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In the consultation room of the hospital, Li Ming sat on a cold and hard chair, facing the frowning doctor, the lights were dim, the atmosphere was depressing, and the doctor looked at Li Ming's medical report, obviously dissatisfied with his living habits.
"Li Ming, how lazy are you?" The doctor couldn't help but raise his voice, and his tone revealed incomprehension and reproach, "Look here, your severe skin allergies are mainly because you haven't changed your bed sheets for half a year, and this laziness has now begun to seriously affect your health." ”
Li Ming lowered his head, scratched his reddened arm in embarrassment, and replied in a low voice: "Doctor, it's really because I'm too busy with work, I hardly have time to care about this." ”
The doctor slowed his tone slightly, but was still serious: "I understand the pressure of your work, but you have to understand that health cannot wait, and if you continue like this, your condition will only get worse." ”
Li Ming nodded, thought for a while, and then asked, "Then do you think there is any good way to clean quickly without delaying work?" ”
Li Ming's lesson
Li Ming's life is almost completely filled with work, and due to the tight schedule of the project, Li Ming has to work from morning to night every day, and overtime has become a part of his daily life.
Half a year ago, Li Ming moved into a bachelor apartment near his company, hoping to ease the pressure of work by shortening his commute.
On the day he moved, Li Ming only brought a set of sheets and quilt covers, and every night, he fell asleep as soon as he got home, never thinking about the cleanliness of the bedding.
Day after day, dust mites and various stains began to accumulate on the sheets, and gradually, Li Ming began to feel some itchy skin.
But he always thought that it was just because of the daily stress that there were some minor problems in his skin, so he didn't pay enough attention to it.
Until one day, Li Ming's skin itched to the point of unbearable, and when he woke up, he found that he had a dense rash and small blisters on his arms and neck.
In desperation, he decided to take a leave of absence to go to the hospital to see what the problem was.
In the dermatology department of the hospital, Li Ming met Dr. Zhang Wei, and after examination, Dr. Zhang was almost certain that it was an allergic reaction caused by mites, and he asked Li Ming seriously: "How long have you not washed the sheets?" ”
Li Ming replied with some embarrassment: "There may be... It's been half a year. ”
Dr. Zhang's face became even more grim: "Half a year? How lazy are you? Your illness is caused by not changing the sheets! There are already too many mites and bacteria on the sheets, causing serious skin problems. ”
In the doctor's office, Li Ming learned the cause of his allergies, and his bed sheets and quilts became a breeding ground for tens of thousands of mites that feed on human dander and multiply, and their excrement is the main cause of allergies.
Dr. Teo continued, "If you don't change this habit, it will only get worse, and I recommend that you wash your sheets as soon as you go back and at least once a week in the future." ”
After Li Ming returned home, he thoroughly washed the sheets and quilt covers according to the doctor's instructions, and began to clean them regularly. The symptoms gradually subsided, and he also became acutely aware of the importance of daily cleaning.
Since then, Li Ming has not only begun to pay attention to the cleanliness of bedding, but also adjusted his living habits, trying to find a balance between busy work and a healthy life.
This incident made him understand the importance of health and the serious consequences that some negligence in daily details can bring.
A mite crisis in the home
As the Li Ming case resolved, we turned to the broader issue – the hygiene of bed linen and coverings and their potential threat to health.
Although this may seem like a trivial matter of household hygiene, in fact, it is related to the problem of mites, a factor that is often overlooked but has a significant impact on human health.
In the study, it was found that mites, although invisible to the naked eye, are ubiquitous, especially in warm and humid environments.
They breed in the crevices of bed sheets, pillows, carpets and even furniture, and the mites feed on human dander, and an adult can produce about 1.5 grams of dander per day, enough to feed thousands of mites to survive.
The survival of mites is not the whole problem, but more serious is their excrement and body remains, which are known to be strong allergens.
According to statistics, the number of mites in bed sheets and bedding can be as high as 20 million per square meter. When people roll over in their sleep, these allergens are stirred into the air, triggering or exacerbating asthma and other respiratory diseases.
In his medical lectures, Dr. Zhang mentioned a case of a middle-aged man with asthma who had frequent attacks at night due to neglecting the cleanliness of his bedding, precisely because of too many mites in his bed sheets.
In addition, mites can also cause skin problems such as eczema and skin allergies, and dermatologists often see patients who have severe allergic skin reactions due to not changing bed linen for long periods of time, and the common denominator of these patients is prolonged exposure to bedding contaminated with mites.
Dr Teo also emphasised the importance of washing bed linen regularly and shared some tips for prevention and treatment.
He proposes that bed sheets and duvet covers should be washed at least once a week, using high-temperature water (at least 60°C) to kill most mites and bacteria.
For those with allergies, consider using mite coverings or choosing bedding made of hypoallergenic materials.
Further, Dr Teo recommends keeping the indoor relative humidity below 50% as mites struggle to survive in drier environments.
The use of dehumidifiers and air purifiers can effectively control indoor humidity and allergen levels. Also, try to avoid excessive accumulation of fabric items indoors, such as heavy curtains and pillows, which can be potential hiding places for mites.
For places that require special attention to cleanliness, Dr. Teo also mentions children's rooms, where children's immune systems are not yet fully developed and their allergic reactions to mites may be more severe.
Therefore, choosing the right anti-allergy bedding for your child and keeping it clean is essential to prevent allergies and respiratory problems in children.
At the end of the talk, Dr Cheung reminded everyone that health problems caused by mites can be significantly reduced by maintaining good hygiene and adopting appropriate prevention and control measures.
In addition, for patients who already have symptoms of mite allergy, timely medical attention and treatment and preventive measures according to the doctor's guidance are the key to solving the problem.
Popularization of daily mite prevention knowledge
After gaining an in-depth understanding of the importance of the health effects of cleaning bed linen and covers, the rest of the content will focus on specific mite prevention measures and methods.
Although mites are not visible, their harm is real, and here are a few scientifically effective anti-mite strategies designed to help you reduce the threat of mites in your daily life.
High-temperature washing is the preferred method to deal with mites in bed sheets and covers, mites and most bacteria cannot withstand high temperatures above 60°C, so washing bedding with hot water can effectively kill most mites.
Regular bedding change is also an important part of mite control, in addition to bed sheets and quilt covers, mattresses and pillows are also breeding grounds for mites, it is recommended to change bed linen and quilt covers every one to two weeks, and make sure they are fully exposed to the sun.
Bedding with anti-mite materials is also an option. There are specialized anti-mite bedding products on the market, such as anti-mite pillows, mattress covers, and duvet covers.
These products are usually made using seals or special materials that are not easily penetrated by mites, thus reducing the chances of mites coming into contact with people.
Keeping the room dry is just as important for mite control. Mites multiply faster in environments with higher humidity, so it is necessary to control indoor humidity below 50%.
Using a dehumidifier and air conditioner can help regulate indoor humidity, especially during wet seasons or areas.
Clean carpets and soft furnishings. Carpets, curtains, and upholstered furniture, among others, are another potential hiding place for mites. Vacuuming these areas regularly with a HEPA filter can effectively trap and block mites and other allergens.
Avoid frequent pet entry into the bedroom. Pet dander is also one of the food sources for mites, and restricting pets from the bedroom, especially not letting pets go to bed, can greatly reduce the number of mites in bedding.
These measures can not only effectively reduce the number of mites, but also improve sleep quality and reduce the occurrence of allergy symptoms. In Dr. Zhang's lectures, he often reminds everyone that although the mite problem may seem trivial, good prevention and control can greatly improve the quality of life.
Although there are many anti-mite measures, the key is to implement them consistently, and simple daily habit changes can effectively control the growth of mites and protect the health of themselves and their families.
epilogue
Li Ming's experience is a cautionary tale about how daily hygiene habits can affect our long-term health.
Simple household chores, such as washing bed linens regularly, may seem trivial, but as we've seen, neglecting these basic hygiene measures can lead to serious health problems.
Li Ming suffered unnecessarily from the accumulation of mites and other allergens on the sheets, which could have been avoided with simple precautions.
By maintaining a clean sleeping environment, we can not only avoid misfortunes like Li Ming, but also improve our quality of life and stay healthy.
Prevention is much easier than cure, and small changes in daily life can often lead to a big health boost.
Information sources:
Mr. Wang Medical Science Popularization: The doctor angrily reprimanded: How lazy are you? Your illness is caused by not washing the sheets often!
Struggling frogs: the biggest "natural enemy" of mites is not exposure to the sun: when they are placed in the room, the mites "disappear"