Infinite Ideas - Allergies: Relief and remedies to ease allergy problems

Allergies

Relief and remedies to ease allergy problems

Infinite Ideas with Dr Rob Hicks

Previously published in paperback as Beat your allergies: Find relief, feel free

7. Household waste

The toilet isnt the only place where waste needs to be removed. Other rooms are piled up with dung that may be blocking up your systems.

Its everywhere around your home, collecting on everything. It drives mothers to distraction and keeps cleaning product manufacturers rich. The perennial household nightmare dust.

For some, dusting is an obsession. Ive just got to give the place a once over because were expecting visitors, your mother would say. But shes fighting a losing battle, because its impossible to keep your home completely clear of dust. It comes from the millions of dead skin cells that we shed every day. In addition, the tiny arachnid that is a permanent resident in every home, the house dust mite, feeds on these dead skin cells and forms part of the dust we see around the house.

If you cant rid the family home of this unwelcome occupant, and youre not keen to give yourself a Hannibal Lector-style skin peel to cut off its food supply, is there any hope? Yes, so dont dispair. You may not be able to eradicate it completely, but you can reduce its numbers and in war, which is what it may feel like, this can make all the difference. If you can reduce the concentration of mites and their dung, and make the environment less homely for them to reinvade, half the battle is won.

The excretion from the mites dries out and can be launched into the air whenever anyone walks over a rug, sits down on a chair or shakes the bedclothes. For those allergic to it, this triggers symptoms that may include a runny nose, itching, sneezing, watering eyes, difficulty in breathing or eczema. Even for those who dont suffer from allergies, entering a dusty room, say the attic, and opening a bag or box that last saw the light of day when telephones were made of Bakelite is enough to send you into paroxysms of coughing and spluttering as the dust hits you. So it is when the irritating house dust mite dung gets into the eyes, nose and mouth of someone who is allergic to it.

The irony is that if we left the dust alone, then yes, it would pile up, but the house dust mite and its dung would probably do us less harm. You see, its too heavy to float in the air without any help. So when we dust, fluff up pillows and cushions, settle down on the sofa or roll over in bed, we send it flying.

OK, we cant get rid of them completely, so how can we keep down the numbers? House dust mites prefer a humid environment, so having some windows open will reduce their numbers through ventilation and by keeping the air dry. Dehumidifiers can help here too. Mites like soft furnishings, so choosing wood, vinyl or leather-covered furniture where possible means there are fewer places for the mites to live. Keeping dust traps like teddy bears, cushions, dried flowers, bric-a-brac and toys to a minimum helps. If you just cant be without these things, then try and keep them in one room only, a room you dont often use.

Wash and vacuum curtains regularly, and think about using lightweight materials for curtains as these tend to collect less dust. When you dust, a damp duster is much more effective than a dry one. Be tidy and always put all clothes away in wardrobes. Where possible, keep your hands off dusty objects. And grandma was right, hanging bedding out to dry outside is a good idea, since sunlight destroys the house dust mite and thoroughly dries bedding, which is essential if mites are not to flourish.

Of course, the perfect solution is to let someone else do the cleaning and housework. This isnt just a good excuse not to do any housework; if youre allergic this means youll be out of the line of fire when the vacuum cleaners fan hits the s**t.

How did it go?

QWould a cycle mask be any help?

AYes. When youre likely to be exposed to substances that you react to, for example when cleaning your house, wearing a mask is a good idea. Cycle masks are great, and many combine a carbon filter together with a dust filter and so are helpful for those who are sensitive to both indoor and outdoor irritants.

QWhats the best advice with regards to vacuuming?

AThe gold standard is to vacuum daily, but hey, whos got the time? Instead, vacuum as often as is practical, paying particular attention to the bedroom carpet and under your bed. Wear a mask and use a vacuum cleaner with a no-bag vortex and an allergen filter so theres less chance of mites and dung being sprayed into the air. If your skin is what gets irritated, then cover up with clothing to reduce the risk of contact. I know, vacuuming with clothes on sounds pretty radical, but give it a go!

QWhat are the best floor covers?

ATheres no easy answer to this, its about pros and cons. Carpets collect more dust, house dust mites and dung, but they tend to trap them, whereas vinyl and wood floors tend to hoard less dust, mites and dung but allow them to be more easily launched into the air. If youre thinking about removing your carpets, start in the bedroom, since this is the epicentre for house dust mites anyway. Losing the bathroom carpet is also a good idea since its one of the most humid rooms in the house, so makes a great breeding place. Then see how you get on.

Heres an idea for you

When you must do the cleaning or change the bedding yourself, wear a dust mask. You can get one from your local hardware store. It needs to be able to filter out the tiny dung particles, so ideally the pores should be less than 0.5 microns across.

Defining idea

When things dont work well in the bedroom, they dont work well in the living room either.

WILLIAM H. MASTERS, co-director, Masters & Johnson Institute

8. Preserving pets

They bring love, affection and happiness into a home, but for those with allergies giving pets the push may seem like the only solution.

But just as theres more than one way to skin the proverbial cat, theres more than one way to remain at one with your pussy, and with your other pets too.

Not long ago, good friends of mine decided the time had come to allow their children to have pets and home came two wonderful kittens. It was family bliss personified. Well, it was until a few days later, when mum started wheezing. But the cats are still with them, and theres been no more wheezing either. So how did they do it?

Despite popular myth, cat or dog fur is not actually the problem. Even if you were allergic to your pet and took it to the barber for a number one haircut, youd still find yourself with watery red eyes and coughing. Not because the sight of your best ex-furry friend would reduce you to tears, but because its actually glands in the animals skin that secrete allergy-triggering proteins, or allergens, which linger in the animals fur and float easily into the air. These allergens can be present in the animals saliva and urine too, and may become airborne when the saliva dries on the fur. So, apart from producing the worlds first short-haired Afghan, your trip to the barbers would have achieved nothing. So scalping it isnt the solution. Taxidermy might reduce the number of allergens, though its a bit extreme, and Ive yet to see a stuffed animal obey a command.

The problem with these allergens is that theyre not only invisible to the naked eye, theyre also lightweight. Just walking through your house is enough to waft them into the air, and what happens next is all too predictable. You inhale these proteins and your trouble starts all over again.

In theory, the answer is simple: reduce your exposure to the allergens. The obvious and, indeed, the best solution, therefore, is to find your loved one a new home. No cat, no exposure. Simple. But dont be tempted to re-home them with friends or relatives, unless, of course, youre looking for an excuse not to see them. Id love to come visit, really I would, but you know what happens. But understandably you want the best of both worlds, and that means keeping your pet and keeping your allergy at bay.