Watery Or Irritated Eyes
When allergens are present, the body releases histamines as part of its immune response. This histamine release is what causes the eyes to water excessively when exposed to toxins from mold.
This reaction from histamine may be the bodys way of flushing out allergens and toxins. It can serve as a warning to you that your environment may contain dangerous black mold.
How To Clean Mold And Keep It Away
The best thing;you can do to avoid mold-related issues is to keep it from growing in your home in the first place by reducing indoor humidity and moisture and to identify and repair water leaks from indoor sources or the walls, roof or windows, says Kemperman.
Always use an exhaust fan when cooking, and run the vent fan in your bathroom during showers and for at least 30 minutes after. Keeping moisture out of your basement can be complicated and may involve fixing drainage issues, sealing cracks in the foundation, or investing in a sump pump.
If you live in one of Seattles vintage apartment buildings or any older home, you may not have ventilation or an exhaust fan in your kitchen or bathroom. In those cases, its a good idea to use a portable fan or open a window to keep moisture from building up on walls and surfaces while youre boiling water or showering.;
For really nasty mold problems, including large spaces and in your homes heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, always call in the pros. But for areas of mold in your home that cover less than a 3-by-3-foot area, its usually OK to handle the cleanup yourself, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The best way to clean mold off of hard surfaces is to scrub the area with a firm brush or sponge using water and detergent, Kemperman says. Always dry the area thoroughly to prevent regrowth.
Mold Toxicity Is Also An Issue And It Is Considered A Chronic Inflammatory Response
An acute and chronic, systemic inflammatory response acquired following exposure to the interior environment of a water-damaged building with resident toxigenic organisms, including, but not limited to fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes, and Mycobacterium serve as inflammogens! Inflammogens keep your body in a state of inflammation.
You May Like: How To Eliminate Mold In Crawl Space
How To Treat Black Mold Poisoning
Black mold, scientifically referred to as Stachybotrys atra or Stachybotrys chartarum, is typically black or dark green and often linked to serious health problems.
In fact, exposure to black mold can lead to black mold poisoning, or stachybotryotoxicosis a condition thats dangerous, particularly for young children and the elderly.
Even though black mold poisoning typically affects horses, cows, and pigs, humans can become infected if they inhale or ingest the spores.
Symptoms of stachybotryotoxicosis include skin rashes , throat and sinus irritation, burning eyes, and a decrease in the production of white blood cells.
Mold In Schools And Work Environments
Schools, classrooms, hallways, offices, and building corridors often harbor mold and dust mites, as do their ventilation systems. If you are allergic to mold and work in an office building, or are a parent with children who are allergic to mold, you should find out how often the school or building cleans their vents, and if they use high-efficiency air filters to remove mold, pollen, and other particles from the air. This may help to alleviate some of your mold allergy symptoms.
Also Check: What Do You Do To Get Rid Of Mold
Why Does Mold Cause Asthma Attacks
Asthma is a chronic illness affecting the respiratory system. When someone has an asthma attack, the muscles around the bronchioles, or air passages leading into the lungs, tighten, making the passages narrower than normal. In addition, the lining of the bronchioles becomes inflamed or swollen, further narrowing the airways.
Mold spores irritate the airways when inhaled and this can trigger an asthma attack. Some people are allergic to mold and exposure can trigger an allergic reaction that further exacerbates the symptoms of an asthma attack.
How Does Mold Exposure Affect Asthma And Existing Allergies
Once you have an allergic reaction to mold, no matter how mild, you may become sensitized to mold spores as an allergen. Long-term exposure to mold may cause mold-related allergy and asthma symptoms to become worse over time. Exposure to mold or dampness may even cause people to develop asthma, according to the CDC.
Mold exposure is a known asthma trigger and may cause inflammation and tightness in the respiratory system as well as mucus in the airways. If you have asthma and a mold allergy, you may notice that exposure to mold spores may trigger asthma symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing and coughing. In more severe cases, exposure to mold spores may cause an asthma attack.
Recommended Reading: How To Install Vinyl Stair Nose Molding
What Are Symptoms And Signs Of Mold Exposure
Molds produce irritating substances that may act as allergy-causing substances in sensitive individuals. Furthermore, some molds produce toxic substances known as mycotoxins, but mold itself is not poisonous or toxic. The term “toxic mold,” therefore, refers to the fact that certain kinds of mold can produce mycotoxins. The conditions under which some molds produce toxins are not understood, and the presence of mold, even a mold that is capable of producing toxins, does not always imply that toxins are being produced or that a health risk or problem is present. Mold may not cause any health problems, or it may lead to allergy or other symptoms in people, including adults and children, who are sensitive to molds.
Allergic reactions to mold are the most common health effects of mold and are therefore the greatest health risk related to mold. Allergic reactions may happen immediately or develop after a period following exposure. Both growing mold and mold spores may lead to allergic reactions. Symptoms and signs of mold allergy may include
Mold or mold spores may cause asthma attacks in people who have asthma and are allergic to mold. Even in some non-allergic individuals, mold can cause symptoms of irritation in the eyes, skin, and airways. For example, the “black mold”Stachybotrys, along with some other types of mold, produces toxins known as mycotoxins that can cause irritation of the skin and airways in susceptible individuals.
Whos At Greater Risk Of Mold Exposure
Some people are more sensitive to mold, whether this is because of their genetic makeup or the current state of their health. Individuals with already-compromised immune systems; infants and small children; the elderly; and asthmatics are especially susceptible to the adverse health effects of mold exposure.
Remember that reactions to mold are uniquely individual, since no two immune systems are alike.
Also Check: How To Kill Mold In My Basement
Our Air Quality Solution For Mold
Though more research is needed to support mold sensitivity in the scientific community, prolonged exposure to indoor mold in your home is unhealthy for everyone, regardless if you have a mold allergy or suspect a mold sensitivity. After taking steps to prevent visible mold growth, mold spores can be addressed by an air purifier. Our solution, the Molekule PECO technology, was developed over 20 years to address many of the common concerns of indoor air quality, including airborne mold. In addition to common indoor air pollutants like VOCs, pollen and dust mites, PECO technology is the only one that can reliably;destroy mold particles, including fragments, spores and mycotoxins. Keeping airborne mold to a minimum can help you and your family breathe clean air.
Post Tags
Why Does Mold Adversely Affect Infants And Children
Mold mycotoxins can affect anyone, but they can be worse for people who have weakened or undeveloped immune systems such as infants and children.;The average umbilical cords of American-born babies contain 250-300 known carcinogens. In addition, trans-placental exchange of pathogens and toxic metals can suppress the immune system even further.
One of the main reasons that children are so vulnerable to mold and these toxins is because their immune system is developing from birth to adolescence.;A childs immune system;is not fully developed and any disturbance or foreign substance brought into their bodies like man-made drugs and mold mycotoxins will increase the risk for abnormal;immune reactions;such as allergy like symptoms,;asthma, inflammation and gut issues to name a few of the mold-related symptoms.
What people need to understand is that children who are adversely affected from mold exposure are not really having an allergic reaction, they are having an immune reaction to the mold. This is why;a 1990;Mayo Clinic Study Shows Mold as the Cause of Nearly All Chronic Sinus Infections.
One of the lead researchers in that study,; Dr. Sherris had said,;Fungus allergy was thought to be involved in less than ten percent of cases. Our studies indicate that, in fact, fungus is likely the cause of nearly all of these problems. And it is not an allergic reaction, but an;immune reaction.
Recommended Reading: How To Clean Mold Around Air Vents
How Can I Prevent An Allergic Reaction To Mold
There is no cure for allergies. But you can reduce your allergy symptoms by avoiding contact with the mold spores. Several measures will help:
Reduce Your Exposure to Mold Spores Outside
- Limit your outdoor activities when mold counts are high. This will lessen the amount of mold spores you inhale and your symptoms.
- Wear a dust mask when cutting grass, digging around plants, picking up leaves and disturbing other plant materials. ;
Reduce Your Exposure to Mold Spores Inside
- Use central air conditioning with a CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly® filter attachment.;This can help trap mold spores from your entire home. Freestanding air cleaners only filter air in a limited area. Avoid devices that treat air with heat, electrostatic ions or ozone.
- Lower your indoor humidity. No air cleaners will help if excess moisture remains. If indoor humidity is above 50%, fungi will thrive. A hygrometer is a tool used to measure humidity. The goal is to keep humidity below 45%, but below 35% is better. If you have to use a humidifier, clean the fluid reservoir at least twice a week to prevent mold growth. Air conditioners and dehumidifiers can also be a source of mold. ;
- Prevent mold and mildew build up inside the home. Pay close attention to mold in bathrooms, basements and laundry areas. Be aggressive about reducing dampness.
To Reduce Mold in Your Bathrooms:
To Reduce Mold in Your Kitchen:
To Reduce Mold in Your Laundry Area:
To Reduce Mold in Your Bedrooms:
To Reduce Mold in Your Basement:
Mold Around The House
While antihistamines can address many of the symptoms of a mold allergy, they are often not a sufficient standalone response to mold. Antihistamines can have sedating effects on users and adversely interact with other prescription and over-the-counter medications, so it is best not to rely on them entirely. Instead, after identifying signs and symptoms of a mold allergy, work to reduce the presence of mold in your home. This process often involves optimizing air filtration systems, cleaning bathrooms regularly, and making basement living spaces as hypoallergenic as possible by limiting porous surfaces, such as carpeting, where moisture and attendant mold can build up. While it is impossible to eliminate mold exposure, especially outdoors, you can significantly mitigate mold exposure within the home.
Read Also: Can Black Mold Cause Irregular Heartbeat
Mold Induced Asthma: Are Inhaled Mold Spores To Blame
by amanda wooley | Dec 26, 2017 | Indoor Air Quality, Mold
Wheezing, as you inhale and exhale trying to catch your breath. The difficult task of trying to regain your breath is an ongoing battle for those with asthma. Asthma is a growing health condition that plaques more and more people each year. Currently, 26 million people suffer from this condition, with 18.9 million adults and 7.1 million children affected. Asthma is a disease that affects your lungs and is one of the most common long-term diseases for children.
Researchers have been perplexed by the potential causes of the growing number of cases of asthma, especially in children. Some experts attribute growing asthma conditions on the rising level of pollution, with the production of pollen being a contributor to the 70 percent of people with asthma that also have allergies, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Even the environment that kids are being raised in today can be another potential factor for asthma, as more homes are being built to be well-ventilated fortresses. Tight-ventilated homes, although economically sustainable, can also create a breeding ground for mold to grow. Can there be a potential link between the increase in asthma and exposure to mold?
Mold Can Cause Death In Infants And Children
There are many studies which have shown that infants and children who live in water-damaged buildings with mold will produce potent toxins known as mycotoxins that can compromise a childs immune system and will make them very sick.;In fact, there have been so many illnesses, diseases and even deaths of infants and children associated with toxic mold that the nations largest and most prestigious pediatric organization, the;American;Academy of Pediatrics has issued warnings and recommendations;on water damaged buildings and mold to its 66,000 pediatrician members.
The;American;Academy of Pediatrics;now;recommends that when pediatricians;are treating patients with idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage,;prudence dictates that pediatricians try to ensure that infants under 1 year of age are not exposed to chronically moldy, water-damaged environments.;The academy says, Pediatricians should ask about mold and water damage in the home when they treat infants with idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage. If mold is in the home, pediatricians should encourage parents to try to find and eliminate sources of moisture.
They also recommend, if infants who die suddenly of; idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage,;coroners, and medical examiners should consider using the recently published Guidelines for Death Scene Investigation of Sudden, Unexplained Infant Deaths, which includes a question about dampness, visible standing water, or mold growth.
Recommended Reading: How To Get Rid Of Mold On Vinyl Siding
Signs And Symptoms Of A Mold Allergy
- Posted on: Dec 3 2020
- Ariana Salazar
Where would we be without our immune system? A robust and responsive immune system works hard, often without us even knowing it, to keep our body safe against harmful pathogens. But the bodys immune system can overreact to a perceived threat, and such an immune response can be unpleasantif not dangerous. This sort of internal hypervigilance is the basic idea behind an allergic reaction.
Your body can have this reaction to numerous substances that, in and of themselves, are innocuous: while breathing in dust and pollen is not good for your health, its not on the same level as viruses or bacteria, the two sworn enemies of the human immune system. Another such substance is mold spores, the reproductive units of fungi, which are ubiquitous in the environment and your home. Mold allergies are common and uncomfortable, but fortunately, they are treatable. Here are some of the signs and symptoms of a mold allergyand what you can do to address them.
Identifying Mold In Your Home
Read Also: Can Black Mold Be Removed From Wood
How Are Mold Exposure And Tuberculosis Related
As we mentioned earlier, there are three types of mold:
Each of these types can have a different impact on your health, from a simple skin rash to breathing issues and even cancer. Which symptoms you will experience depends mainly on your immune system. But, even the strongest immune systems can weaken with time if it is continuously expose to mold. Especially to Pathogenic and Toxigenic types of mold.
Tuberculosis is one of the possible mold effect you can experience and we can blame the toxic type of mold for that. Toxic mold spores often produce mycotoxins that threaten your health and make you vulnerable to diseases, like the above mentioned tuberculosis.
At Mold Busters, we often get asked whether mold can cause tuberculosis, given that it has such a profound effect on the respiratory system.
The answer?
No at least not directly.
Although mold itself cannot cause tuberculosis, it does weaken peoples immune systems, making them more vulnerable to infections. Once your immune systems stops working full-time, you shouldnt worry about tuberculosis only, but many other infections, mold related or not.
People who spend a substantial amount of time in areas with poor air quality are at greater risk of mold exposure and are, therefore, more susceptible to allergic, bacterial and viral infections due to weakened immune systems.
How Does Black Mold Form
The main reason behind the formation of black mold is moisture, which can be caused by several things, such as, water leakage, lack of proper ventilation, flooding, irregular maintenance, humidifiers, condensation, clogged-up gutters, damp clothes, humid basements, or even water accumulation around the foundation of your house.
Also Check: Who To Contact About Mold In Your Home
How To Cure Mold Related Asthma Symptoms
If youve ever experienced the effects of the persistent and hazardous micro-organism called mold, then you already know how unpleasant and debilitating these effects can be.
The very first step in doing away with your symptoms is to find the and the have it removed.
In most cases, mold problems can be traced back to some sort of moisture problem since water is the leading factor contributing to fungal growth. So, begin with detecting the problematic areas in your home. These areas most often include the kitchen sink, leaking toilets, condensation around windows and cracks in the foundation. Also keep an eye on areas that are poorly insulation and more humid.
In some cases, areas that are contaminated with mold are easily identified theyre unsightly, attract dust and release unpleasant odours. Once youve identified them, the next step is fixing them in an efficient manner.
Unless you are lucky enough to possess specialized equipment and knowledge of proper mold remediation procedures, your best option is calling a team of mold removal experts. Not only are they well equipped with all the latest equipment, but they also have years of first-hand experience dealing with all types of mold problems. Theyll be able to pinpoint with certainty the source of the mold contamination and plan for a strategic remediation. Also, theyll ultimately be able to minimize your risk of future mold growth.
