General Information

  • Dust mites are a common cause of allergy
  • House dust mites are found in mattresses, pillows, carpets, furniture and stuffed toys - Dust mites are in most homes, even those that are cleaned frequently
  • Having a dust mite allergy has nothing to do with visible dust in your home

House Dust Mite Allergy Symptoms

  • People with house dust mite allergy can have nose, eye and / or breathing symptoms
  • Nasal symptoms include runny nose, congestion, sneezing, itching and post nasal drip (sensation that mucus is draining down the back of the throat or frequent throat clearing)
  • Eye symptoms include itchy, red, watery eyes
  • Throat and ear symptoms include sore throat, hoarse voice, congestion or popping for the ears and itching of the throat or ears
  • Asthma symptoms such as cough, wheeze (whistling noise), shortness of breath and chest tightness can become worse when around house dust mites and you may need more medications
  • House dust mite allergy can also make eczema worse in some patients

Avoidance and Environmental Control

  • Use a dust mite proof cover for the mattress and pillows. Replace pillows every 2 - 3 years
  • Wash bedding once a week in hot water, and avoid feather bedding as they collect dust mites
  • If stuffed animals cannot be washed, place in hot dryer for 45 minutes every 2 weeks
  • If possible, avoid carpets especially in the bedroom
  • Avoid clutter, such as several stuffed toys, in the bedroom which will collect house dust mites
  • Clean all hard surfaces at least once a week with damp cloth
  • Use a dehumidifier to decrease humidity to less than 50% in the home. Air cleaners / purifiers are not helpful to remove dust mites

Treatment Options

  • Discuss medication options with your doctor
  • Saline rinse and sprays clean the inside of the nose
  • Antihistamines such as cetirizine (Reactine), loratadine (Claritin), desloratadine (Aerius) and fexofenadine (Allergra) can be used alone or with a nasal spray
  • Nasal steroid sprays such as mometasone furoate (Nasonex), ciclesonide (Omnaris) and fluticasone furoate (Avamys) decrease inflammation in the nose if used on a regular basis
  • Nasal and oral decongestants are NOT recommended unless directed by your doctor
  • Eye drops such as for olopatadine hydrochloride (Pataday) can be used as needed
  • Montelukast (Singular) daily tablets
  • Allergy shots / immunotherapy may be an option for certain patients. Discuss with your doctor to see if you are a candidate