Friday, March 22, 2024

Can Mold Make You Ill

Types Of Mold Sickness: Signs And Symptoms

How Mold Can Make You Sick

Mold exposure has the potential to cause adverse health effects. Many people start researching mold sickness when they are faced with a set of symptoms that have no apparent cause. They begin to wonder, are they being affected by something in their environment? There is a wide range of mold-related illnesses, some of which are difficult or even impossible to diagnose. Below, we discuss the different types of mold sickness and the symptoms associated with each condition.

Your Dog Breathed In Mold

If you suspect your dog has inhaled large quantities of mold spores or has persistently been in a habitat contaminated by mold, there is good news and bad news.

The good news: A dogs lungsmuch like a personsis a very inhospitable environment for microbes. This is because there is no nutrition available in the lungs to both bacteria and fungi, which reduces the chance of long-term residence should such microbes get past the carina . Most importantly, however, the respiratory system itself is under constant surveillance by the immune system.

It should be noted that an immediate sneeze or cough response to mold exposure is actually a good sign that the respiratory line of defense is working properly. A persistent cough lasting for several days, however, is a sign that inflammation and infection have taken hold of your beloved pooch and he needs medical attention.

The bad news: For centuries, dog breeding has custom-tailored a subjective preference on dog behavior and appearance. This has caused not only a great variety of dog breeds, but a vast watering-down of certain breeds capacity for good health and longevity. In other words, some dog breeds are more susceptible to respiratory issues. We may feel a fierce cute-aggression response to squished pug and bulldog faces, but the truth of the matter is that the adorable shape and size of their snout makes them weak and vulnerable to respiratory strife and disease.

Can You Just Cut Around The Mold

Although cutting off the mold seems like an easy solution, other harmful substances could still be left behind. The more moisture there is on the food product, not only will you have mold, but youll also have bacteria as well, Dr. Craggs-Dino says. Youre not just eating mold youre eating bacteria. Bacteria can cause serious foodborne illnesses such as listeria, which commonly grows on lunch meat and cheese, even in the refrigerator.

The potential for hidden bacteria is why adjacent mold can also be harmful. Say you have a container of strawberries where a few have turned moldy, but the others look fine. Unfortunately, you cant throw out the fuzzy ones, wash the rest and munch away.

Fruit has a lot of moisture and this mold could also harbor bacteria, says Dr. Craggs-Dino. Toss the pack since the spores are airborne, and most likely the entire package is contaminated even though you dont see the fuzzy growth on all the fruit.

Additionally, she says certain foods absolutely need to be thrown away if theyre moldy, including:

  • Soft vegetables and fruits, such as cucumbers, tomatoes and peaches.
  • Lunch meats such as deli ham.
  • Yogurt.
  • Restaurant leftovers.
  • Peanut butter.

In general, if youre not sure if moldy food is safe to eat, Dr. Craggs-Dino says to err on the side of caution: If in doubt, throw it out.

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Why Foods Develop Mold

Mold develops on food when the conditions are right. Were talking about transient mold thats in the air that might be spreading from the environment into food, or just because of the age of the product or poor storage, says Dr. Craggs-Dino.

This bad mold grows on a wide variety of foods, including fruits and vegetables bread lunch meat jams and jellies sauces and condiments and dairy products such as yogurt and cheese. A mold is microscopic fungus, says Dr. Craggs-Dino. And then what we see growing on things like fruits, vegetables and jelly are the spores.

These spores are airborne and circulate in the environment, looking for a hospitable landing place. Once spores find a suitable food host, they start to grow. Tell-tale signs of mold include white spots, unusual colored patches, or food thats softer than normal or smells bad.

But while its tempting to scrape off the offensive fuzz and eat the food anyway, that might not be the best course of action. Theres no way of knowing by sight whether a mold is safe or harmful. You dont know what mold you actually might be eating, Dr. Craggs-Dino says. Some molds can actually be very, very toxic to human beings. They can also cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems.

Dr. Craggs-Dino adds that some molds can also create a dangerous substance called toxins including aflatoxins, which can be especially poisonous. Those are extremely dangerous to somebodys health. They can actually cause death.

Yes Of Course Mold Can Make You Sick

Can House Mold Make You Sick?

Mold can make you sick. Sneezing, Runny or stuffy nose, cough and postnasal drip, Itchy eyes, nose and throat, Watery eyes, Dry scaly skin, if your body was exposed to an environment that was affected by any water damage and that was not properly remedied, possibly yes !!

But there is some mold information that you should know:

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What Is House Mold

Have you started to notice signs of mold growth in your home allergy-like symptoms, discoloration on surfaces, or even the distinct smell of mustiness in the air? These can all be signs of potential house mold growth within this indoor environment, and it is important not to ignore these indicators if present in your home. Household mold is a fungus that is versatile, allowing it the ability to grow in both indoor and outdoor environments where conditions for its growth and development are optimal. According to Medical News Today, mold can enter into your home through the air or even by attaching to objects or people that are brought into this environment, and thus allowing it to enter and grow rapidly on surfaces.

This type of fungus will spread rapidly throughout the indoor airspace through tiny spores that are unknowingly floating within this air in your home. These spores are called mold spores, these spores are minuscule reproductive seeds that move in the air in pursuit to attach to surfaces and begin its growth and development furthering the mold invasion in the environment. As mold spores travel in the air, the health risks become heightened since these small spores can easily become ingested and/or inhaled into the body, reaching deep into the recesses of the lungs and potentially into the bloodstream this can cause significant health issues quickly.

Is Hidden Mold At Home Making You Sick

“She would have terrible headaches and her face was swollen and she’d throw up sometimes for seven to 10 days,” Jill Murray, her mother said. “They tested her for cystic fibrosis, for leukemia, all kinds of diseases and they couldn’t find anything wrong with her.

Caitlin said it was a terrible feeling.

“I was like really, really sick,” she said. “I was feeling like I was going to die in a few days.”

Her mother had a gut feeling that whatever was making her daughter sick was in their Pennington, N.J., home.

“We started working with the head of the diagnostic center at Children’s Hospital Philadelphia,” Jill Murray said. “He said ‘Try it. Leave your house. That’s the only way you’ll know.’ “

A Scary Find

In the basement, Murray checked inside a crawlspace. There was mold everywhere.

“And with that we just got out,” Murray said. “We literally took the shirts on our backs and left.”

Caitlin’s suffering went on for three years before the girl finally felt better. The Murrays’ experience is not unique. Because modern homes are more tightly sealed for energy efficiency, water which mold needs to survive gets trapped inside.

Modern building materials like wood, drywall, wallpaper and fabric are appealing food sources for mold, while building technologies such as synthetic stucco can leak and trap moisture inside. Home appliances including clothes dryers and dishwashers also generate water vapor, again creating the type of environment that mold can thrive on.

Visual Signs:

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What Are Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds

Another source of irritation from mold exposure comes from substances knownas microbial volatile organic compounds . These compounds are producedthrough fungal metabolism and are released directly into the air, often givingoff strong or unpleasant odors. Exposure to mVOCs from molds can irritate theeyes and respiratory system and has been linked to symptoms such as headaches,dizziness, fatigue, nasal irritation and nausea. The effects of mVOCs are notcompletely understood and research is still in the early stages.

What Causes Mold To Grow Indoors

Mold Can Make You Sick After Floods

The conditions present in your home can play a critical role in the formation of mold in your indoor environment, with certain ideal conditions causing mold growth. Moisture is usually the most important condition that needs to be present in the environment since mold cannot grow without moisture in the environment. Additionally, mold will require a food source such as wood, drywall, or cotton to feed on in the environment, darkness to minimize exposure to ultraviolet light, warmer temperatures, oxygen, and time to thoroughly grow and spread within the environment. When all of these conditions are met in an indoor environment like your home, mold will flourish and grow rapidly which can leave for major problems to both your indoor air quality and to the health of those exposed to this mold growth.

Other issues in a home can also promote the growth of mold indoors, these can be normal occurrences in the home that will unknowingly advance mold that is developing in the area. Elevated levels of humidity indoors have been correlated with the growth of mold, as mold feeds off of high humidity levels in the air. Also, poor ventilation will aid in the progression of mold growth indoors since it will create pockets of moist air in the environment for mold to thrive.

Mold Problems in House

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Cutting Mold From Hard Foods

Generally, its OK to just cut the mold off hard foods and keep on eating. The bacteria finds it tricky to get much of a foothold in solid, dense foods. Youre relatively safe to salvage the following:

  • Firm fruits and veggies.Apples, peppers, and carrots should be A-OK.
  • Hard cheeses. Your Parmesan and Gorgonzola are safe!
  • Salami and dry-cured hams. Yes, that includes steamed hams, Principal Skinner.

Pro tip: Make sure you dont drag the knife through the fuzzy bits.

Mold Allergy And Sickness

Can drinking mold make you sick? Yes, drinking mold can make you sick but not the kind of sick that will make you rush to the emergency room. After you realize that you drank a moldy beverage, most likely, you will feel your stomach churn, and you feel like throwing up.

This is an intuitive reaction to your mind rejecting the thought of drinking something that you believe can kill you or cause you severe harm. In reality, you wont die from taking a bite from moldy bread or taking a few sips from a moldy tumbler or moldy beverage.

In some cases, you get symptoms from mold allergy because you brought the moldy food or beverage near your nose and you inhaled some spores. This can cause you to experience allergic reactions such as:

  • Itchy or red eyes
  • Runny nose
  • Congestion

If you are asthmatic, exposure to mold can trigger an attack. You can also expect to have some difficulty breathing after bring the food or beverage near your nose to eat or drink.

Some molds are toxic and can have severe side effects when inhaled. Inhalation can be more severe than ingestion in some cases.

Common black mold is sometimes called toxic mold but there are several kinds and not all are toxic.

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Could Your Depression Anxiety Brain Fog And Insomnia Be Due To Mold Toxicity

Toxic mold based illness is a very prevalent and under diagnosed condition that can manifest in many different ways, including with symptoms that are exclusively psychiatric, such as depression, anxiety, attentional problems, brain fog and insomnia. Vulnerability to mold toxicity is only present in 25% of the population, who in most cases, have a genetic predisposition which inhibits their clearance of biotoxins. A family can all be living in the same house with mold growth, but only one family member will become ill. This is because that person is the only one with the genetic vulnerability.

Mold growth is initiated through water damage. Due to common building practices of using Drywall or Sheetrock, which was not a construction material used in the past, more people are now being exposed to toxic mold, as Drywall is a great medium for mold growth. In addition, the current practice of making homes more energy efficient, means that there is less ventilation with outside air, and toxic mold gasses can be trapped inside, potentiating their effect.

Mold toxins can accumulate in the body, continuing to wreak havoc long after exposure ceases and require an extended course of treatment. But for everyone, the first and most crucial step in treatment, is to identify where the mold is located and to get away from it.

Some of the common symptoms of toxic mold and CIRS are:

1. Fatigue

36. Metallic Taste

37. Tremors

How To Treat Mold Toxicity In The Body

? Mold Can Make You Sick, ¿how?

Is mold toxicity reversible? Yes, but to recover from mold illness, you need to support your bodys natural detoxification and drainage systems. Its also beneficial to support your immune system, thyroid gland, mitochondria, and oxygen status.

Here are some top strategies to help with your mold cleanse.

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Is Mold Making Me Sick

The unexpected bout of summer illness may actually be the cause of mold that is making you sick within your home. Although mold is a naturally-occurring fungal growth, it can be the result of tiny, microscopic mold spores in the air that can enter into the human body and trigger illnesses and health effects. When it comes to mold, there are really no safe species of this fungus to breathe in to the body, since they will all trigger responses internally that can progress symptoms sometimes aggressively.

The symptoms that one may experience from indoor exposure to mold and mold spores can vary from person to person, based on the conditions in the environment and the severity of the mold growth. According to Geisingers health and wellness article, they state that mold exposure can exacerbate symptoms such as headache, sore throat, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, and fatigue. In addition, those individuals who suffer from asthma may undergo an asthma attack with exposure to this fungus in the environment.

What Are The Symptoms Of Mold Sickness

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:

  • Wheezing/shortness of breath
  • Long standing or frequent sinusitis

And, serious pain and neurological symptoms, such as:

  • Headaches and migraines
  • Muscle cramping, aches and pains
  • Persistent nerve pain
  • Fatigue and weakness
  • Poor memory, brain fog, difficulty with focus

In some cases, the spores from mold take root and grow in specific parts of the body, such as the lungs and sinuses. This can cause serious respiratory illnesses and infections.

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What Can Mold In Walls Do To Your Health

We believe in the free flow of information Inhaling mould fragments or spores can inflame the airways, causing nasal congestion, wheezing, chest tightness, coughing and throat irritation. Prolonged exposure to high levels of indoor dampness can reduce lung function and cause chronic health problems such as asthma.

Can Drinking Mold Make You Sick

HOTEL MOTEL MOLD CAN MAKE YOU SICK

Mold is a fungus that grows in damp and humid places. It grows in natural environments such as paper, fabric, wood, stone, and others. So it is a surprise to see it in the rubber rings of our tumblers and the bottoms of our water bottles.

Mold can grow there because we do not clean these out properly. Lets not mention how difficult it is to clean a narrow tumbler or a small-mouthed water bottle, the bottoms of these are often hard to reach as well.

You need a small, specialized bottle brush with a functional end to get down there and get rid of the residue. Sealer rings on tumbler lids are just as tiresome to clean.

They are easy to take off but mold sometimes degrades the rubber, decreasing its sealing ability. If you clean it hard enough, you also add to the degradation, making the seal not functional anymore.

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How Do Molds Get In The Indoor Environment And How Do They Grow

Mold is found both indoors and outdoors. Mold can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents, and heating and air conditioning systems. Mold in the air outside can also attach itself to clothing, shoes, and pets can and be carried indoors. When mold spores drop on places where there is excessive moisture, such as where leakage may have occurred in roofs, pipes, walls, plant pots, or where there has been flooding, they will grow. Many building materials provide suitable nutrients that encourage mold to grow. Wet cellulose materials, including paper and paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood, and wood products, are particularly conducive for the growth of some molds. Other materials such as dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation materials, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery, commonly support mold growth.

Mold Is Making Me Sick

Yes ! the high levels of pollution in the environment will affect your body and many patients do not know that their bodies and immune systems are being affected. Some people may have a higher risk of developing symptoms than others. Risk groups include people with: Asthma, seasonal allergies, such as high fever, mold allergies, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and show more severe symptoms than others but in both cases your immune system is fighting against a strange substance that cannot solve alone and will create symptoms in your body asking for help. some of the symptoms are:

  • Nasal congestion
  • Immunological reactions

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