Sinuses?

Former Member

I think I have a problem with mine..:(

It's sore, and nippy. Like, that feeling you get at the side of your nose, under your eye after you've swallowed too much pool water or summat.

It's vile.

Is that what it is? I could be sensible and do a search for it, but blah blah blah..

..yanno?

Former Member

I have problems with mine. Never got it sorted out though - I really should. I did once get on a waiting list and waited 6 months to see a specialist who then did nothing more then have a look with a torch and prescribe 6 months worth of nasal spray which was litterally nothing but water. And basically after 4 month just got fed up with it all and didn't bother going back.

The thing is I don't even notice it until I start thinking about it.

I think my problem may be caused by being slightly allergic to house dust mites or their droppings becuase when I was in the hospital my sinus cleared up within 30 minutes of waiting so it appeared to the doctor that there was nothing wrong?? But at home with soft furnishing it's near impossible to get rid of the little buggers?

Not sure, but tomorrow I'm home waiting for a delivery so will try and do a massive hoovering up and see if I notice the difference and I've got some spary from Boots that's supposed to kill off the bugs, a mild insectiside that you spray on carpets and stuf flike that.

Former Member

http://www.sinuspharmacy.com/news_dustmites.html

Battling Dust Mites


(Feature Article) One of the major causes of allergies and asthma are tiny creatures, which the human eye can't see, called Dust Mites. Dust mites are a part of everyday life, living and thriving in beds, clothing, carpets, pillows and other areas that might be warm and humid.

Dust mites live within house dust (thus the name) and eat dead skin cells that humans regularly shed. Their droppings are what regularly contribute to allergy and asthma problems. In fact, dust mites are the number two cause of allergy problems (topped only by Pollen). There are likely millions of them in your home.

Research states that 44 million homes in the U.S. (that's 45% of all homes) have a very serious dust mite problem. So where exactly is the greatest exposure to dust mites in the home?...



Understanding Where The Greatest Exposure Takes Place
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI):

"People are exposed to more dust mite allergens while in bed when compared to other activities performed throughout the day, researchers at the 2001 AAAAI Annual Meeting.

Using nasal filters, Sandra De Lucca, BSc and colleagues from the Institute of Respiratory Medicine in Sydney Australia, collected particles that people inhaled during normal respiration and measured them for allergen content. Subjects wore the nasal filters for one hour during seven activities: in the morning at home, driving to work, at work in the morning and afternoon, driving home, in the evening at home and while lying in bed. This allowed researchers to monitor the actual dose of mite allergen the 10 subjects inhaled during daily activities.

Results indicated that the subjects were exposed to higher levels of mite allergen in the home environments, with the majority of exposure occurring while the subject was lying in bed. While lying in bed, the average level of inhaled mite allergen was eight times higher than while driving to work and 1.5 times higher than at home in the evening. Since people spend one-third of the day in bed, allergen avoidance measures and effective washing routines to remove mite allergens from bedding needs to be employed to reduce exposure, especially among allergy sufferers."

Like Pollen, Mold, and Pet Dander, Dust Mites are an allergen that irritate a condition like asthma and allergies. To help combat a Dust Mite problem, you must be ready to go into battle...


Let the Battle Begin!
There is no single solution for getting rid of dust mites, however some battle strategies can help you win the war.

A Wright State University study (funded with an EPA grant) on dust mites from 1996 - 1999 titled "Factors Controlling the Dust Mite Population in the Indoor Environment" said, in part of its conclusion, that "it is possible, practical and effective to reduce indoor RH (relative humidity) to levels that will control dust mites. This coupled with regular vacuum cleaning by the participants of the study resulted in the reduction of allergen in surface dust to insignificant levels."

Other conclusions the study reached can help people combat Dust Mite problems. Such conclusions include:

- "To effectively control dust mites under fluctuating hydrating and dehydrating RHs, daily humidity must be kept at 35 percent for at least 16 hours."

- "Washing clothes and bedding in hot water (50 C) for >30 minutes is required to kill D. pteronyssinus and E. maynei whereas a 7.5-minute wash will kill D. farinae. One-hundred percent mortality can be reached for D. pteronyssinus and E. maynei after 12- and 5-minute soaks, respectively, at 53 C. A 4-hour wash in warm water (35 C) kills less than half of the mites."

So besides the above, what are some things that you can do to help control Dust Mite problems? Here's are some great tips put out in 2000 via a press release by the AAAAI:

Using a combination of allergen barriers and a regular washing routine can significantly lower the number of dust mites found in the bedroom, even in humid regions, say Australian researchers in the June Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI). This is good news for asthma sufferers, since dust mites are estimated to induce allergy and asthma symptoms in millions of people. The JACI is the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

Dust mites are microscopic, sightless, eight-legged arthropods that are natural inhabitants of indoor environments. The droppings of these mites are the most common trigger of perennial allergy and asthma symptoms, especially in humid regions where dust mites tend to thrive throughout the home, such as the case in Australia.

Because of the high humidity in Australia and the allergic problems associated with it, lead researcher Carl Vanlaar and colleagues set out to determine how to successfully reduce dust mite allergen levels in the bed. The beds of 14 children were tested by encasing the mattresses and pillows in covers and washing all bedding with an acaricidal additive, a solution proven to kill mites and ticks. Beds occupied by the siblings of the 14 children were used as the control and were not treated. Dust was vacuumed from beds and settled dust was collected and measured. The level of dust mite allergens in treated beds was immediately reduced almost 10-fold, and levels remained low over an extended period of time. The amount of allergens near the bed was also lower.

Researchers conclude that preventative measures can substantially decrease the amount of dust mite allergens in the bed and in the air around the beds, even in humid regions. Furthermore, these steps should be followed as a measure to control asthma.

"Washing bedding in extremely hot water once a week and encasing pillows and mattresses in allergen impervious covers are the easiest and most effective ways to reduce allergen levels in the home," said Michael Ruff, M.D., spokesperson of the AAAAI, "This study proves that even allergy and asthma sufferers living in areas with high humidity can benefit from these steps."



Ongoing Research on Killing Dust Mites
There is ongoing research examining methods of killing dust mites. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology:

"Vapors from wintergreen and other natural plant oils kill house dust mites on clothing, researchers at the 2001 AAAAI Annual Meeting announced. House dust mites are microscopic arachnids that grow in soft materials such as beds, carpets, and clothing. Allergic reactions to proteins produced by dust mites are a major cause of asthma and other allergies.

Jeffrey D. Miller, MD, FAAAAI, an allergist at Allergy & Asthma Associates in Danbury, CT and president of Mission: Allergy, Inc., previously reported that the vapor of lavandin oil killed dust mites in clothing. In this study he investigated the effect of 56 other plant oil vapors, finding that many others also killed dust mites. Plant oils whose vapors were effective at killing mites in close proximity included such pleasant smelling oils as anise, birch, coriander, lemon grass, nutmeg, pine, spearmint, ylang-ylang and wintergreen. Wintergreen was particularly effective, with sufficient amounts killing dust mites in clothing not only in small areas such as sweater boxes or drawers, but also in larger areas such a closets.

The mite killing properties of these plant products are probably part of the living plant's natural protective system for preventing its own infestation by plant mites, Miller said. The clinical usefulness and safety of such oils is not yet clear, although the oils studied are commonly used in aromatherapy and perfumes, he cautioned."