Winter allergies – what is it about?

Almost everyone has a little cough and a running nose at some point during the winter. Usually, it’s because of a cold. But this doesn’t always have to be the case. A runny nose and a cough can also be symptoms of a “winter allergy”. One of the most common types of winter allergies is the dust-mite-allergy. 

This type of allergy is most noticeable during the heating period in the winter. More and more people are affected by this. In the heated rooms the excrements of the mite drys and crumbles and then mixes with the dust at home. Through movement in the room, the dust is stirred up and inhaled. That’s why the dust-mite-allergy is more common during the winter months. 

 

What are the symptoms of a winter allergy? 

Just as described in the beginning, coughing and a runny nose can be symptoms of a winter allergy. Other symptoms are itching (especially around the eyes), sneezing attacks, a sore throat, headaches and asthma. Generally, these symptoms are very similar to the ones of a cold. When you have a runny nose during the whole winter you should check if you have a winter allergy. 

 

What can I do about it? 

First, you should do something against the trigger of the allergy. So in the case of the dust-mite-allergy something against the dust-mites. It’s important to keep the room clean and free of dust. Then you should try to get a balanced room climate. The humidity should be around 40-45%. Especially during the cold month, it’s important to get fresh air in the rooms. Open the windows for 5 to 8 min 3 or 4 times a day. This should help to bring in fresh air throughout the day. 

Since dust mites are mostly in beds and the linen it’s important to wash them regularly and at least at 60° Celcius. There is also special linen that protects against dust mites. Those can be very helpful for people with an allergy. 

How to test your allergies at home 

If you keep suffering from symptoms such as runny or stuffy nose, itchy eyes, skin or breathing difficulties, it is possible that you have one or more allergies.

The POC*it Allergy 3-in-1 Test provides quick results with a finger prick test. The self-test measures the levels o allergy antibodies (IgE) to cat hair, house dust mites, and grass pollen. With just this one test, you can tell if you are responding positively to one or more of these allergies.

Most importantly, with POC*it Allergy 3-in-1 Test, your lab-accurate results are available in just 30 minutes, saving you a great amount of time as an evaluation by a laboratory or a doctor is not necessary.