Does allergen avoidance work?

Allergic rhinitis affects a large portion of the population. Patients are frequently sensitized to indoor allergens. The most important contributors are house dust mites, pets, and fungi. In very controlled environments where allergen exposure is significantly reduced, individuals have been shown to have clinical improvement in allergic rhinitis and/or asthma symptoms. Achieving sufficient exposure reduction in the home has proven difficult. Nonetheless, evidence exists that demonstrates exposure avoidance can be useful as an adjunct to other therapies, such as pharmacotherapy and immunotherapy, for the treatment of allergic rhinitis.