SNEEZING OURSELVES AWAKE

: A patient recently shared this story with me and wanted me to share it with you

“When the cold winter weather arrives my wife and I keep our doors and windows closed tight, spending most of our time inside, along with our dogs.

“Like most folks, we work hard to keep our house clean. We dust regularly, vacuum the carpet thoroughly every other week (we even vacuum our bed), and we clean our bedspread regularly.

“This winter, my wife and I started waking up each morning, sneezing. At first we thought we might have colds, but when our sneezing, itchy noses and sore throats persisted beyond the customary ten day lifespan of a cold, we started to think something else was causing the sneezing.

“After talking with you, we started thinking our sneezing problem could be summed up in one word: dust!

Pet Dander, Dirt and No Air Circulation

“Pet dander from our dogs, dirt brought into our home each time we, or our friends and relatives enter the house, coupled with the decreased air circulation-the result of keeping our doors and windows shut tight-was creating our allergic reactions. We decided to have the bedroom carpet, as well as a few of the carpets in other rooms, professionally cleaned.

“Because carpet cleaners use chemicals that bother us as much as dirt does, we asked the cleaners to not use any. Cleaning the carpets with only water does not provide as ‘deep’ a clean as cleaning with chemicals, so we were amazed at the significant amount of dust the cleaners picked up from our bedroom carpet. Clearly, our vacuum was not getting the job done.

No More Sneezing!

“The day after having our carpets professionally cleaned, for the first time in a long time, we were not sneezing when we woke up. We’re amazed at how much irritation to the nasal passage a carpet we thought was clean, but wasn’t, can cause. Dr. Denninghoff, thank you for your advice! We’re shopping for a new vacuum, one with a water or HEPA filter, now.”

Dr. Denninghoff Responds

I’m pleased to hear you’re getting some relief. Allergies caused by dust, dust mites, pet dander, mold, or chronic infection break down nasal tissue and cause ongoing inflammation. Healthy tissue does not get sick. Take a look at these photos of a healthy nose compared to an unhealthy nose:

Healthy Nose            Unhealthy Nose

A Vacuum is Your Best Weapon

Dusting before vacuuming causes dust particles to fall to the floor, so dust before you vacuum. Light vacuuming a few times a week is good, but a weekly, deep vacuuming is important. When you vacuum your carpets, also vacuum your furniture, drapes, and anything else covered in cloth or fiber. Be sure to vacuum your mattress, and to continue cleaning your bedspread.

Get Relief Now!

We at Missouri Allergy Specialists want you and your family to use as few sinus and allergy medications as possible. You can feel better and suffer less! We specialize in sinus and allergy disorders including sleep, ear, nose, and throat problems. Call us at 815-0662 to schedule your appointment.

Come back soon! I’ll be posting new information regularly. It would be great to hear from you, so complete the form below with your questions, and be sure to tell us how you got relief from your allergy symptoms.

Next time: Mold