Asthma and all-year allergy in the nose are so common, that we accept them as 'one of those things' particularly, when the doctor tells us to keep taking the medicine and not to bother about finding out whether an allergy could be the cause. But what if you could find out the cause? Could you do something about it and reduce or end your dependence on medicines?

The recent Channel 4 Dispatches programme on ‘How to beat your child’s asthma’ identified dust mites allergens as key offenders in chronic asthmatic conditions. Their presence typically causes:

• Wheezing or tight chest
• Red or watery eyes
• Hay fever
• Coughing, especially at night
• Blocked nose
• Sneezing or sinus symptoms
• Eczema
• Itchy skin

Total eradication is difficult to achieve and requires extreme action in areas of personal and home hygiene. Again, Allergex can help by focussing on those areas harbouring the highest concentrations of dust mites found in mattresses, pillows, duvets and soft furnishings.

It is not fully understood why some people develop asthma and others do not. However, it’s generally agreed that there are a number of contributing factors including genetics, pollution, chemicals in foodstuffs and a reaction to dust in the air.

While possibly less severe, sufferers from other allergic complaints such as eczema and allergic rhinitis are also are also likely to find their condition worsened by similar factors.

One factor from which none of us can escape is house dust. House dust contains many different elements including skin particles, soil, fabric from clothing and furniture and paint particles. But the most important element a far as the allergy sufferer is concerned is the mite’s digestive enzymes contained in their droppings. An overwhelming weight of evidence suggests that childhood asthma is most frequently caused by exposure to these droppings during early infancy.

“ Avoiding allergen exposure in infancy reduces the development of asthma ” American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, March 2001

What is the scale of the allergy problem? 

The latest estimates suggest that one-third of the total UK population – approximately 18 million people – will develop an allergy at some time in their lives.

Asthma, rhinitis and eczema have increased in incidence two-three-fold in the last 20 years.

More than 1 in 8 Britons (13.2%), suffer from asthma. 85% of asthma sufferers have been proved to be allergic to dust mites. Asthma kills 1,500 people in Britain per year.

“British Children are twice as likely to have asthma as those in other EU countries." Daily Mail front page story Dec 2003.

 In Germany just 3.7% of children have asthma, the lowest figure amongst EU countries. Guess which country developed the mattress cleaning system!