Dust Mite Allergy: Symptoms, Signs, and Treatment

Dust mite allergy can cause year-round congestion, sneezing, and itchy eyes. Allergens collect in bedding and upholstered furniture, so symptoms often worsen at night or after waking.

In Louisville and Kentuckiana, Advanced ENT & Allergy offers testing to find out whether dust mites are causing your symptoms. Treatment can combine changes at home with medication or allergy immunotherapy.

What are Dust Mites?

Dust mites are tiny microscopic creatures that feed on skin flakes shed by people and pets and thrive in warm, humid places. Common hiding places include mattresses, pillows, and other soft furnishings.

Household dust mites don't bite or burrow into your skin. The allergy comes from breathing in proteins in their waste and body fragments. These particles can trigger inhalant allergy symptoms year-round.

Signs You Have Dust Mites in Your Home

You can't see dust mites without a microscope. Dust mites are everywhere that there are people. No matter how clean you are, you can’t get rid of them. You can take some environmental measures to help reduce your exposure. Symptoms that warrant an allergy evaluation include:

• Stuffy nose, sneezing, or coughing that is worse indoors
• Symptoms that are strongest in the morning or after lying in bed
• Symptoms that flare while dusting, vacuuming, or cleaning
• More trouble in rooms with carpeting, upholstered furniture, heavy curtains, or stuffed toys
• Ongoing indoor symptoms during fall and winter, when people spend more time inside

These patterns don't confirm a dust mite allergy, but they are commonly associated with one. Allergy testing can confirm a dust mite allergy, and we are also able to check for other indoor triggers, such as mold or pet dander.

Symptoms of Dust Mite Allergies

Dust mite allergy symptoms often affect the nose and eyes. Common symptoms include:

• Persistent sneezing
• Nasal congestion or a runny nose
• Postnasal drainage
• An itchy nose, mouth, or throat
• Red, itchy, or watery eyes
• Sinus pressure
• Trouble sleeping because of congestion or coughing

A cold usually starts to improve within several days. Dust mite allergy symptoms can persist or return with exposure.

Dust Mite Allergy Rash and Eczema

Dust mite exposure can worsen atopic dermatitis, or eczema, in people who are allergic to mites. Eczema causes itchy, inflamed skin that may look red or discolored. Scratching can leave the skin cracked or sore.

A clinician can recommend treatment for the type of rash you have. Get medical care if it keeps returning or becomes painful or infected. Call 911 for a rash with breathing trouble or swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat.

Dry Cough From Dust Mite Allergy

Dust mite allergy can cause a dry cough when drainage from the nose irritates the throat. Coughing may be worse at night because mite allergens collect in bedding.

If you have asthma, dust mite exposure can trigger wheezing or breathing trouble. Tell your provider about new or worsening symptoms. Severe trouble breathing needs emergency care.

How Long Do Dust Allergy Symptoms Last?

Symptoms can last as long as you're exposed to the allergen. Reducing exposure can help, but allergens can linger in soft furnishings. See a provider if symptoms last for weeks or interrupt sleep.

Dust Mite Allergy Diagnosis

Your provider will ask when your symptoms occur and what seems to trigger them. A history of asthma or eczema also helps guide the evaluation.

Testing may include:

• Skin prick testing: A clinician places small amounts of allergens on the skin and lightly pricks the surface. A raised, itchy bump can show that your immune system reacts to an allergen.
• Blood testing: This checks for antibodies called IgE that react to dust mites. It's an option when medicines or a skin condition could interfere with skin testing.

A positive test alone doesn't prove that dust mites cause your symptoms. Your provider compares the result with your history and exam. Advanced ENT & Allergy’s Allergy Center offers testing for indoor and outdoor allergies.

Dust Mite Allergy Treatment Options

Your treatment plan depends on what testing shows and how symptoms affect your sleep and daily life. Reducing allergen exposure is a starting point. Medication and immunotherapy are other options.

Allergy Medications

Antihistamines can ease sneezing and itching. Nasal corticosteroid sprays reduce inflammation and can help with ongoing congestion. Eye symptoms, asthma, or eczema may need separate treatment.

Ask a clinician or pharmacist which medicine is safe for you, especially if you're pregnant or treating a child. Other health conditions and current medicines also matter. See our OTC and prescription allergy medication guide.

Allergy Shots, Tablets, and Drops

Allergen immunotherapy gives controlled doses of an allergen to reduce your immune system's response over time. It can reduce symptoms and the need for medication. Your provider may recommend it if other treatments haven't helped enough.

Allergy shots deliver the allergen by injection. Sublingual immunotherapy is placed under the tongue. FDA-approved dust mite tablets are available for eligible patients. Customized liquid allergy drops may be prescribed off-label and aren't FDA-approved for allergy treatment. Dosing, risks, and insurance coverage differ, so ask your provider to explain the options.

Our allergy immunotherapy guide compares these treatments. Advanced ENT & Allergy also offers at-home allergy shots to patients when allowed by insurance, who also meet its safety criteria and complete injection and emergency-response training.

Can a Dust Mite Allergy Be Cured Permanently?

There's no guaranteed permanent cure. Medication and home changes help control symptoms. Immunotherapy can reduce sensitivity to dust mites, and its benefits can continue after treatment ends. Results vary, and symptoms can return.

Your specialist will review your health history and ability to follow the treatment schedule before recommending immunotherapy. It takes time to work, so you'll still need a plan for current symptoms.

Dust Mite Prevention and Environmental Control

You can't remove every dust mite from your home. Focus on lowering exposure in the bedroom, where you spend hours in close contact with bedding. Use several measures together:

• Cover mattresses, box springs, and pillows with zippered allergen-proof encasements.
• Wash sheets, pillowcases, and blankets every week in water that is at least 130°F, then dry them completely.
• Keep indoor humidity below 50%. A dehumidifier or air conditioning can help. Use a humidity meter, also called a hygrometer, to check the level.
• Vacuum carpeting, rugs, and upholstered furniture regularly with a HEPA-filter vacuum. If cleaning triggers symptoms, wear a well-fitting mask or ask someone else to vacuum.
• Damp-dust hard surfaces and damp-mop floors so allergens are captured instead of stirred into the air.
• Reduce wall-to-wall carpeting, heavy curtains, fabric-covered headboards, and other dust-collecting items, especially in bedrooms.
• Wash stuffed toys regularly. Keep only a few washable toys on the bed.
• Repair leaks and address damp areas that allow mites and mold to thrive.

A clean home can still contain mite allergens. These steps lower exposure but won't remove every allergen. For more indoor-air tips, read Winter Allergies: Your Home May Be to Blame.