Indoor Environmental Quality: Health Problems Mold
Health problems associated with excessive damp conditions and mold include:
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How Can Mold Affect My Health
Many molds can cause health effects. Molds produce allergens, irritants and,sometimes, toxins that may cause adverse reactions in humans. A reaction tomold depends on how much a person is exposed to, the age of the person and thepersons sensitivities or allergies. The same amount of mold may causehealth effects in one person, but not in another.
Exposure to mold can cause a variety of symptoms. Sensitive people who havetouched or inhaled mold or mold spores may have allergic reactions such as arunny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, watery eyes, skin rash and itching. Molds can trigger asthma attacks in people who are allergic tomolds, causing wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. A diseaselike pneumonia may also develop after exposure to mold, but this is uncommon.
Infectious diseases from molds can occur in people with weakened immunesystems, such as those who are immune-compromised or immune-suppressed fromdrug treatment. Some types of mold are known to cause infections inimmune-compromised people. Such infections can affect the skin, eyes, lungs orother organs. These are considered opportunistic infections that usually do notaffect healthy people.
Types Of Mold Sickness And Symptoms
Mold can be found almost everywhere, though it thrives in warm, humid environments. It spreads by releasing tiny spores that float through the air. Some types of mold also produce mycotoxins, microscopic organic compounds that can attach to mold spores and cause additional health effects when inhaled.
Mold exposure does not always cause adverse reactions, and different types of mold can cause a person to react in distinctly different ways. However, those who are sensitive to mold or have mold allergies may experience the following symptoms after exposure, according to the CDC:
- Nasal stuffiness
- Eye, throat or skin irritation
- Coughing or wheezing
Reactions may be more severe in those with:
- Mold allergies
- Weakened immune systems
- Chronic lung illnesses
If you are in one of the above groups, the CDC recommends staying away from likely sources of mold, such as wooded areas, compost piles and freshly-cut grass.
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Q: Can Mold On Toothbrush Make You Sick
A: Yes, mold on toothbrushes can cause health issues such as asthma, sinusitis, and allergies. The best way to prevent mold from growing on your toothbrush is to keep it clean and dry. If you do not want to throw away your toothbrush, then you should soak it in hot water for 10 minutes. After soaking, rinse it thoroughly with soap and water.
Is There A Test To Determine If I Have Been Exposed To Mold
Some physicians have recommended testing for mold-specific antibodies. Thepresence of antibodies only indicates that you have been exposed to a substanceat some time. It does not tell you when you were exposed, where the exposuretook place, or how much of the mold you were exposed to. Having a positive testfor mold-specific antibodies alone is generally considered insufficient toprove that health effects reported by individuals in moisture-damaged buildingsare caused by exposure to mold.
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Is There A Urine Test For Mold Exposure
Testing for mold exposure using a mold urine test might seem counter intuitive but it is actually the best way to find mold in the body. Mycotoxin exposure is a serious medical issues that can cause other health problems, Realtime Labs uses small urine test to determine if you have been exposed to toxic mold.
What Other Health Issues Can Be Caused By Mold
Depending on how much mold you are exposed to as well as what type of mold you have in your environment, you might experience other symptoms in addition to headaches. One of the most common is respiratory irritation. Many people who have spring or fall hay fever might actually be reacting to mold spores. Common signs include a runny nose, nasal congestion, sinus pressure, watery eyes, and a sore throat. These are similar to the signs of pollen allergy, so you might consider seeing an allergist to determine what, if anything, you are allergic to. If you are sensitive to an outdoor mold, you might be prescribed medication to help control your symptoms.4
Of course, these symptoms, as well as rashes, fatigue, chronic coughing, or even difficulty breathing, can also occur in response to mold inside of the home. If you are experiencing these symptoms when youre in your house, you might consider having your home tested for mold spores.
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Sneezing And Nasal Congestion
While many things can trigger sneezing, its also a symptom of mold toxicity that should get your attention. If youve never had allergies or hay fever symptoms and youre positive you dont have a cold, those sneezes could be indicative of mold exposure.
Sneezing is the immune systems standard response to allergens. It could also be a warning sign that your home has a mold problem.
The Medical Community Is Still Trying To Figure Out What Causes Migraines
Migraines were long assumed to be a result of vascular changes, but now research points to anatomical and or physiologic brain differences as being an associated factor. It is not know if the brain changes in migraine sufferers are from birth and associated with genetics, or if they were environmnetallly induced or caused by the migraines. It is known that 50% of migraine sufferers have family members who also have migraines. This fact does point to an involvement of genetics and some type of predisposition. However, both vascular changes, and the brain changes are still not necessarily the cause, but simply associated with migraines. Genetics might make the person more susceptible to migraines, but we still want to know what is setting them off. We still need to know what environmental, and lifestyle factors, or other activities of the indivual might be in involved as triggers for the person predisposed to having migraines. These factors have been hard to identify as the initiation of a migraine actually takes place days before the actual headache begins. For people living in a moldy environmnet they can have headaches, including migraines quite often if they are continually being exposed to mycotoxins. Many of these people and even their practitioners do not realize that migraines can be caused by mold.
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Can You Pass Out From Mold Exposure
4.9/5molds can
Regarding this, can mold exposure cause fainting?
In addition to coughing, sneezing, and irritated eyes, exposure to black mold can come with a range of other serious symptoms. A mold problem can cause you to experience dizziness, anxiety and depression, and even hallucinations.
Also, how much mold exposure is dangerous? Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can lead to symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes, or skin.
Also know, how do you know if mold is making you sick?
If your Total Body Burden is high, or you are genetically predisposed to recycling toxins, regular exposure to mold can cause allergy symptoms, such as:
How long does it take to detox from mold exposure?
Some people get well very quickly after removing the source of mold toxins, just by getting into a clean environment and avoiding re-exposure. Others can take over a year to recover fully.
How Can I Be Exposed To Mold
People are exposed to molds every day, usually by touching or breathingthem. Because molds naturally exist outdoors and indoors, living in a totallymold-free environment is practically impossible. As molds grow, spores can bereleased into the air where they can be easily inhaled. People who inhale largenumbers of spores may get sick. Possible health concerns are an importantreason to prevent mold growth and to clean up molds in indoor environments.
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How Does Exposure To Toxins Cause Headaches
The majority of the global population suffers from headaches,and according to the World Health Organization, headaches affect about 50% of the worlds adults.Headache is a stubborn pain in the head that can range from mild to serious and can last from 30 minutes to a week. It typically occurs on either side of the head and may include areas such as the forehead and back. .
CausesResearch suggests that there is a strong relationship between toxins in polluted air and headaches and that chronic headaches are increasing. Indoor air quality is also an additional contributor.
Indoor air that causes headaches includes:
1- Volatile organic compounds : are a generic term used to describe several toxic chemicals released to indoor air, such as formaldehyde, benzene , propylene glycol and acetone. According to the Environment Protection Agency, volatile organic compounds are considered to cause sinusitis, brain and nervous system damage, and therefore headaches.Common sources of VOC emissions include paint, treated wood, furniture, detergents, construction materials, office equipment, etc.
5- Sewage gases: Sewage emissions can cause headaches. This unpleasant odour contains sulphur dioxide, nitric oxide, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and carbon monoxide.
Treatment and protectionThe most common treatment for a headache is pain relief, and there is also a generic over-the-counter pain drug. But prevention is often the best treatment.
These things can go a long way:
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How Can I Test Myself For Mold Exposure
Testing for mold exposure using a mold urine test might seem counter intuitive but it is actually the best way to find mold in the body. Mycotoxin exposure is a serious medical issues that can cause other health problems, Realtime Labs uses small urine test to determine if you have been exposed to toxic mold.
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How Long Do Mold Symptoms Last
The tricky thing about mold exposure is that its different for each person. The amount of time mold exposure symptoms persist depends on:
- What type of mold they are exposed to,
- How long the exposure has been,
- How well their bodies eliminate toxins
Those who process toxins well can see their symptoms disappear as quickly as a few days.
Others who eliminate toxins slowly can experience symptoms for much longer. They could be ill for months or even years after the source of mold is eliminated.
Mold Allergies Asthma And Other Respiratory Symptoms
Whether you already experience allergy symptoms or not, touching or inhaling mold spores may cause you to become allergic to mold. If you are sensitized to mold as an allergen, exposure may cause a range of allergy symptoms, including sneezing, stuffy or runny nose, and eye, nose and throat irritation, according to the CDC. However, you do not need to be sensitized to mold for it to cause medical symptoms.
Exposure to mold and damp indoor environments has been linked to a wide range of health effects. According to the Institute of Medicine , both mold and damp indoor environments have been found to cause coughing, wheezing and other respiratory tract symptoms in otherwise healthy individuals. Those with asthma may experience more severe asthma symptoms when exposed to mold or indoor dampness, including tightness, swelling and mucus in the airways. The CDC also notes that workplace exposure to mold in damp buildings has been associated with new-onset asthma.
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Can Black Mold Behind Walls Harm You
If you find black mold on your property, theres no need to panic. But black mold presents more health risks to sensitive groups like those with respiratory conditions or immune conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control , black mold spores can generate cold- or flu-like symptoms such as: Stuffy nose.
Your Head + Mold = Pain
Let me be crystal clear, the connection between mold and headaches isnt clearly established. If youre a patient, be prepared to get a lot of pushback from your family physician. Mold illness still isnt recognized as a disease, let alone a cause of headaches or migraines.
If youre a practitioner, youll likely get a lot of pushback from your colleagues and respective colleges. In the context of headaches, we cannot conclusively say mold is the cause. But thats no reason for you to give up on further investigating toxic mold illness and CIRS in your patient populations.
There have been studies published that do strongly show the connection between sick building syndrome and headaches/migraines. What these studies dont show is whether or not its mold thats causing the headaches. It could be. But these studies did not isolate mold as the sole cause of headaches.
There are studies that show molds profoundly negative effect on the central nervous system . Headaches are, of course, one symptom strongly associated with central nervous system abnormalities. Mold has been found to enter the CNS through inhalation, IV drug use, surgery, and even via contaminated medical supplies.
Another study found that those with irritation/inflammation of the mucous membranes inside their nose had a significantly higher prevalence of headaches and migraines. Those with rhinitis have often had mold exposures.
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Symptoms Of Mold Exposure
Mold spores can easily be brought into your home on your shoes or clothing or through open windows or doors. If these spores can find a warm, damp, humid environment, they can begin to multiply. Soon, your home can be filled with toxic mold. If you think mold has invaded your home, look for various symptoms of mold exposure.
How To Remove Mold From Your Home
The best way to relieve your symptoms and/or prevent mold allergies is to remove mold from your home. You should first look for black growths in your household, especially in warm rooms with high levels of moisture. Even if you cant see any mold, if you start coughing or wheezing the moment you enter a room, chances are that it may contain mold buildups.
If you find mold on your walls, tables, or other surfaces, you need to remove it promptly. More importantly, you also need to identify and remove the causes of mold growth in your home. These can range from leaky roofs and improper ventilation to old, deteriorating wallpaper and wood.
As explained, mold and mycotoxins can also be ingested through food. It is thus important to ensure that all food items in your home are stored safely. Rather than stocking up on food, try to buy it shortly before you plan on consuming it. This is especially important with fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains, which can all go bad if you dont eat them shortly after buying them. Make sure to throw away any items that are past their expiration date.
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What Are Mycotoxins
Other metabolites, called mycotoxins, are potent substances produced by somemolds. People can be exposed to mycotoxins through inhalation, ingestion orskin contact. Many molds, including species commonly found indoors, are capableof producing mycotoxins. The existence
or identification of a toxin-producing mold indoors does not mean thatbuilding occupants have been exposed to mycotoxins or that they are evenpresent, since molds do not produce them under all conditions. Mycotoxins cancause a variety of adverse health effects, but more research is needed todetermine the health risks posed by mycotoxins in indoor environments. However,it is clearly advisable to avoid exposure to mold and mycotoxins.
How To Prevent Mold
Controlling moisture is the key to preventing mold from growing in your home. The following tips will help stop mold from becoming a problem:
- Keep the humidity in your house below 50%. Using an air conditioner or dehumidifier can help with this.
- Make sure your house is clean, dry, and well-ventilated.
- Fix any water leaks immediately.
- Use ventilation fans in your kitchen and bathrooms.
- Don’t put carpet in rooms that are likely to become wet such as the basement, kitchen, or bathrooms.
- Make sure wet floor mats are dried quickly.
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What Is Black Mold
Stachybotrys chartarum is a common black mold. It can also be a greenish color. It grows on cotton, wood, and paper products. It sometimes produces toxic chemicals that are found in its airborne spores and fungus fragments.
These are called mycotoxins and are dangerous if they’re eaten. There’s no link to inhaled Stachybotrys chartarum mycotoxins and deadly diseases. But there are risks for people with allergies, asthma, and other hypersensitivities.
There is no evidence that black mold causes symptoms such as fatigue, memory loss, an inability to focus, or a headache. These symptoms have been referred to as “toxic mold syndrome” but are largely due to media hype. Yet some people are allergic to mold. It should always be removed from your home.
Pains In The Nose And Face
The main reason that mold exposure may cause headaches is because, more often than not, mold spores can irritate the respiratory system and cause problems with the immune system, which can in turn aggravate the sinuses. And anyone who contends with seasonal allergies on a regular basis and/or is hyper-sensitive to changes in barometric pressure will tell you that irritated sinuses can result in a whopping headache.
Sinus headaches usually feel like dull, constant pressure in your cheekbones, your forehead, the bridge of your nose, or your inner ears. In severe cases, folks may almost feel like something is trying to push one of their eyes out of its socketand in very severe cases, a person may feel like their eye popping out would actually be a good thing, because at least then, they might experience some relief from the pressure in their skull!
The good news is that sinus headaches can typically be tamed with an over-the-counter painkiller, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Decongestants like pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine can help reduce swelling in the nasal passages , too, thus helping to reduce some of the pressure and curbing discomfort at its source.
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