Can A Doctor Actually Tell If Mold Is Making Me Sick
Mold exposure and poisoning can be difficult and tricky to diagnose.
However, doctors regularly test and confirm mold poisoning and exposure through a series of trusted tests, as mentioned above.
If you suspect your symptoms are due to mold exposure, schedule an appointment with your doctor, right away.
Other Diagnoses That Influence Labs & Symptoms
In conclusion, mold illness can be frustratingly difficult to diagnose, but is refreshingly responsive to treatment, especially when a patient is willing to do what it takes to remove themselves from the exposure. Unfortunately, finding a doctor or medical practitioner who knows about mold and who will look to a patients environment for the cause of their symptoms is still the exception, rather than the rule. Wanting to help you close that gap is the main impetus for me writing this article today. If nothing else, you can print out this list of tests and take it to your primary care physician and ask that they run the labs necessary to begin compiling information from which to make a diagnosis. The abovementioned labs and proper testing of your environment can lead you to some pretty conclusive evidence that mold is or is not the cause of your symptoms. Should you wish to work with me directly, I currently offer phone consults. You can contact me through my site www.thebodynexus.com and by going to the Medical Consults section on the Services page.
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Mold Illness Symptoms Are Basically Many And Diverse So There Is Not Just One Sickness Or Specific Symptom To Pinpoint
In this case, you may have chronic fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, hormonal and adrenal abnormalities, digestive issues, and severe sinus symptoms. The main issue is that the symptoms of mold illness mimic symptoms of several diseases of the immune system.
Examples are, metabolism, hormone, even cancer. Furthermore, the current medical model in many countries teaches that, for each symptom, there should be a specific doctor to go to. When the symptoms are so many, and you go to a primary care doctor, you are then referred to a specialist.
The circle continues as they keep referring you to another specialist and so on. The list becomes more and more and the bills keep adding up. Instead of continuing on this path of constant doctors visits and medical expenses, many people give up. Even without ever finding out the source or cause of their health issues.
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How To Find A Doctor Who Specializes In Mold Illness
Helping as many sufferers of mold exposure as possible has become a burden due to the need for proper cure. However, a list of medical professionals who specialize in mold illness and offer treatment options have been compiled below.
The mold doctors that are listed here use a wide array of treatment modalities and some of them may not be best for all cases.
The information contained here is provided only to provide you with a starting point. This is with regard to doing your own due diligence in terms of knowing about and interviewing practitioners that might be appropriate for your situation. Kindly note that the listing of medical practitioners on this page does not suggest an endorsement or recommendation.
Mold doctors with an asterisk next to their name are known to adhere to the Shoemaker protocol. Mold doctors whose names are in bold are trusted and recommended by the late Dr. Thrasher. He was the most knowledgeable and trusted toxicologist that ever lived.
Michael Gray
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Common Signs Of Toxic Mold Poisoning
Symptoms and signs of mycotoxins poisoning are very different depending on many factors. How this poisoning presents itself depends on:
- Type of mycotoxin
- Genetic structure
This means there can be a major difference in symptoms between individuals in the population exposed to it. To some extent it is clear that mycotoxicosis can increase susceptibility to infections, worsen the effect of other toxins present and advance other health conditions.
Although acute poisoning is more obvious and sometimes has grave effects, chronic exposure is much more present in the population in general. Finally, mycotoxin exposure can cause changes in immune, nervous system, behavior, mood and even development problems like stunting.
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How To Prevent Exposure To Toxic Mold
Here are steps that you can take to minimize biotoxins in your home and improve indoor air quality:
- Fix plumbing leaks and other water problems as soon as possible. Dry all items completely.
- Scrub mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely.
- Discard absorbent or porous materials, such as ceiling tiles and carpet, if they become moldy. Dont paint or caulk moldy surfaces.
- Clean and repair roof gutters regularly.
- Keep air conditioning drip pans clean and the drain lines unobstructed and flowing properly.
- Make sure the ground slopes away from the building foundation so that water does not enter or collect around the foundation.
- Keep indoor humidity between 30 and 50 percent. Relative humidity can be measured with a moisture or humidity meter, a small, inexpensive instrument available at many hardware stores. Venting bathrooms, dryers, and other moisture-generating sources to the outside using air conditioners and dehumidifiers increasing ventilation and using exhaust fans when cooking, dishwashing, and cleaning can all help to reduce indoor humidity.
- Do not install carpeting in areas where perpetual moisture problems may develop .
Another helpful intervention is to use air filters and purifiers/sanitizers. Heres what I use and recommend to my patients:
How To Remove Mold On Your Own
All you need to remove mold:
- A commercial mold removal product
- Undiluted white vinegar
- A mixture of 1 cup of bleach per gallon of water
- Use an even mix of clear ammonia and water to remove mold spores spay a moldy area with this mix, wait a few hours and then rinse and dry
- Make sure to get rid of porous materials with mold such as carpets
Note: When cleaning the mold on your own, its important to use mask, gloves, and goggles for your safety.
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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 moldStachybotrys, along with some other types of mold, produces toxins known as mycotoxins that can cause irritation of the skin and airways in susceptible individuals.
How Long Do Mold Exposure Symptoms Last
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is not straightforward, as it is highly dependent on several factors.
If you experienced only a mild mold exposure, your symptoms could last anywhere from one day to a week.
On the other hand, mold exposure symptoms will last much longer in individuals who experienced significant levels of exposure.
Some individuals reported feeling better just weeks after treatment began. Conversely, other people can experience symptoms for up to a year after treatment.
The best way to gauge how long your symptoms will last is to consider four things: how much mold you were exposed to, whether you have underlying health concerns or mold sensitivities, the type of mold you were exposed to, and how long you were exposed to the mold.
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Why Are Mold Issues Difficult To Diagnose
Conventional medicine recognizes that mold can cause allergies but does not recognize that mycotoxins emitted by some species of indoor mold can cause a problem, says McElroy. This means that doctors unfamiliar with mold and mold treatment may miss one of the main types of mold reactionsthe chemical and inflammatory reaction. This is for a few reasons:
- There is no gold standard in testing for mold
- There is no standardized treatment protocol or drug for mold toxicity
- There are very limited human-based studies looking at the connection between mycotoxins and human health
- The presentation of mold issues is very different among patients
- Not everyone exposed to mold mycotoxins will have a reaction to them
Its no wonder mold illness can be hard to diagnose. Fortunately, holistic medicine providers consider environmental factors that affect health when evaluating patients and may have additional advanced training in treating mold toxicity.
According to McElroy, one of the biggest challenges with mold is that mycotoxins can cause only some people to launch an inflammatory response. This unpredictable response can go on for years after a long-term exposure in a susceptible individual, she explains.
The Different Black Mold Tests
The first thing to do is verify that you have black mold. Symptoms of mold exposure are almost identical to other fatigue issues, like Lyme disease and chronic fatigue syndrome. And because mold can grow behind walls as a result of burst pipes or water damage, its often hard to pinpoint where mold is in your home.
If you can see black mold in the caulking around your bathtub or below your kitchen sink, for example and you have no reason to suspect its elsewhere in your house, you may be okay skipping a formal test. Otherwise, you have a few different options when it comes to testing for mold in your home:
- Mold culture test. This test includes a petri dish with a swab. You expose the petri dish to either the air or, through the swab, a specific area in your home, and then you cover it and let it sit for 48 hours. If you get lots of growth in the petri dish , you have a mold problem. If you get little to no growth, youre okay. Mold culture tests are fast and cheap . A mold culture test is a good option if you suspect mold in your workplace or school. The downside is that the test wont tell you where mold is only if mold is present. Heres a good mold culture test.
- ERMI test. Environmental relative moldiness index testing will tell you with much more specificity what mold is in your home and how big of a problem it is. ERMI tests will run you $200-$300.
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Is Mycotoxin Testing Worth It
Mycotoxin testing can be helpful in some cases, but there are a number of points to consider before jumping in.
- Mycotoxicity is not well defined. Research on mycotoxin testing is still in its infancy. This means that even those who study mycotoxins or mold for a living dont know exactly how to interpret mycotoxin test results. This doesnt necessarily mean that test results cant be useful they should always be taken with a grain of salt.
- Choosing the best test is challenging. There are many different kinds of mycotoxin and mold tests available, using not only different methods but different reference ranges, and even looking at different kinds of mold species and mycotoxins. This makes an area that is already lacking in research even more confusing.
- Mold can be a red herring. Mold or mycotoxins may show up in small quantities on tests, even if the levels are likely not problematic. This can be a distraction from true underlying health issues that need to be addressed.
- Mold-related illnesses are complex. Even as we begin to untangle the nuances in testing, there is a lack of consensus when it comes to the treatment of mold-related illnesses and mycotoxicity. In other words, mycotoxin testing might provide clues to treatments, but it does not provide a road map.
Mold In The Human Body
Nearly everyone becomes ill when exposed to sufficient levels of biotoxins, but most people recover once they are removed from exposure. Their detoxification system is able to recognize the biotoxins in their bodies as toxins and eliminate them via the normal mechanisms.
However, a minority of people have human leukocyte antigen genes that prevent their bodies from being able to recognize and thus eliminate biotoxins. The biotoxins remain in the body and trigger a chronic, systemic inflammatory response. These are the people who are at a higher risk of developing CIRS.
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How Can I Find Out If Mold Is Harming My Health
You dont have to sit back and accept the harmful effects of mold exposure. Getting a mycotoxin test may help you determine whether you have mold toxicity in your body. This is a great way to test whether the harmful antigens in the mold are negatively impacting your health. This test may help you decide how to treat your mold exposure and allergies.
Treating these conditions may improve your symptoms and allow you to regain your health. These treatments may also prevent you from developing more serious mold-related health conditions.
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
- 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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How Mold Testing Works
There are two different kinds of professional-grade tests that experts tend to utilize to look for mold infestations. Both of them involve taking a small sample of material, which is then analyzed in a lab for traces of mold spores or the presence of mycotoxins. Urine test kits, as their name implies, require a small volume of urine from a human . These kits are used to determine if a person has a mold infestation in their body.
Meanwhile, home test kits require a small amount of dust or detritus from a buildings air conditioning or heating unit filters. Its not uncommon for professional environmental inspectors or mold remediators to use both kits in tandem after experiencing water damage, as they provide differentbut equally crucialinformation.
There is a third type of mold testing kit on the market its the kind that folks frequently see in hardware and big-box stores. These kits are designed to detect mold spores in the air, and they usually consist of a petri dish filled with microbial growth medium. The dish is exposed to the air for a set period of time in order to collect samples, and then its sealed and allowed to incubate. The idea is that any mold spores captured by the dish will then grow, allowing them to be seen and studied.
Proper Testing For Mold Illness
Physicians that specialize in mold illness have narrowed in on tests that are most effective in determining if mold is an underlying cause of someones symptoms. Before considering laboratory tests, there is often a clinical suspicion someone may be suffering from symptoms of mold exposure.
When someone is experiencing any of the above symptoms and no other diagnosis has been made that explains these symptoms mold illness should be considered. There is also the circumstance when someone has another diagnosis such as Lyme disease, but treatments have not been effective in resolving symptoms.
There is no one perfect test to diagnose mold toxicity. I use the two testing methods below to determine if mold and mycotoxins are undermining someones health.
Urine Mycotoxin Test
A urine mycotoxin test indicates whether or not a person is excreting mycotoxins from mold exposure. However, our bodies should excrete mycotoxins after exposure to mold and this does not necessarily mean someone has mold illness. The degree of elevation of mycotoxins in the urine suggests the severity of mold toxicity.
Great Plains Laboratory and Real Time Laboratory are the labs most commonly used by physicians treating mold toxicity. The two labs use different testing methodologies and test for different mycotoxins, so it is hard to compare results between the labs.
Preparation for urine mycotoxin testing
Mycotoxin Antibody Test
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When To See Your Doctor
See your doctor if you experience any of the above symptoms, especially if these symptoms last for more than a few days and dont respond to typical over-the-counter treatments or home remedies. If you think you have a respiratory infection, like bronchitis or pneumonia, you need to see your doctor as soon as possible.
Let your doctor know if you think your symptoms might be a result of mold poisoning. It wont always affect treatment, but sometimes it may. If your doctor thinks mold is causing or contributing to your symptoms, he or she will probably recommend having the mold removed from the home as soon as possible. Treatment may be of limited effectiveness if you continue to be exposed to mold.
