There are 3 main ways to determine whether you should be avoiding dust allergens.
- Self Diagnosis
- Skin Prick Test
- Blood Test
Why Use Self Diagnosis - Is the quickest and best way to determine a dust mite allergy, even when compared to a skin prick or blood test. This is because you can be intolerant to dust mites without being allergic to them. Allergies and intolerances are different responses by the body. An allergy to dust mites typically involves the immune system reacting to the mites or their waste.
Intolerance, on the other hand, doesn’t involve the immune system in the same way and is usually less severe but can still cause discomfort. Symptoms of intolerance to dust mites might include prolonged respiratory issues, skin irritation, or other non-immediate hypersensitivity reactions that are more subtle and chronic. Unlike allergies, these responses are not usually detected through allergy testing.
Self Diagnosis Method
In order to determine yourself whether you should be avoiding dust mites, you should look Dust Mite Allergy Symptoms* and assess whether these statements are true:
- Your Allergic symptoms are increased when you are inside your home
- Your Allergic symptoms are increased when you have just woken up
- Your Allergic symptoms are increased for each day you have not washed your bedding
- Your Allergic symptoms are increased when there is low humidity (could be from seasonal change or going to another country)
If the answer is yes to the 4 questions above then you most likely have a dust mite allergy and should be taking steps to get rid of dust mites in your home.
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Skin Prick Test
A dust mite skin prick test determines whether you are allergic by applying a small drop of the dust mite allergen to your skin and measuring your bodies reaction. This is the most accurate commerical product for determining whether you have a dust mite allergy
A small needle is used to prick or scratch the surface the skin through the drop of allergen extract. This allows a tiny amount of allergen to enter the body just below the skin’s surface. It’s done gently but its enough to introduce the allergen without causing significant bleeding or pain.
After the dust mite allergen is applied the test site is observed for 15-20 minutes. During this time, the body may react to the allergen if there is an allergy present. The healthcare provider checks the test site for signs ofan allergic reaction, which is typically a raised, red bump (wheal) surrounded by a redness (flare). The size of the wheal is measured and compared to a control (saline or histamine) to determine the significance of the reaction. As a general rule if your wheal is larger than 3mm you are likely allergic to dust mites.
Blood Test
A blood test for dust mite allergy is done by taking an extract of your blood and looking for IgE antibodies that react with dust mites.
A small amount of blood is withdrawn from your vein and is normally performed by a healthcare setting or through a self extraction kit. The blood sample is then analyzed in a laboratory. The test specifically looks for IgE antibodies that react to dust mite allergens. The most common tests include ImmunoCAP, radioallergosorbent test (rast) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
A blood test provides an indirect result when compared to a skin prick test so is considered less accurate, however the blood test is less affected by skin conditions. They may also be cheaper due to the online testing kits however you should do you research to ensure that these companies offer accurate reliable results