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.
How Do You Know If Mold Is Making You Sick
Are you sick and suspect it might be from mold?
Determining whether exposure to mold is making you sick isnt always easy.
Each persons body is affected by mold toxicity in different ways. Some experience constant migraines and headaches, shortness of breath, brain fog, fatigue or even depression.
Since symptoms differ from person to person, they may not be quickly associated with mold exposure. Many people suffering from mold illness struggle to get a proper diagnosis and investigation.
Its common to think my house is clean it cant be mold! However, mold comes in many forms. In this article, well share what toxic mold is, the signs and symptoms, and how it can be treated.
Runny Nose And Postnasal Drip
Your bodys overproduction of mucus can reveal itself not only through a persistent cough but also through your bodys attempts to dispose of it. The body continually produces mucus, a viscous fluid that serves to lubricate as well as clean. Its the second of these two functions that is pertinent to the allergic response. Mucus captures foreign invaders, like viruses and bacteria, and flushes them out, often harmlessly and unnoticeably. But when the body produces more mucus in the respiratory system than it can quietly dispose of, you notice the output in the form of a runny nose or postnasal drip. Whether excess mucus drains through the nostrils or down the throat, the discomfort it creates can indicate that the body is responding to the presence of mold.
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How Do Doctors Diagnose Mold Allergy
To diagnose an allergy to mold or fungi, your doctor will take a complete medical history and do a physical exam. If they think you have a mold allergy, the doctor often will do allergy skin tests or a blood test. The doctor uses your medical history, the allergy test results, and a physical exam to diagnose a mold allergy.
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.
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Mold Reactions: Who’s At Risk
For people sensitive to mold, inhaling or touching mold spores can cause allergic reactions, including sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash. People with serious mold allergies may have more severe reactions, including shortness of breath. In people with asthma who are allergic to mold, breathing in spores can also cause asthma attacks.
In addition to people with allergies and asthma, others who may be more sensitive to the effects of mold include:
- Infants and children
- People with chronic lung disease
Mold Loves Damp Areas And Humidity
According to the American Lung Association, keeping a humidity level below 50 percent in your home will prevent mold growth. If you have humidifiers, leaky faucets, overflowing drip pans, or no exhaust fans, you are more prone to have mold growth in your home due to the amount of excessive moisture. Thoroughly cleaning common areas of the house, like the bathroom and kitchen, will prevent mold growth. Heating and cooling systems should also be periodically examined to ensure that they are properly functioning this will keep humidity and dampness from accumulating in your home.
Do you have proper ventilation when you are cooking? What about when you are showering? Heat-prone rooms like the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry areas, are ideal for mold growth. Heat and water create a humid, damp, and moist environment fostering mold growth. Ensure each site is adequately ventilated and cleaned regularly to keep your home safe and free of mold.
This article only covers a small portion of where to find mold damage and how to prevent it. To find out more information, take a look at our Complete Guide to All You Need to Know About Mold and see how you can further protect yourself from mold exposure.
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Illnesses Caused By Mold
There link between health issues and mold exposure has increased over the years, with a list of illnesses cause by mold presence in your home lengthy with the most common of these illnesses being asthma and allergies, infections, and mold illness or toxic mold syndrome. Mold fungi can easily grow in your indoor environments and produce mild health symptoms like headaches, cough, throat issues, and other respiratory issues, along with other more significant health problems that can develop over-time as exposure progresses.
Below we are going to discuss the most commonly experienced illnesses caused by mold in your home.
How Do You Know If Your House Is Making You Sick
Is Your House Making You Sick?
- Respiratory Symptoms congestion, aggravated asthma or allergies, sinus infections.
- Cognitive Issues foggy thinking, sleep disturbance, frequent headaches.
- Emotional Changes feeling agitated or depressed.
- Physical Symptoms stomach discomfort, muscle aches, fatigue, rashes, sore throat.
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How Do Molds Affect People
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. Some people, such as those with allergies to molds or with asthma, may have more intense reactions. Severe reactions may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as farmers working around moldy hay. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath.
In 2004 the Institute of Medicine found there was sufficient evidence to link indoor exposure to mold with upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, and wheeze in otherwise healthy people with asthma symptoms in people with asthma and with hypersensitivity pneumonitis in individuals susceptible to that immune-mediated condition.
In 2009, the World Health Organization issued additional guidance, the WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality: Dampness and Mould pdf iconexternal icon pdf icon. Other recent studies have suggested a potential link of early mold exposure to development of asthma in some children, particularly among children who may be genetically susceptible to asthma development, and that selected interventions that improve housing conditions can reduce morbidity from asthma and respiratory allergies.
What To Do If Your House Has Flooded
If your home has flooded, you need to act quickly to prevent mold. This could include anything from a busted pipe to a natural disaster. To prevent mold, your home needs to be completely dried out within 24 to 48 hours. This includes carpet, furniture, books, and walls. If these items are not completely dry, mold can hide.
If you are not able to dry your home out right way, you should assume you have mold. The presence of mold can affect your health. Protect yourself well before attempting to clean up mold. If possible, use a professional mold remediation company. They can clean up the mold while preventing the mold spores from spreading.
Using CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly® products in your home can help you have a healthier indoor environment, as well as reduce allergens. Learn more about the asthma & allergy friendly® Certification Program by visiting aafa.org/certified.
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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.
What Causes Mould To Grow Indoors
Mould only grows when there is sufficient moisture on a surface or humidity in the air. Common causes include:
- leaky roofs and walls including and blocked gutters and downpipes
- condensation from cooking, showering, clothes drying and from breathing in areas with poor air circulation eg cupboards and corners and furniture against uninsulated outside walls. Avoid conditions encouraging mould growth, by using heat, insulation and ventilation. The cheapest and easiest way of reducing moisture and humidity levels is by ventilating a room by opening a door or window. Use exhaust fans where available.
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How Can You Realize That Mold Is Making You Sick
Some of the signs that can make you aware of mold sickness are as follows:
If you cant hold back sneezing or itching whenever youre home, you probably are affected by these molds. This is a tell-tale sign to look for mold in your home. Carefully, inspect every damp place or spot such as bathrooms, kitchens, basements, water leaks, etc. for the presence of molds.
Also, if you can see water stains and discoloration on walls, this is indicative of mold in and behind the walls. Peeling off the wallpaper and cracks in the walls and ceilings are also suggestive of mold attacks. These hidden molds remain obscure for longer periods. This is very alarming as their abundance puts you and your family members on the line.
Additionally, if you get frequent nosebleeds, skin rashes, watery and itchy eyes, sore throat, chest stiffness, you need to immediately consult a doctor as all these symptoms mirror those of mold allergies. These allergic reactions make you pretty sure that you are not at all the owner of your house. Mold holds more than half of your shares. They have been accompanying you for quite a long time.
If you notice all these things, you can realize that you have mold in your home that are making you sick. Mold poisoning and mold allergies-both are caused by excessive inhalation of mycotoxins and mold spores respectively.
How Do You Know If You Have Mold Poisoning
Mold not only looks bad but can also be harmful to your health when you are exposed to its spores. It can appear in many forms and grows in areas that experience constant moisture and high levels of humidity. For instance, you may notice some white patches on your floor, slimy black spots on your shower curtain or a slick orange film on your kitchen drain. Regardless of the appearance, mold can make you sick especially if you have a low immune system or suffering from asthma and allergies. People who are very sensitive to mold can experience allergic reactions when they accidentally inhale the spores or when it encounters their skin. This article looks at how to know if you have mold poisoning.
- Allergic Reactions to Mold
The longer you are exposed to mold, the more your body will be sensitive to it causing severe allergic reactions. When you inhale or ingest mold spores, your immune system defense will react against the foreign particles through sneezing, wheezing, or coughing. The more you are exposed, you tend to develop other symptoms such as shortness of breath, itchy skin, watery eyes, and persistent irritation along your respiratory tract.
- Physical Examination
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Summary Of Health Problems
Many types of indoor mold, not just black mold, may cause health problems in some individuals.
Long-term exposure to high levels of mold in the home, however,
People who are most at risk of the symptoms of mold exposure are:
- infants and children
- people with allergies or asthma
- people with weakened immune systems
The main health risks related to mold exposure are allergies and irritation, which typically cause respiratory symptoms.
People with weakened immune systems may also have a risk of fungal infection.
Ways To Keep Your Food Safe & Mold
Making all these changes at once can be overwhelming. But it will be worth your time, and you can do them one by one. Pick your battles. Ask yourself which of these foods you consume the most of?
When I first started to look into mold, I discovered that mold always grows on foods. From the field, transportation, processing, storage, and leftovers, its unavoidable. I began making small but significant changes. I tossed my supermarket coffee and started using an alternative certified brand free of mycotoxins. I stopped buying nuts, seeds, and butter made from these. And while cooking, I made sure I didnt sprinkle herbs and spices straight from the jar.
It turns out, Chemex and V60 or even batch drip coffee can be almost as delicious and enjoyable! The only danger is that you can turn into a huge coffee snob.
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What Medical Tests Are Available To Determine If I Am Allergic Tomold
There are medical tests to determine if you are allergic to a particularsubstance, such as mold. These can be performed on skin or blood. Skin testsare considered more reliable than blood tests to determine allergic reaction toa substance. Skin tests yield results more quickly, are less expensive thanblood tests and are generally considered more sensitive. If an individual hassymptoms year-round, which may indicate an indoor allergy, skin testing may berecommended.
Blood testing called the RAST test can be done to showif you are allergic to a substance. The RAST test detects levels of antibodiesto particular allergens. The test is expensive to perform and results areusually not available for about two weeks.
Who Gets Aspergillosis
Exposure to Aspergillus is not likely to cause problems in the majority of people whose immune systems are healthy. However, people with chronic lung problems or people with weak immune systems may be at greater risk for developing the infection. People with weakened immune systems include those people taking chemotherapy or those who have had organ transplants.
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Cleaning Up Black Mold
The processof cleaning up black mold is much more complex than most people think. If youtry to clean it up yourself, your symptoms of black mold exposure may worsen. Additionally, if you are not careful thecleanup process may cause black mold spores to become airborne and crosscontaminate other parts of your home.
Instead ofputting your health at risk, we recommend that you meet with a mold removalspecialist. Most mold removal specialists will give a free home inspection andevaluation, so even if you are thinking of doing the cleanup yourself you canstill get some free advice. They will inspect your home, help you find hiddenmold, discuss the best techniques for removing the mold in your particularcase, recommend prevention strategies to make sure the mold does not return,and give you a price quote. For a list of mold removal specialists offeringfree home inspections in your area, just follow the link
How Is Aspergillosis Diagnosed
Your doctor will probably ask you about your medical history, including the type and duration of your symptoms and whether you have a cough or a fever. It may be difficult to diagnose the condition, because symptoms may resemble those of other diseases.
Some of the diagnostic tests that may be required include:
- Skin and blood tests: These tests are useful to diagnose ABPA, especially in cases where the patient has asthma, bronchiectasis or cystic fibrosis. The doctor or technician injects a small quantity of aspergillus antigen into the skin, usually the lower arm. A small red bump at or near the site will show that you have an allergic reaction. In addition, a sample of your blood might be analyzed to see if certain antibodies are present that indicate an allergic reaction.
- Imaging tests: A chest X-ray or computerized tomography scan may be performed to examine the lungs.
- Sputum culture: A sample of sputum might be stained and tested to see if aspergillus fungus is present.
- Biopsy: A small sample of tissue is removed from the lungs or sinuses to diagnose invasive aspergillosis.
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