For many allergy sufferers, indoor allergies are just one more source of congestion and itching. You may not know it, but indoor allergies can be just as frustrating and bothersome as seasonal allergies. Here are some facts about indoor allergies.

Symptoms of Indoor Allergies

Symptoms of indoor allergies are the same as any other allergy, and can include:

• Itchy, watery eyes

• General itchiness in the nose, throat and skin

• Sneezing

• Congestion

• Wheezing

Indoor allergies can trigger asthma or be so severe as to cause anaphylaxis, a condition where the throat swells up and makes breathing very difficult. If you experience trouble breathing, mental confusion, loss of consciousness or chest pain, these are all signs of a severe reaction and require immediate hospitalization.

Common Indoor Allergens

Common indoor allergens include dust, mold, pet dander, and cockroaches.

Dust

Dust is present even in the cleanest of homes. It consists of skin flakes, fibers, mold spores, pollen, cockroaches, hair, food and other substances. However, when most people think they are allergic to dust, they are in truth allergic to dust mites. Dust mites produce waste and, when the dust mite dies, its body dries up and crumbles, triggering allergies. Dust mites are found typically in bedding and cloth furniture.

Pets

Most allergic reactions to pets are because of pet dander (flakes of skin), urine, or saliva. People are typically allergic to cats, dogs or birds, but rarely fish or reptiles. If you are allergic to your pet, you may want to bathe it frequently, wash your hands after you pet it, and limit the areas of the house it lives in. Don’t let your pet climb on furniture or in your bed, to ease your reaction.

Mold

Mold is a fungus which is normally outdoors but can be present inside as well. It grows in a warm, wet environment, which is why our showers are susceptible to mold and mildew. You may not be able to see the mold in your house however; it can be located in dark areas of the basement, under floorboards and even in furniture and bedding. Going to bed with wet hair can encourage mold growth in your pillow.

Cockroaches

It’s gross to think about, but even the cleanest home can have cockroaches, even if you can’t see them. Like dust mites, cockroaches die and dry up; their bodies eventually crumble and enter our homes, along with their waste, as dust. You can reduce your risk of having cockroaches by keeping food off the floor and in sealed containers.

Indoor allergens can be irritating and even gross, but fortunately they are easy to avoid. Keeping your home environment clean will go a long ways to ease your allergies. Clean regularly, and address any home problems you may have, especially involving leaking water, excess dampness, old carpeting and rugs. You may choose to remove carpet altogether, and not have a pet. Determine what is causing your allergies, and then take steps to remove it from your home.

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/indoor-allergens

Written by Gloria Price for MicroNutra Health™

This entry was posted on Friday, September 12th, 2008 at 1:39 am and is filed under Allergies, Indoor Allergies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.