Did you know that allergic rhinitis can be worsened by house dust mites?
My family also suffers a lot from rhinitis...
I think solving the root cause is the priority...
I wash my pillowcases often, but...
I guess I'll have to wash the bedding one more time too.
Since the kids are young and live on a folding mat, we don't use carpets.
Oh my~ Carpets and cloth sofas... are only used by diligent people ㅠㅠ...
Washing in high temperature water over 55 degrees once a week...
This is also something to worry about... But my son's rhinitis is getting worse again...
I need to wash all the bedding...
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Increased proportion of house dust mites as a cause
Professor Jihee Kim's team from the Department of Otolaryngology at Seoul Asan Medical Center from the 1990s to the 2010s,
We compared and analyzed the characteristics of allergic rhinitis patients in Korea over a 20-year period.
In the 1990s (1994) and 2010s (2010-2014), the skin prick test was used to diagnose allergic rhinitis.
Allergens (antigens) were investigated in 1447 and 3388 patients who tested positive, respectively.
As a result, patients who have an allergen, a type of house dust mite called the vertical dust mite,
It increased from about 63% to 73%.
The proportion of people with house dust mites as an antigen has increased significantly recently compared to 20 years ago.
The percentage of patients whose allergen is the vertically patterned dust mite, the main type of house dust mite, is approximately 63% to 73%.
The prevalence of large-legged dust mites increased from about 67% to 70%.
In addition, the proportion of patients with indoor allergens other than house dust mites, such as cockroaches and mold, is also
It increased by up to three times.
Professor Kim Ji-hee said, “Usually, allergic rhinitis patients do not react to just one antigen, but to multiple antigens.”
“In addition to various types of house dust mites, it also contains cockroaches, mold, etc.
“At the same time, allergic reactions can occur,” he said.
Allergic rhinitis symptoms have also changed over the past 20 years.
The number of patients complaining of 'itchy eyes and nose', which is aggravated by indoor allergens, has also increased from about 32% to 41% recently.
Additionally, male patients were found to be 1.41 times more numerous than female patients in the 1990s and 1.78 times more numerous in the 2010s.
The proportion of male patients has relatively increased.
In the 1990s, the number of patients with allergic rhinitis was highest in teenagers, and the number of patients decreased with age.
In the 2010s, patients in their 20s were the most common, followed by patients in their teens and 50s.
The rise in house dust mites is due to the widespread use of indoor living.
The reason house dust mites have become 'stronger' is because indoor living has become more common.
Professor Kim Ji-hee said, “Compared to the past, we have become more industrialized and urbanized, and the lifestyle of living indoors has become more common.
This has led to an increase in environments where dust mites can easily live, such as carpets, fabric sofas, and beds.
“It appears that the antigens and symptoms of allergic rhinitis patients have changed,” he said.
How should people with allergic rhinitis cope with increased time spent at home due to the coronavirus pandemic?
Professor Kim Ji-hee said, "Cleaning and laundry are the most important."
Professor Kim said, "I basically tell patients not to use fabric sofas or carpets."
“Because it is a place where many house dust mites live,” he said.
Bedding is also a major habitat for house dust mites.
It is known that more than 10,000 house dust mites typically live in bedding in a home.
The Korean Atopic Dermatitis Society recommends that to prevent house dust mites from forming,
▲Keep the indoor temperature at 20 degrees and humidity below 50%.
▲Avoid using carpets, sofas, blankets, etc.
▲It is recommended to regularly wipe furniture and floors with a mop.
To get rid of existing dust mites, wash your bedding once a week in water above 55 degrees Celsius.
House dust mites die, and their bodies and excrement disappear.
It is also important to change your pillowcases frequently.
A research team from the Department of Biology at North Carolina State University in the United States has found that among bedding materials,
There was a study that found that the most dust mites were found on pillows.
If symptoms are severe, drug therapy
If you are suffering from a runny nose, stuffy nose, or sneezing, you can seek help from medication along with improving your indoor environment.
Professor Kim Ji-hee said, "Allergic rhinitis symptoms worsen when the weather becomes dry during the changing seasons."
“If you take medication at this time, 70 to 80% of patients will see an improvement in their symptoms,” he said.
Medications include nasal steroid sprays and antihistamines.
Depending on whether symptoms improve, you should consult with your doctor about the method and duration of drug treatment.
People who do not respond to these medications undergo immunotherapy.
A treatment that reduces allergic reactions by continuously exposing people to small amounts of antigens.
After at least one year of treatment, 60-70% of patients see results.
Source: https://health.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2020/10/13/2020101302157.html