Why Your Cough and Itchy Eyes Might Not Be Hay Fever

It’s almost that time of year again when those of us that suffer from the dreaded hay fever start checking the pollen count religiously, taking all manner of antihistamines and other products to try to ward off the allergy and the associated itchy eyes, runny nose and tickly cough. But, what if the reaction isn’t actually hay fever at all, but something much smaller and closer to home?

House Dust Mites

House Dust Mites are tiny, microscopic creatures, which cannot be seen by the human eye. They are, themselves, harmless to us humans but, and this is a little bit disgusting, their waste product can cause a reaction in some, with symptoms similar to hay fever.

The mites rely on humans to survive; they live in our houses, mainly in soft furnishings, such as rugs, carpets, curtains and bedding, and they feed on our dead discarded skin cells, which we shed every single day. The little bugs consume so much of these skin cells that we leave behind, they can produce up to 200 times their own body weight in waste. And it’s this waste that can cause the irritation to our eyes, nose and throats.

What about bites?

House Dust Mites don’t actually bite us directly, they feast on a waste product of our skin. If you are being bitten at home, it is likely to be something else. If you’re being excessively plagued by bites, particularly in your bed, you might want to check for bed bugs and take the appropriate action to deal with them. If you’re being bitten by flying bugs, mosquitoes for example, it’s a good idea to try to keep the routes into your home, such as windows, window vents and doors closed.

What else can I do?

There are some simple steps you can take; regularly clean your soft furnishings, using a damp cloth, this will collect some of the mites. If you have carpets, rugs and curtains, it’s a good idea to vacuum these regularly and wash them if you are able to.

As we shed most of our skin at night in bed, this is where the mites are likely to congregate. For that reason, you should also wash your bedding on a regular basis too.

If you do find you are suffering, you can speak to your pharmacist who can recommend products to assist you, many of which are over the counter antihistamines similar to those for hay fever. If problems persist, you should speak to your doctor.

There are a number of websites too, such as uk.klarify.me, which also offer expert advice, information and products to help you manage your allergy, be it to pollen or house dust mites.