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10 Simple Steps Help To You Bag Allergy-Causing Dust Mites
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By Samantha
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10 Simple Steps Help You Defeat Dust Mites
Beds are the most popular stomping grounds and breeding grounds-- for dust mites, those ugly, microscopic creatures that cancause allergies and make asthma worse.
Recently, researchers in coastal Australia -- which has a humidclimate where house dust mite levels are high -- found thatusing special coverings on mattresses and pillows and speciallywashing other bedding reduced dust mite levels 30% after fourweeks, and their levels remained about the same for the rest ofthe six-month trial.
It's not dust that causes people to wheeze and sneeze; it's theeight-legged arthropods, smaller than the period at the end ofthis sentence that are natural inhabitants of indoorenvironments. The droppings of these mites are the most commontrigger of continual, nonseasonal allergies and asthma symptoms,especially in humid regions, where dust mites tend to thrivethroughout the home.
The most important finding, according to lead researcher CarlVanlaar, PhD, is that even in an environment where house dustmites thrive, it is possible for people to substantially reducethe mites and the substances they produce that cause allergies,called allergens.
Using simple procedures, such as putting special coverings onmattresses and pillows and rigorously washing the rest of thebedding, can help you score points in the war against these StarWars alien-like creatures, says Vanlaar, who is an allergenresearch scientist at the Institute of Respiratory Medicine atRoyal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. The study appeared in arecent issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology,with funding from the Asthma Foundation of New South Wales.
In the trial, researchers tested 14 beds in seven households. Inhalf the beds -- occupied by children with allergy symptoms --they washed all bed coverings with Acaril, a mite killercontaining 30% benzyl benzoate as the active ingredient. Theyalso vacuumed the bedding and floors, and covered mattresses andpillows with special coverings. The benzyl benzoate wash wasrepeated every two months during the trial and again four monthslater.
In the other seven beds -- which were occupied by the allergicchildren's siblings -- the researchers did nothing special. Theyfound that there was a substantial reduction in the amount ofallergen caused by dust mites in the study children's bedscompared to the other children's beds.
There have been several other studies looking at ways ofcontrolling mites and their allergens in the home. Some methods,such as the use of benzyl benzoate powders, have been verylimited in their effectiveness.
"Studies targeting allergens in beds -- such as our own study --have had variable levels of success depending on the [method]used, or the studies took place in climates unfavorable for dustmite survival, such as in northern Europe," says Vanlaar. Headds that in this test, they opted for washing the upper bedcoverings rather than encasing them because when the uppercovering is encased, the bed can become somewhat hot anduncomfortable.
Michael Ruff, MD, spokesman for the American Academy of Allergy,Asthma, and Immunology, agrees with the Australian findings."This study proves that even allergy and asthma sufferers livingin areas with high humidity can benefit from these steps." Ruffsays washing bedding in extremely hot water once a week andencasing pillows and mattresses in allergen-resistant covers arethe easiest and most effective ways to reduce allergen levels inthe home.
Vanlaar says the next step is to test whether this method ofallergen control in bedding is enough to reduce allergy symptomsin individuals with current symptoms of asthma, and to helpprevent allergies and subsequent asthma in high-risk infants.
"We are already investigating the second item by conducting alarge ... trial -- the Childhood Asthma Prevention Study -- inwhich we are treating the cots of approximately 300 babies whoare in a high-risk group for asthma, based on a family historyof asthma," by washing and encasing the bedding like they did inthe current study. To start your own grassroots campaign againstthe little critters, the American Academy of Family Physiciansrecommends that you follow these 10 steps for defeating dustmites in the home:
Start in the bedroom:
* Since most dust mites live in mattresses, put an airtightplastic or polyurethane cover on every mattress.
* Wash sheets and blankets in very hot water every week.
* Wash bed pillows every week or put a plastic cover on them.(The pillowcase goes over the plastic cover.)
* If possible, bedrooms should have a hardwood, tile, orlinoleum floor. These surfaces are easier to keep clean thancarpet.
* If you have to have carpet, try not to place the carpet onconcrete. The warm space between a rug and concrete is a goodplace for mites to live.
* For carpeting, spray the rug with a solution of 3% tannicacid every two months to kill the dust mites. Ask your doctorhow to use this solution, and whether it is right for yourfamily.
In the rest of the house:
* Vacuum all carpets and upholstery every week. Vacuums withhigh-efficiency filters pick up more dust mites, but evenstandard vacuums work well.
* Furniture that has a polyurethane cover over its paddinghelps. Plastic or wooden furniture that doesn't have muchpadding can also help keep down the number of dust mites in thehome.
* Because dust mites love warm, humid places, running your airconditioner and keeping the humidity low make a difference.
* Don't bother with special air filters -- they won't helpchildren with asthma or allergies.
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