Air Oasis Air Sanitizers
Air Oasis air sanitizers work differently than HEPA filters. They use a technology developed by NASA called advanced hydration photocatalytic oxidation to destroy mold, bacteria, and other microorganisms with ultraviolet light and a catalyst. We have a few of the Air Angel units in smaller rooms, as well as an AO3000 in the main living area. Important note: I currently recommend running the AO units only when you are not in the rooms, and turning them off when you enter. This is due to the small amounts of ozone that they release. Though these levels are well below the recommended limit according to AOs website, I prefer to be cautious. I also recommend using a HEPA/charcoal filter along with the AO devices, rather than using them on their own.
How Can I Check For Mold
Its best to hire a professional to help you identify and remove mold, especially if youre allergic or vulnerable to it.
You should also consider hiring help if the mold covers more than 10 square feet, or if its hidden behind wallpaper, ceiling tiles, or other areas.
Here are some steps for identifying and removing mold.
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.
Questions? Comments? Responses to this article or suggestions for future topics? Write to us below or email us at .
Don’t Miss: How To Check For Mold In The Air
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:
Who Can Test Me For Mold Illness
You may wonder how to get these tests done, and in this age of insurance-based medicine it can be a challenge. Apart from the nasal swab, the bloodwork may be handled by a cooperative primary care physician, or by going to a facility such as Any Lab Test, which will run them for you. The best route is to seek care from a knowledgeable ENT specialist, such as Dr. Dennis, or from a physician trained in Environmental Medicine. Go to American Academy of Environmental Medicine for a list of practitioners by state.
Also Check: Does Black Mold Cause Seizures
Mold Toxicity Symptoms To Watch Forand How To Heal If Exposed
If hearing the words mold toxicity immediately sends shivers down your spine, youre not alone. Getting sick from mold exposure is something we might find interesting on our favorite medical showbut its not something any of us want to experience firsthand. The good news? Symptoms of mold and toxic mold exposure can be combated if you know what to look for.
Mold-related health problems are very real and affect many people every single year. To make matters more complicated, mold issues are often misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or left untreated in conventional medicine. So, lets break down mold toxicity, what that really means, and how Parsley Health takes a holistic and science-based approach to treating mold toxicity symptoms.
Notes From The Field: Use Of Unvalidated Urine Mycotoxin Tests For The Clinical Diagnosis Of Illness United States 2014
Melody Kawamoto, MD1, Elena Page, MD1
In February 2014, CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health received a request for a health hazard evaluation from a union representative in an office building. A female employee reported the onset of symptoms involving multiple organ systems upon returning to work after a prolonged absence. The employee searched the Internet for descriptions of symptoms matching hers, found a laboratory offering “toxic mold testing” direct to consumers, and submitted a urine sample, despite the absence of musty odors and signs of fungal growth in her office. The laboratory reported “positive” concentrations of two mycotoxins: ochratoxin at 2.8 parts per billion and tricothecenes at 0.4 ppb. The laboratory cutoff for “positive” was 2.0 ppb for ochratoxin and 0.2 ppb for tricothecenes. The interpretation accompanying the laboratory report said the results “revealed that you have an unusual level of that mycotoxin present in your body.”
The laboratory referred the employee to a clinic specializing in “medical treatment for mold exposure and mold illness,” where she was examined, diagnosed with mold toxicity, and prescribed an antifungal medication. Antifungal medications are used to treat fungal infections, not illnesses caused by toxins produced by fungi. Also prescribed were dietary modification and several nonstandard medical treatments .
Don’t Miss: How Do You Check For Mold In Your Body
How Do These Chemicals Harm My Health
Entering the Body
The harm begins when a person is exposed to an environment that contains a large amount of mold. During this time, damaging enzymes in the mold may enter a persons lungs. After going into the lungs, the enzymes may bypass the persons gut barrier and go into their bloodstream.
Harming the Neurons
Once they are in the bloodstream, these harmful mold antigens may change the persons blood-brain barrier function. This alteration allows the antigens to go into the nervous system. From there, the antigens may harm the persons neurons and interrupt their production of needed antibodies.
The Negative Effects
The disruption of the persons immune system can cause a variety of negative health issues. People may suffer from immune suppression, eczema, allergies, and sinusitis. They may also experience headaches, hyperthyroidism, vomiting, and other negative effects. Mold exposure can also cause people to suffer from myalgic encephalitis, rheumatic disorders, and painful lymph nodes.
Symptoms Of Mold Illness
- Memory problems, brain fog, trouble with focus and executive function
- Fatigue, weakness, post-exercise malaise and fatigue
- Muscle cramping, aches and pains, joint pain without inflammatory arthritis, persistent nerve pain, ice pick pain
- Numbness and tingling
- Light sensitivity, red eyes, and/or blurred vision
- Sinus problems, cough, shortness of breath, air hunger, asthma-like symptoms
- Tremors
- Abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, appetite changes
- Metallic taste
- Weight gain despite sufficient effort
- Night sweats or other problems with temperature regulation
- Excessive thirst
- Increased urination
- Static shocks
See how easily mold poisoning could go unnoticed, or mistaken for other conditions? Yet 30 years of good scientific evidence points to the serious health problem that mold can cause.
You May Like: How Do You Treat Black Mold Exposure
Pets And Mold How To Reduce The Risk Of Cross Contamination
If you have a cat or cats, keep them indoors. This eliminates them attracting mold spores from the world outdoors. I know some people just dont believe in confining a cat to the indoors however, this is the best way to prevent mold spores in cat fur. You can also spray their fur once or twice daily with CitriSafe Pet Solution to help capture any mold spores that they picked up around the house.
If you prefer to allow your cat outdoors, consider making them an outdoor cat with privileges to one indoor space like a garage or mudroom. This reduces the possibility of your cat dropping mold spores throughout your home. .
If you decide that an indoor/outdoor cat is the only way to go, you will at the very least brush your cats fur before allowing it inside. Ideally you will spray it with CitriSafe Pet Solution before it comes inside.
If you have a dog, it is more difficult to avoid mold transfer from fur to house. My best advice is to wipe your dogs paws before they come inside and brush them quickly before they enter the house. In addition, spray your dog with CitriSafe Pet Solution before it comes back inside.
Spray your pets bedding and resting areas with the CitriSafe Pet Solution once daily.
Thats all Ive got! I hope you find this post helpful in your quest to remove mold spores from animal fur. If you have any questions, give me a shout!
Healthy Home Myths Debunked
Common areas to test for black mold are basements, crawlspaces, bathrooms and kitchens where moisture and condensation may gather regularly. A water source is the first requirement for mold growth, so any damp, humid areas of the home are often susceptible.
Sight and smell may give you a good indication of whether or not you have a black mold problem black mold tends to have a strong, musty smell, and of course it displays a trademark black color. If you believe you have black mold growth in an area of your home after these initial inspections, you have two options: professional mold testing or do-it-yourself testing.
Professional mold testing companies will take samples of the air and any areas of mold growth, identify precisely what type of mold is present, and recommend next steps for remediation.
If you go the DIY route while testing for black mold, you will need to purchase a mold testing kit from a hardware or home repair store, take samples of the air and affected areas yourself, and then send these in to a testing facility, which will report back as to which type of mold is present.
Black mold can be an expensive and potentially unhealthy problem for homeowners, but by testing for black mold, you can know for sure if you’ll need to take steps to eradicate black mold from your home.
Don’t Miss: How To Eliminate Mold Smell
When To Go To The Emergency Room
Symptoms of mold exposure are not usually an emergency, but in some instances, you should seek immediate medical treatment. Go directly to the nearest emergency room or call 911 if you:
- Have significant trouble breathing
- Have an asthma attack that doesnt respond to your usual medication or seems worse than usual
- Have a very high fever
- Cough up blood or experience a bloody, frothy discharge from the nose or mouth
- Are confused or disoriented
Let the emergency room staff know if you think your symptoms might be related to mold exposure.
Keep in mind the fact that most doctors have an answering service and a health care professional is on call 24 hours a day, so if youre not sure if you need immediate care or can wait to make an appointment at your doctors office, call the office any time, day or night, for advice.
Symptoms Of Prolonged Mold Exposure
Some people are more sensitive to mold as mentioned before. Additionally, prolonged mold exposure can make you sick. These are the symptoms of prolonged mold exposure or mold allergy.
- Sneezing.
- Itchy eyes, nose, and throat.
- Watery eyes.
- Dry, scaly skin.
If you believe you have exposed to mold, read more about how to test for mold and what to do about it.
Recommended Reading: How Do You Get Rid Of Mold In Your Body
Are Home Mold Test Kits Accurate
Home mold tests are neither as accurate or precise as professional testing, laboratory analysis and expert interpretation of results. A DIY test cannot definitively identify any type of mold or determine its toxicity level. Indoor environmental hygienists take and submit samples and make recommendations for mold remediation based on results.
Eating Or Drinking Mold Is The Main Cause Of Illness
Have you ever taken a big bite of bread only to look down and see a little green spot of mold staring back at you? It will turn almost anyones stomach. And the impending thought of food poisoning can cause serious anxiety.
The truth isif youve accidentally ingested some mold, youll probably be just fine. If you have a mold allergy, you might experience the symptoms discussed above, but any nausea or vomiting will likely be a result of the fact that youre totally grossed out by what youve eaten.
So, how does mold most often make its way into the body and cause illness? While ingestion and skin contact are possible routes, the potential for serious health problems is caused by inhalation of airborne mold spores. When spores are inhaled through the nose or mouth and enter the sinuses, lungs, brain, and bloodstream, theyre quite difficult for the body to eliminate. The spores attach themselves to mucous and begin to colonize. Many people are initially unaware that theyve been exposed to mold and its subsequent inflammagens but begin to see a decline in their health over time.
Don’t Miss: How To Make My Own Molds
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.
Cirs Is Frequently Missed Or Misdiagnosed
As I mentioned in misconception #2, up to 25 percent of the population is susceptible to CIRS, and perhaps a majority of buildings are either water-damaged or have conditions that make mold growth possible. Combine these factors with the increase in inflammatory diseases that has occurred over the past few decades and you have an environment that is ripe for CIRS.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of patients with this condition have not been properly diagnosed or treated because conventional doctorsand even many Functional and integrative medicine specialistssimply arent looking for it. The fact that patients with CIRS also typically meet the criteria for other syndromes and diseases like fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, post-treatment Lyme syndrome, and multiple sclerosis compounds the problem. The symptoms of CIRS are non-specific, which means that they dont conclusively identify CIRS by their mere presence.
Read Also: Can Black Mold Cause Asthma
Do I Have Toxic Mold Poisoning
Last Updated on by Matt Pratt-Hyatt PhD
Home»Blog»Do I have Toxic Mold Poisoning?
Today Im going to deal with a common question, Do I have toxic mold poisoning? Another common question that is similar is Is mold really that serious, isnt mold everywhere? I will try and answer both of these questions. Most people are aware of mold because we see it every day.
There are literally thousands of species of mold, however, not every species produces toxic compounds. However, water damage is becoming more and more common, which is leading to more mold and mycotoxin production in homes, offices, and schools. However, even if the mold isnt producing toxins you might be reacting to the spores themselves.
Lets briefly talk about the two items you might be reacting to, what symptoms you might expect, and how to test to see if this is what is causing your problems.
The most serious problems caused by mold are caused by small molecules call mycotoxins, which are produced by mold when they feel threatened. Think of this like the ink an octopus produces or when a skunk sprays someone. For some mycotoxins, low levels are not problematic for most individuals.
These mycotoxins are found in low amounts in food. However, other mycotoxins such as the Trichothecenes are toxic in much smaller quantities, but only in water-damaged buildings, and they are much more toxic. Trichothecenes are produced by Stachybotrys, otherwise known as black mold.
