Dust Mite Guide › Dust Mite Allergy Symptoms
The most common signs of dust mite allergy are sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, and itchy, red, watery eyes; in some people it also brings coughing, wheezing or eczema flare-ups.[3][2] Most exposure to mite allergen happens while you sleep,[2] so symptoms often seem tied to your bed. But the pattern alone can’t confirm it: a doctor’s allergy test can.[1][6] This page covers the usual signs, how it’s confirmed, and what you can change at home.
Not medical advice. This page is for education only. If you think you have a dust mite allergy, see a doctor or allergist for testing. Trouble breathing, a tight throat, or swelling of the lips, mouth or tongue can be signs of a serious allergic reaction that needs emergency care.[6]
Symptoms of allergic rhinitis, the nose-and-eye form of allergy that dust mites commonly cause, include:[3]
A mild case may cause an occasional runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing. In severe cases the condition is ongoing, with persistent sneezing, cough, congestion or facial pressure.[2] For the basics of the mites themselves, see What Are Dust Mites?
Dust mite allergen settles quickly into dust and fabrics and clings to bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpets and curtains. Most exposure happens while you sleep.[2] Mattresses and bedding are a major source of mites and mite allergen, and people spend long stretches in close contact with them.[1] That is why your bed is the first place to look; see How to Get Rid of Dust Mites in a Mattress.
A caution: feeling worse in bed or on waking fits dust mites, but it isn’t proof. In a US allergy practice parameter, asthma that got worse at night or in the morning was not predictive of dust mite sensitization.[1] Other things can cause night-time symptoms too, which is why testing matters.
House dust mites are one of the common causes of allergic rhinitis, along with pollen, pet dander and mould. You are more likely to have an allergy if people in your family have allergies, eczema or asthma.[3] Inhaling dust mite allergen can make rhinitis worse.[1] See a doctor if symptoms are getting worse, affecting your sleep and everyday life, or you’re not sure what is causing them.[3]
Dust mites are one of the major indoor triggers for people with asthma, and mite allergens can trigger mild to severe symptoms and asthma attacks.[2] Allergic reactions can include coughing, wheezing or breathlessness.[6] If you have these symptoms, talk to your doctor. For how mite allergen can affect the body beyond classic allergy symptoms, see More Than Allergies.
Atopic eczema causes itchy skin that can also be dry, cracked, scaly or thickened. House dust mites are one of the things that can make it worse, along with irritants like soap and detergent.[5] In people who are sensitized, dust mites can trigger atopic dermatitis, and in the practice parameter, reducing mite exposure was linked to improvement in moderate to severe cases.[1] Dust mites are not parasites that bite, sting or burrow into your body; people react to proteins in mite droppings and decaying mite bodies.[2] If you’re wondering about itchy marks, see Do Dust Mites Bite?
Allergic rhinitis symptoms are similar to a cold.[3] One difference is timing: the NHS notes that hay fever (an allergy to pollen) can last for weeks or months, unlike a cold, which usually goes away after 1 to 2 weeks.[4] Doctors also ask whether symptoms increase when dust is disturbed, as in vacuuming and dusting, but that history is neither sensitive nor specific, so it doesn’t replace a test.[1] Symptoms that keep dragging on are worth raising with a doctor.
The allergy practice parameter recommends testing people with suspected dust mite allergy for mite-specific IgE using a skin prick test or a blood test.[1] The NHS likewise lists skin prick tests and blood tests, which a doctor can arrange or refer you to a specialist clinic for.[6] In the parameter, these tests provide high sensitivity and specificity when appropriate criteria for a positive result are used.[1]
Allergy specialists advise people who are sensitized and have rhinitis or asthma to minimize exposure to dust mite allergen.[1] The environmental steps below are covered in detail in the Dust Mite Guide.
Medicines and, for some people, immunotherapy (carefully increasing exposure to the allergen, which should only be done by a medical professional) are options a doctor or pharmacist can discuss with you.[6] This page does not recommend specific brands or products.
Sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, and itchy, red, watery eyes are the usual first signs.[3] Because most exposure to mite allergen happens while you sleep, symptoms often seem tied to your bed.[2]
Dust mite allergen settles into bedding, mattresses and other fabrics, and most exposure happens while sleeping.[2] A worse-at-night pattern fits dust mites but does not prove them: in a US allergy practice parameter, worsening of asthma at night or in the morning did not reliably predict dust mite sensitization.[1] An allergy test is how you find out.
Dust mites do not bite.[2] But house dust mites are a recognized trigger that can make atopic eczema worse, causing itchy, dry or cracked skin in some people.[5][1]
The symptoms of allergic rhinitis are similar to a cold.[3] A cold usually clears in 1 to 2 weeks, while an allergy such as hay fever can last weeks or months.[4] Only an allergy test from a doctor or allergist can confirm dust mites.[1][6]
Yes. Dust mites are one of the major indoor triggers for people with asthma, and exposure can bring on asthma attacks in people who are sensitive to them.[2] If you have wheezing, coughing or breathlessness, talk to your doctor.
Get the free, practical plan: Read the Dust Mite Guide →
This page is for education only and is not medical advice. See a doctor or allergist for testing and treatment.