In the first step, the specialist will go through your medical history with you. So what are your symptoms, how severe they are, when they first appeared, whether you only have to deal with them in certain seasons or throughout the year, in which situations the symptoms become stronger or weaker and finally whether and when you are completely symptom-free. This gives him important information about the type of allergy and the possible trigger(s). He is also interested in whether there are allergic diseases in the family and what the treatment attempts to date have achieved.
The medical history gives the doctor important information as to whether it is actually an allergy and which allergens may be responsible for your symptoms. With skin tests he then tries to uncover the allergy triggers. The most common is the so-called skin prick test. An intradermal test is used somewhat less frequently. Allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) can also be detected by a blood test in the laboratory. However, both skin tests and blood tests only indicate sensitivity to the allergen in question, a so-called sensitisation. This is not equivalent to a mite allergy. Only if there are additional symptoms throughout the year, i.e. if the medical history agrees with the diagnosis, is it actually a mite allergy.
To confirm the skin test results or if there are doubts about the diagnosis, a provocation test can also be carried out. The corresponding allergen is diluted directly into the organ (nose, lung or eye) where the symptoms also show up. If the patient reacts to the allergen with typical allergic symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing or watery eyes, the diagnosis is confirmed and the causal allergen is identified beyond doubt.
Your allergy specialist will offer three options for the treatment of allergies: allergy, anti-allergic medication and specific immunotherapy. Ideally, he will combine the measures to get your symptoms under control as quickly and effectively as possible.
Allergen avoidance is the best protection against allergies for the German respiratory league.(1) The most important source of house dust mites and their faeces is the bed(2), which is why the rehabilitation of the bed has a high priority. By wrapping mattresses, duvets and pillows with special covers impermeable to mites, the so-called encasings, contact with allergy triggers, mites and their faeces is stopped immediately and effectively. This leads to a clear reduction in the complaints of house dust mite allergy sufferers, as has been scientifically proven in a double-blind placebo-controlled study for the ALLERGOCOVER® intermediate cover.(2) Another study(3) points to the same result. The majority, more than 93% of the users, did not feel disturbed in their sleep or only a little at most and rated the sleeping comfort of ALLERGOCOVER® as good.(3)
It is possible that for some mite allergy sufferers the use of encasings is already sufficient to alleviate symptoms, so that they do not need any further therapy.(2) In any case, they are a useful component in the treatment of an allergy to house dust mites.(1;2)
Order a set now from the pharmacy market leader(4) ALLERGOCOVER®. Good night. Good day. Good life.
References
(1) Information sheet of the Deutsche Atemwegsliga e.V. (German Respiratory League)
(2) Brehler R, Kniest F. Allergy Clin Immunol - J World Allergy Org 2006;18:15-19.
(3) Müller-Scheven D, et al. Allergology 1998;11:534-540.
(4) Nielsen: Market shares Encasings pharmacies and pharmacy mail order MAT 09/2013.