Allergy Causing Dust Mites

House dust mites are tiny eight-legged bugs that live in our homes, but they are rarely noticed.

They are arachnids (a class of arthropods), which include spiders and ticks. Their presence is often felt, particularly by those with allergies or asthma.

As our skin is regenerated from underneath, the top layer of cells is shed, and it is this skin that ends up in dust as food for the dust mites. Dust mite allergy is caused by proteins that the mites leave in partially digested food and droppings. Its an immune response triggered in your body.

Once female mites have mated with the males, they'll go on to live for up to 10 weeks, and finally lay up to 100 eggs.

Dust mites like the warm comforts of your home. However, they are sensitive to temperature, and can be killed off by higher temperatures. While its relatively easy to remove the mites from your linen, these bugs are also found in your pillows, mattresses and carpets.

Allergies such as itchiness, sneezing, skin rashes (and infection of eczema), asthma, watery eyes and runny noses are all signs of a dust mite problem.

If you have dust mite allergy symptoms, you should go and see your doctor. Especially look out for sneezing in the morning, which subsides as you leave the bedroom. Your doctor may give you antihistamines to help reduce symptoms, but this is no substitute for removing the cause of the problem.

The best way to prevent these allergies is to stop contact with dust mites and the materials they leave behind. This is not easy and means a whole house cleaning program is needed.

You can start by lowering the humidity of your house. Studies have shown that air conditioned houses (which remove water from the air as they chill it) have much lower levels of dust mites.

Carpets should really be steam cleaned once a year, or at least beaten to remove dust and mites. In your bedroom, wash linens once a week in hot water, and use dust covers on your pillows and mattresses.

Be sure to dust thoroughly before you vacuum your home, to remove dead skin cells from tops of cupboards, and other surfaces. This dust is the food for the mite. Cut off the food supply and the mite will find it more difficult to survive.

Certain vacuum cleaners use HEPA filters which are the best for allergy sufferers, as they filter out the smallest of particles, expel much cleaner air in the exhaust than they "breathe" in.

Air purifiers can also help, and some come with the HEPA filters. They are much better for allergy sufferers than the air ionising filters. Air purification is a significant tool in your arsenal against the dust mite.