Ragweed and pollen season is coming to a close, bringing immense relief for many allergy sufferers in Albany. However, as you begin spending more time indoors for the cooler months ahead, you may experience a surge in allergy symptoms related to indoor allergy triggers. You don’t want your cozy fall vibes interrupted by sniffling and sneezing, so let’s discuss indoor allergy triggers and how to identify them.
Indoor Allergy Triggers
Your home should be your sanctuary, but it can also harbor a surprising amount of allergy triggers. Here are some of the most common.
Pet Dander
Almost half of all households in the state of New York own a pet, which means there’s lots of dog and cat hair floating around! If you have a pet allergy, you’re most likely allergic specifically to a substance called dander, microscopic flakes made up of dead skin cells that animals shed regularly. These light, jagged flakes float in the air and cling easily to clothes and upholstery. In rarer cases, the substance that triggers the allergy is the proteins present in animal saliva and urine.
Dust Mites
Dust is the gray powdery substance that builds up on surfaces and in the carpets throughout your home. It’s made up primarily of your dead skin cells, textile and paper fibers, minerals from outdoor dirt tracked inside and other detritus from materials in your environment.
You may be surprised to learn, however, that it’s not the dust you’re allergic to. Rather, the allergic reaction is due to the proteins in the fecal matter and dead bodies of tiny bugs called dust mites. Dust mites are microscopic bugs related to spiders, but they don’t bite or sting. They live in soft places, such as bedding and carpets, and feed on the dust.
Mold
Did you have a sneezing attack after finding a fuzzy gray growth on the walls behind your washing machine? That’s a mold allergy. Mold grows in warm, damp, dark places, so it’s common to find it around your home, especially in rooms like the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, basement and attic. The specific part of the mold you react to is its spores, microscopic particles that are released into the air to help the mold spread.
How Allergy Testing Can Help
If you’ve started spending more time indoors and noticed an increase in allergy symptoms, it’s probably due to one of the above factors. But what if you’re unsure which one? That’s where allergy testing comes in.
In an allergy test, we introduce a tiny amount of potential indoor allergens—pet dander, pet proteins, dust mite proteins or mold—to the surface of your skin and monitor for any reactions. These reactions may be itchy, red and slightly uncomfortable, but they will help identify which irritant (or irritants) is causing your woes.
Once you know which indoor allergy trigger is the source of your symptoms, you can take steps to remove those substances from your home and begin properly managing your allergies with medications or other treatments, allowing you to get back to your book and blanket by the fireplace.
If you want to schedule an allergy test or have any other questions about indoor allergy triggers, give us a call at Albany ENT & Allergy Services. We’re happy to assist you.