Question:
I am only getting to know, better, how my body reacts to a dust allergy...I
thought originally it just resulted in me sneezing alot whilst in the room,
and then when I leave I am basically back to normal within about 10 mins. I
have stayed with friends in their old dusty, damp house for a week..and have
been subjected to the allergens for that period - the constant impact seems
to have run me down so I feel as though I've had a mild flu...presumably its
impacting on my immune system? I now have swollen glands, and a sensitive
lymph glands (particularly in the groin area)...now I'm out of it I'm
getting better, but am conscious that I'm not 100%. Any help I can get in piecing the jigsaw together so I can understand it -
would be most helpful. I've visited alot of websites so have the basics -
but some first hand experience would be very interesting.
Answer:
You do best to see a physician about it. Self diagnosis of medical
problems from information on the net is not wise.
Can't help you much-for me I just turn the air conditioner on real cold in
the house..and vacuum the floors and throw out the rug.. You've made a pretty good summary description of a house dust allergy. It
matches my own experience just after WWII.. House dust (they didn't know about dust mites then) was my first allergy,
followed after a few years with some pollen allergies. Working outdoors and
coming home to old quarters, plopping down in an old upholstered chair after
walking across the carpet and kicking up the dust therein, I was soon
sneezing through a runny nose. Nasal congestion through the night. Next
day out of doors it cleared up till I got home.
Visiting a neighbor one night, she beat and plumped up a cushion on an old
overstuffed chair. It hit me hard and it was a week before I was back to
normal.
My subsequent college years were spent in similar quarters. Chronic allergy
resulted in frequent, almost continuous sinus infections. I injected house
dust allergen during this time which probably helped but did not eliminate
the problem.
After college, we could manage newer, better housing and the problem pretty
much disappeared except for
mild seasonal pollen allergies. We now live in the desert where dust mites
can't survive the low humidity. With this combination of factors, house
dust allergy is only a memory.
My experience suggests that environmental control of your living space is
the most important thing you can do. If you live in a humid area, old
carpets and furniture are particularly hazardous.
