Dust Allergy Treatment Clinic in Rockville, MD

People who are allergic to dust are actually allergic to dust mites, which are tiny insects related to spiders and ticks that live in dust. They’re so small they can only be seen under a microscope, but they live in most homes, especially in items like carpets, furniture, curtains, and bedding. Dust mites eat skin cells shed by people and animals and absorb water from the humidity in the air. The mites don’t bite people, but when they die, their bodies decay and turn to dust, and this, together with their feces, has proteins in it that can cause someone to have an allergic reaction.

Normally, the job of the immune system is to recognize foreign substances like viruses or bacteria that may make body cells behave differently. The immune system is designed to recognize threats and take action to kill or eliminate them. It also remembers substances by creating antibodies that will recognize the threat if it ever comes back. An allergic reaction is what happens when a substance that isn’t actually harmful– pollen, pet dander, or dust mite remains – enters the body and the immune system mistakenly recognizes it as a threat. Your immune system starts to release chemicals called histamines to fight the allergen, which it does by causing runny noses, watery eyes, sneezing, or coughing. Your immune system also develops antibodies to always recognize the threat in the future, so anytime you are exposed, your immune system will be ready to quickly release histamines again to get the allergen out.

People who are allergic to dust mites usually have the following symptoms:

• Sneezing and itchy nose
• Runny nose
• Watery, itchy eyes
• Itching in the throat or inside of the mouth
• Cough
• Pain and pressure in the face
• Dark circles or swelling under the eyes (allergic shiners)
• Breathing difficulty
• Tightness or pain in the chest
• A whistling or wheezing sound when exhaling
• Flare-ups of conditions like asthma and eczema

Trying to reduce exposure is the first step. If possible, remove items like carpets and upholstered furniture from your home. Increase the frequency of cleaning and laundering to try to remove as much dust as you can. Reduce the humidity levels inside your home.

Some people find relief by taking anti-histamines, which are drugs that counter the effect of the histamine your body produces. Antihistamine can be hard on the body, however, and many cause drowsiness or side effects.

Taking care of your immune system can also have a strong beneficial effect against allergic reactions. By adjusting things like nutrition and stress, your immune system can become more or less sensitive to invaders, and produce a stronger or weaker histamine response. At Physicians Now Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic, we use multiple modalities, including conventional medicine, nutrition, acupuncture, and others, to help balance your overall health, including allergy care and immune support.

Your doctor can test you for dust allergy by doing a skin test. They will place a drop of a liquid containing dust mite extract on your skin, then will prick your skin lightly. If the spot gets itchy and red, you are allergic. Usually, allergy skin testing is done for multiple substances at the same time, to determine quickly what you may be reacting to.

Dust mite allergies can be mild or severe. Mild allergies would be more occasional, while severe allergies can be constant. Severe allergic reactions to dust can often involve other conditions, like asthma or eczema, and these reactions can be very serious. If allergy symptoms are preventing you from sleeping well, or if symptoms like wheezing and breathing issues get worse quickly, you should seek medical care. Physicians Now Urgent Care is located in Rockville, MD, so contact us through our website if you need treatment for dust allergies.

Come in for a fast, effective treatment today! Contact our office today to get in touch with a specialist. To book an appointment, call us or visit us online! We serve patients from Rockville MD, Travilah MD, Lone Oak MD, Colesville Park MD, Redland MD, Darnestown MD, Anscroft MD, and Wheaton-Glenmont MD.