Just wondering b/c i'm really allergic to dust and sleep with my mouth open, my nose swells completely shut, I wake up with a bigtime stuffy nose & productive cough & get out of breath by the time I take 5 steps out of bed. It's not really cheap to do this, my room is already pretty good for dust, I have hardwood floors but am considering dustproof bedding & vent covers. Did anyone find this helped them? Also did you find running a humidifier at nite help at all? My parents says good ideas but you don't want to get used to living in a bubble.. I just had complete restoration done on my teeth & don't want to ruin my second chance lol & am sick of waking up sick, but then i'll feel better an hour later.. so let me know if yall thought it was worth it to go all dustproofed!
Dust mite control is difficult and frustrating since you can't see them and don't ever really know for sure that your efforts are really helping. RAST testing showed me positive for dust mite allergy, so I have invested a lot of time, energy, and $ in dust mite control. (Ultimately I don't think it makes much difference to my hives. Though I still think it's in my best interest to avoid the allergen as much as I reasonably can.)
Most experts believe that the first place to concentrate on for dust mite control is your bed. In your case, since that's where you seem to have your worst symptoms, that's where I recommend that you start. That means encasing your mattress and pillows. You should also wash your sheets in the hottest water possible, and at least once per week.
Please note that for dust mites, they thrive in a warm and humid environment. Though a humidifier is good for your sinuses, it is bad for dust mite control. I actually keep a *dehumidifier* in my bedroom to keep humidity down to 50% or so. I also UNmake my bed each morning - I pull the top sheet/blanket all the way back so the bed can dry out all day. Even when it's cold, most of us sweat just enough in bed at night to keep it nice and warm and humid for the dust mites. I know, this stuff is disgusting, sorry...
For your case, I think you should start with the encasings and see if that helps. Also, try doing online searches on "dust mite control" to do your own research. That's how I learned.
YES YES YES. Dust mite covers help a lot. I noticed a difference the morning after I put them on the bed. I believe in it so much I always bring a dustmite pillow cover when I have to stay in a hotel. And I have purchased them for my parent's and in-law's house for their guest room.
I agree with Kristi about keeping the humidity under 50%. The other thing you must do to control dustmites is wash your sheets in hot water every 7-10 days.
Last edited by sneezydiva; 12-16-2004 at 01:51 PM.
It helps some. However, if you have carpet in your bedroom, you've got mites regardless of what you do.
There are products out there you can buy that get rid of dust mites on carpets also. If you're going to buy one, make sure it has tannic acid in it. The carpet treatments are done once every three months, so it's not really a hassle.
I've found that buying dust mite covers for my bed has helped immensely. I used to wake up in the morning and scratch away at itchy red bumps -- very annoying at school.
Also, there's a catalog that my pulmonologist handed to me - National Allergy. They've got the cheapest (money-wise) asthma and allergy products out there.
National Allergy has a wesite. Can't post the actual link but google National allergy and it will come up. They are the best source for dustmite covers and other allergy supplies IMHO
... & am sick of waking up sick, but then i'll feel better an hour later.. so let me know if yall thought it was worth it to go all dustproofed!
I have tried something that works for me, and that gives me tons more energy during the day, but you are not going to like my solution.
During my bad days, I sleep on an extra large, Lazy-Boy leather-type recliner. I sleep only in briefs, without any covering. When I do this, I wake up refreshed, where, when I sleep in the bed, under the covers, I wake up feeling like something had run over me in the night. I think that this limits my exposure to dust mites and to material dyes and other chemicals in the bedding.
I've got two space heaters, one on each side of me, which keeps me alive on these cold nights.
I have suffered with allergies my entire 39 years and have to say that YES, removing dust mites from the bedroom really helps alot. You'd want to get one of those special mattress covers that control dust mites. I think they're made of something like "Gortex" or something like that. It's been so long.
Also, get an air purifier for your room...the one with an ionizer. I have noticed so much of a difference since we started using the air purifier.
Also, for me, the stuff you put on the carpets to get rid of the dust mites, makes my other allergies act up, so I'd use these only if you don't really have any other allergies.
When buying a dust mite mattress cover, make sure it's approved by the Allergy Association. There are lots of copies out there that only cover the mattress. You want one that is going to get rid of the dust mites.
Hope this helps.
Sue
I agree with all the above posts. I will second the recommendation for National Allergy - I buy from them regularly about twice a year or so. If you read through their literature, look for info on "pore size" of the mattress/pillow/comforter encasings. The smaller the pore size the better.
One thing to think about, since the costs of these products can really add up - maybe ask your Dr. for a "prescription" for these products so that insurance might cover some of it, or so at least you can get a tax break. I haven't done it yet myself, but I plan to for the new year.
