Article: Battling bed bugs Precautions can keep dust mites from having run of the house

Fluffing your pillow probably isn't such a good idea.That sends dust mites flying and there may be as many as 2 million of the microscopic pests hugging your bed. They aren't parasites, they only feed off dead human skin. But that may be less than comforting when you realize you're sleeping with distant relatives of spiders and ticks.

Dust mites aren't harmful to humans unless you're prone to allergies. But most people who have allergies are allergic to dust mites, said Dr. Mark Ulbrich, a Bloomington allergist and immunologist. It's not the tiny mites we're allergic to but their decaying bodies and feces, which become airborne in household dust.

Chances are, if you wake up stuffy or with a ...

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