Internal Medicine

Pillows for allergy sufferers

introduction

House dust mites are arachnids and live in mattresses, bed linen and carpets. Although they are harmless, they pose a problem for those who are allergic to house dust mites. It is primarily the dust mite feces that trigger the allergy.

The problem is that you cannot drive away the small animals by cleaning, as this is not a question of hygiene. Although you can't get rid of dust mites completely, there are a few tricks that can be used to stop them.

Do you suffer from an allergy? You can read more about various therapy options under: Therapy of an allergy

You have to consider this with pillows for allergy sufferers

It is very important that the pillows for allergy sufferers are washable at at least 60 degrees so that the mites in the pillow can be removed regularly by washing. It is also advisable to use well air-permeable pillows.

Furthermore, some materials are more suitable for allergy sufferers than others (see below). Mite-proof covers can be used regardless of the pillow. These hold back the dust mites and their droppings. When buying such covers, you should make sure that they have been tested for mite impermeability.

Since house dust mite allergy sufferers are also more sensitive to other substances, such as When buying a pillow, as with the rest of the bed linen, pollutants should be selected that are allergy-free and tested for harmful substances.

These tests are carried out by various independent institutes. You can also get advice.

The next topic may also be helpful to you: Mite allergy - what to do?

What fabrics should the pillows for allergy sufferers be made of?

High-quality down pillows and blankets are often low in mites because they are tightly woven and the seams are tightly sealed and therefore impermeable to feathers and mites.

The advantage of synthetic materials is that some of them can also be washed at 95 degrees and are more often breathable. As a result, they offer the house dust mites a worse environment and they reproduce less vigorously. In addition, synthetic bed linen is easier to care for.

Washable cotton quilts are also suitable for allergy sufferers. There is also kapok bed linen. Kapok is a natural fiber that is said to contain a natural bitter substance against mites. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence to support this fact.

Other possible filling materials for pillows are visco foam or natural latex, although these are not washable but breathable. Regardless of the material of the pillow, it can be covered with a special cover that retains the mites and their droppings.

How often should I wash a pillow?

It is important to change and wash the pillow, duvet and mattress covers regularly, as dust mites will colonize the covers over time.

The bed linen should be changed every week and the mattress covers every six to eight weeks. The original mite colonization is reached again after 12 weeks at the latest and everything should be cleaned.

In addition to regular washing, the bed linen should be shaken out daily.

You may also be interested in this topic: Air purifier for allergies

How and with what should I wash it?

The dust mites die off with a wash cycle at at least 60 degrees and the laundry is cleaned of mite excrement. The laundry can, if possible, also be washed at 95 degrees.

It does not matter which detergent is used with regard to the mites, but allergy sufferers are generally more sensitive. Therefore, when choosing the detergent, care should be taken to ensure that it does not contain any additional fragrances. Natural detergents are also recommended, as these are usually better tolerated.

What are the costs for allergy-free bed linen?

If a house dust mite allergy is diagnosed, the costs are largely covered by the health insurance company. However, there are also differences here, which is why it is best to ask the relevant health insurance company directly.

When buying bed linen, it is not worth choosing the cheapest bed linen for reasons of quality. It is best to seek advice.

In recent years, many health insurance companies have borne lower costs, but bed linen for allergy sufferers has become cheaper. Here, however, it is also worthwhile to make sure that the bed linen has been checked to ensure that it is free from harmful substances.

Do you have a runny nose, watery eyes and a swollen nose in the morning? Sometimes the cause is right in front of your nose or in your bed. Read more about this under: Bed linen for allergy sufferers

Are there pillows for allergy sufferers on prescription?

Special covers for bed linen are also available from the doctor on prescription. In this case, the costs for allergy-free bed linen are largely covered by the health insurance companies.

Without a prescription, however, the health insurances do not pay for bed linen. How much of the costs is covered varies from fund to fund.

How do I get rid of dust mites in the pillow?

First of all, it is important to pay attention to the right material for the pillow. In addition, the covers must be washed and changed regularly. In addition, the bed linen should be shaken out daily.

But no matter how much hygienic measures you take to remove the mites, you will never get rid of them completely. In addition, mites quickly get back into the home via dirt, clothes, etc. However, if you do a few things, the mites can be kept at bay.

Since the mites prefer a humid and warm environment, it is important to keep the bedroom dry and cool. The room temperature should be below 20 degrees if possible. Regular ventilation helps against moisture in the bedroom.

In addition, it is advisable not to have a bed box because of better ventilation of the mattress. Wearing pajamas catches night sweats. In addition, pajamas hold back skin flakes, which are the main food source for mites.

In addition, there should be no dust catchers in the bedroom and only house plants suitable for allergy sufferers.

Miticides are another option. However, their real benefit is questionable. Although they kill the house dust mites, the excrement still remains in the bed linen so that it has to be washed.

If you have further interest in this topic, check out our next article: Mites in bed - that works best!

What to think of encasing?

The encasing is a special protective cover for the mattresses, pillows and duvets. This protective cover is intended to prevent the mite excrement from escaping through the mattress or bed linen and triggering the allergy. It also makes it more difficult for flakes of skin - the main food for house dust mites - to get into the mattress.

However, the covers for pillows and bed linen make them a little heavier and therefore more unwieldy. These protective covers must be changed and washed regularly, otherwise mites will romp on them again. This should be done every six to eight weeks. Over time, however, the encasings become leaky from washing and should then be replaced with new ones.

In the trade, encasings are also sold as allergy-free bed linen. When buying, it is important to ensure that the covers are not only impermeable to mites, but are also impermeable to mite excrement.