Dust Mites & Asthma

Dust mites and asthma are not a healthy combination. The symptoms of allergic asthma are set off by things in the environment known as allergens. Allergens are a type of asthma trigger. Dust is one of those asthma triggers that can set off asthma symptoms.

Dust Mite Facts

Every house or indoor environment, no matter how clean it appears, has some amount of dust in it. Dust is made up of debris, including small bits of plant and animal material.

Dust mites, tiny creatures that are too small to be seen with the naked eye, eat this plant and animal material in the dust. The mites release droppings, and these droppings are the true reason why dust is such a common asthma trigger.

Where Dust Mites Live

Dust mites can be found wherever there is dust. However, they thrive most in places where the humidity is high and where human dead skin flakes can be found.

Bedrooms often have high levels of dust mites, mostly because you spend so much time in them. Carpeting and upholstered furniture are other prime locations.

Dust Harbors Other Allergens

Another reason dust can be such a powerful asthma trigger is that it often harbors other allergens, such as pollen and animal dander.

If you are allergic to dust mites, then your asthma symptoms are likely to be active year round. The reason for this is that dust is always around. So it's difficult to escape contact with it completely. However, there are some actions you can take to avoid dust mites.

_{Source: AAAAI, "Tips to remember: indoor allergens." American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. 01 January 2006. AAAAI. 29 Oct 2007 http://www.aaaai.org/patients/publicedmat/tips/indoorallergens.stm}