Am I Allergic To My Mattress? There are two common types of mattress allergies: latex allergy and dust mite allergy. The average adult getting the recommended seven hours of sleep a night spends 2,555 hours on his or her mattress a year. Naturally, if there are persistent and inexplicable health issues, it makes sense to question whether the mattress itself may be contributing to the problem in some way. The best way to know for sure whether you’re one of the 20 million Americans allergic to dust mites or more than 3 million Americans allergic to latex is to be tested by an allergist. However, here are a few signs and symptoms to look out for, in addition to product suggestions to help you get a more comfortable night’s rest. Signs You Have a Mattress Allergy Symptoms from mattress allergies may include everything from headaches, joint aches and arthritis, to unexplained rashes, eczema and lumps, to nausea, dizziness and persistent flu-like symptoms. Allergic reactions are more common in people with already diminished immune systems or genetic history, but they may stem from several different triggers.
Can dust mites in mattress cause allergies?Dust mites and their waste products are one of the most common causes of year-round allergy and asthma, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Symptoms of a dust mite related allergy include: persistent sniffles and/or chronic nasal congestion, sinus headaches, waking with scratchy eyes, sneezing repeatedly first thing in the morning. Dust mite allergy is common among children and a risk factor for developing asthma, according to Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills, director of the Asthma and Allergic Disease Center at the University of Virginia. Do I have a latex mattress allergy? There are three types of latex reactions. The first is a localized rash called irritant contact dermatitis. This type of allergy is not plausible unless you are directly touching or sleeping on the surface of a latex mattress. Latex mattresses are generally encased with layers of fabric and wool batting that would shield most people with latex allergies.
Allergic contact dermatitis can spread around the body and occurs four days after contact with latex, but again, you’d have to be directly touching the inner layers of the mattress themselves. The most serious type of allergy is known as latex hypersensitivity with symptoms like pink eye, cramps, hives and severe itching. One person diagnosed with latex hypersensitivity recalls: “I did not sleep more than four hours per night, tossed and turned, and lately felt like I was burning up inside.” In some instances, the symptoms are much more severe, including: rapid heartbeat, tremors, chest pain, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure and deadly anaphylactic shock. Best mattress for allergies and asthma Memory foam mattress allergies are rare, but if you are concerned about being allergic to memory foam chemicals, then try 100% natural Talalay foam latex – which is made from pure tree sap of the rubber tree. On the other hand, if you’re allergic to latex, then you may want to try memory foam – which is made from high-density polyurethane.
Either memory foam or foam latex would be a superior choice to traditional inner spring mattresses if you are looking to have a dust-mite-proof mattress. Mattress covers for allergies The type of mattress you buy matters less than the type of special mite-proof covers purchased for your mattress and pillows. The best mattress cover for allergies is one that does not allow mites to penetrate, but is soft to the touch. Best pillows for allergy sufferers People who are worried about being allergic to pillow stuffing can find many different types of pillows on the market geared toward allergy sufferers in particular. The type of pillow stuffing you choose boils down to a matter of personal preference, so it’s best to speak with a qualified Sleep Specialist at Mattress World Northwest to discover which choice may best suit your needs. Always keep in mind that in most cases the pillow itself matters not nearly as much as the type of cover you put over it. Find an allergy free mattress at Mattress World Northwest
Viscoelastic memory foam and natural latex are the best options available to sleepers concerned about dust mite allergies. Mattress World Northwest – with multiple locations across the Portland, OR area – offers top brands like Simmons Beautyrest, OMI Naturals and others. If you are worried about latex allergies, our knowledgeable Sleep Specialists can steer you toward some of our non-latex foam, or inner spring options, depending on your budget and comfort preferences. Find a mattress store location near you! Savvy Rest – What If I Am Allergic To Latex? Get Your Free Sleep Analysis, and Start Sleeping Better Tonight!Skip links Skip to primary navigation Skip to content Skip to footer Vibrant health means you can live life to the fullest. Empower yourself with the steps I used to free my life of chronic disease and medications. I’m an author, entrepreneur, and nutritional therapy practitioner (NTP). I began this website at 19, to share the steps that freed my life of chronic disease and medication.
Now, Empowered Sustenance has reached 30 million readers with healthy recipes and holistic resources. Essential Oils for Brain FunctionBurn 600 Calories Sitting, and 6 other Infrared Sauna BenefitsThrive Market: The Netflix of FoodMeal Plans, Customized Exactly for YOUHolistic Hair CareLatex has a few scary connotations: itching, sneezing, allergies. An estimated one to two percent of the population is plagued with latex allergies and the side effects for these folks are downright dangerous. But for the rest of the population, did you know that latex is actually a premium luxury material in the mattress industry? That’s right: beds with this stuff have some of the highest ratings for customer satisfaction, latex is naturally dust-mite resistant, and it’s incredibly durable. But first, A brief history of latex Latex is a natural byproduct of rubber trees. During manufacturing, this milky sap is blended with other chemicals to create products known for their elasticity like medical gloves, condoms, balloons, and rubber bands.
The manufacturing process has several different methods of creating a final product, and one of them, the dipping method, is notorious for stirring up allergies. Medical gloves go through this dipping method (as do balloons and condoms), and this allows the pesky allergenic proteins to remain intact. So, in these products the allergens are especially irritating and the powdery residue found on the gloves makes it easy for irritants to become airborne. It makes sense, then, that latex allergies are most common among those working in healthcare or those who have had multiple surgeries. Like many allergies, there is a range of severity ranging from symptoms of itching to anaphylaxis. So clearly, latex allergies can be serious – especially in acute forms. If you fall into the “severe allergy” category, the risk, however small, just isn’t worth it. The latex that is used in mattresses is not “dipped” and it goes through a different washing process that strips off irritating proteins that are commonly found in latex gloves.
Plus, latex in mattresses is typically buried beneath mattress covers and sheets with little to no direct skin contact. Of course, if you have a known latex allergy, consult with your doctor or healthcare provider before sleeping on a bed made with latex. Back to the washing cycle: instead of the dipping method used with gloves, latex used in mattresses goes through an open-celled process with at least five cycles of washing to strip the allergy-causing proteins from the material. And we also want to set the record straight again: the latex used in mattresses is considered premium material, more desired and of a higher quality than memory foam. Latex, by nature, has a slew of shining qualities: inherently hypoallergenic, inhospitable to dust mites, naturally flame retardant, breathable, environmentally friendly, and best of all, it’s a healthy, safe material to sleep on. Mattresses with latex also have some of the highest rates of customer satisfaction and the lowest rates of returns.