly
recommended.
A twice annual carpet
cleaning by a Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI)
certified firm using safe, non-allergenic
products and approved methods will help empty
and renew your carpets natural filtering ability
(for homes with allergy and asthma sufferers
this is especially important to perform in the
areas of extended exposure such as bedroom and
family rooms).
- Air Purifiers And Scrubbers
According to
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies,
"on average, the air inside your home is up to 5
times more polluted than outdoor air" - and it's
because indoor air gets trapped.
Individuals sensitized to airborne allergens
such as pollen, mold spores, cat or dog dander
and house dust mite excrements can reduce their
indoor exposure to these allergens by use of a
high-efficiency air purification. The best we've
found is IQAir. They offer
specific room air purifiers and whole-house air purifiers that
provide ultra-high efficiency removal of
allergens and other irritants.
We have secured special discounts on their entire IQAir product line exclusively for our clients. Simply go to www.insideair.ca and mention PROMO CODE 2311 to make sure you receive these savings.
Further Information &
Resources
Feel free to contact us. We have
free reports, information and services that can
really help alleviate your allergies.
- CLICK HERE to view a wonderful
informative video produced by the CRI to help
educate healthcare practitioners who are dealing
with an ever growing numbers of patients with
allergies, asthma symptoms and breathing
problems.
- They have also compiled lots of the latest
studies from around the world on allergies and
indoor air quality issues that you
can access by Clicking
Here.
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