The Impact Of Mold: 5 Steps To Regaining Health
The impact of mold on health is far reaching, and the occurrence of mold might be higher than you might think. Symptoms of mold exposure go beyond an allergic response and can include a vast range from achy joints to dysregulated hormones, cognitive issues or sapping fatigue.
To complicate matters, you could be exposed to it, and simply not know. Mold could be hidden behind walls or be disguised as a fine powder instead of the striking black spots you might expect.
Curious if mold is playing a role in your mysterious symptoms? Have a hunch you need to address it to achieve optimal wellness but overwhelmed with where to start? Here are 5 steps worth investigating if youre concerned about how a moldy environment might be affecting your health and wellbeing.
How Do You Get The Molds Out Of Buildings Including Homes Schools And Places Of Employment
Mold growing in homes and buildings indicates that there is a problem with water or moisture. This is the first problem to address.
Remove moldy items from living areas. Once mold starts to grow in carpet, insulation, ceiling tiles, drywall, or wallboard, the only way to deal with the problem is by removal and replacement.
It is important to properly clean and dry the area as you can still have an allergic reaction to parts of the dead mold and mold contamination may recur if there is still a source of moisture.
Remove or replace carpets and upholstery that have been soaked and cannot be dried promptly.
Clean up and dry out your home thoroughly and quickly after any flooding. Dig out mud and dirt . Use a wet vacuum to remove remaining dirt. Scrub cleanable surfaces with soapy water and a bristle brush. Thoroughly clean all hard surfaces with water and dish detergent. Dry surfaces quickly and thoroughly after cleaning. If you have a fan, air conditioner or dehumidifier that wasnt affected by flooding use it to help the surfaces dry after you finish cleaning
Mold growth can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water to kill mold on surfaces. Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners.
If you choose to use bleach to clean up mold:
The Most Common Symptoms Of Mold Exposure
The most common symptoms of mold exposure include a noticeable musty or musty-like odor, symptoms of respiratory irritation, headache, muscle or joint pain, upset stomach or other gastrointestinal problems, coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath, and skin irritation. Mold growth will typically start with a musty odor, which will most likely spread throughout the home. Respiratory symptoms will most likely manifest as a headache, coughing, difficulty breathing or wheezing. These symptoms can also be common as a result of a common cold or allergies. It is important to note that the severity of the symptoms are going to depend on the amount of mold and its severity.
Recommended Reading: How Common Is Mold In Homes
Mold Toxicity Testing And Treatment
Exposure to toxic mold can have dangerous health repercussions. Reactions to mold include irritation of the nose, throat, and eyes, with symptoms including coughing and wheezing. In some people, the skin also has a reaction.
Those who need to see a doctor right away when exposed to toxic mold include people who are allergic to mold, have asthma or another pre-existing lung condition, or have a compromised immune system. However, otherwise healthy individuals can also suffer the effects of mold toxicity.
Lets talk about the symptoms, testing, and treatment of mold poisoning, and who can help you work through it.
What To Do If Your Home Is Mold
First, you need to identify the source of water intrusion and fix it. A leaky roof or pipe will only create more issues after mold remediation.
Fixing an extensive mold problem is best left to professionals. When you disturb-mold infested materials, the spores and toxins spread like dandelion seeds in the wind. Attempting to tackle it yourself could make a bad problem much worse.
When looking for a professional mold remediator, some of the questions you should ask are:
- Are you certified in mold remediation? Examples of major certifying groups are the American Council for Accredited Certification and the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification .
- How do you document your work? This should include photos of damaged areas. The company should also provide an itemized cost estimate before starting.
- How do you contain mold-contaminated areas? This generally includes using thick plastic sheeting to seal off the moldy area. Remediators also use indoor air scrubbers with high-efficiency particulate air filters. These should be vented to the outdoors.
- How do you clean your equipment? Besides air scrubbers, remediators also use HEPA vacuums. Ask what measures they take to avoid contaminating your house with their equipment. Do they change HEPA filters between jobs and sanitize their equipment?
- How do you dispose of moldy material? The moldy debris should be double-bagged before removing it from the building.
Recommended Reading: Is Mold Remediation Covered By Homeowners Insurance
Testing For Mold In Your Home
If you hire a professional mold inspector to come to your home, theyll take samples from three areasthe air, the surface, and surrounding dust. They send these samples to a third-party laboratory to find out the concentration and kinds of mold in those particular areas.
However, this procedure takes time and isnt cheap. Fortunately, testing for mold in your home is a relatively easy task that can give you faster results and save you money. If youve done everything you can to prevent mold but still have reason to think the air you breathe is compromised with mold spores, check strategic locations for visible signs of mold.
Common areas of mold growth include:
- Areas around plumbing lines, even behind the drywall
- Coils of HVAC air handlers or ductwork
- Between the furniture and exterior walls, particularly in basements or concrete block houses
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.
Also Check: Does Rubbing Alcohol Kill Mold
Getting A Diagnosis For Mold Sickness
While symptoms to mold exposure are not uncommon , many health care professionals struggle to pinpoint the cause behind these symptoms.
Often only a few people or one person and not everyone, in a home or workplace experience symptoms. This is frustrating and confusing for the sick person. When their doctors cant find any reason for the illness, they can start to feel like the sickness is all in their mind.
People suffering from mold exposure can often be misdiagnosed with disorders such as:
Dont Let Mold Interfere With Restoring Your Health
Mold is everywhere in the environment. Indoor exposure to toxic mold can trigger inflammation and cause immune dysregulation that causes multiple symptoms in multiple systems of the body. This makes mold illness difficult to diagnose. Physicians rarely look for environmental causes of illness so they do not ask patients about exposures such as mold. If you are suffering from multiple chronic symptoms or have been diagnosed with Lyme disease, or an autoimmune or neurological condition without a known cause, find a physician with expertise in mold illness so you can get properly tested.
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How To Test For Mold Toxicity
Mold toxicity is a real thing, and it can cause serious health problems.
It can manifest in your body with a whole host of various symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, migraines, asthma, digestive issues, skin rashes, anxiety, and depression. The severity of symptoms varies from person to person, but they can cause long-term health problems.
A urine test is the most common and other methods include blood, hair, skin, stool, DNA and culturing, antibodies to specific molds, various inflammatory markers, and other factors. Many tests check for mycotoxins within your body, but others will screen for fungal infections of the skin, lungs, or systemic fungal infections in the blood and organs.
Fungal cultures are used to identify the specific fungi present. Many fungi are slow-growing, so it may take weeks for results. Susceptibility testing performed on fungi isolated from a culture is used to determine which antifungal is best to use for treatment.
Tests for fungal antigens and antibodies may be used to determine if an individual has, or recently had, a specific fungal infection. They are more rapid than fungal cultures but only test for a specific fungal species, so the healthcare practitioner has to know what fungal organism to test for.
Many people have fungal antibodies from a prior exposure to the organism, so a single antibody test may not confirm the presence of a current infection.
Mycotoxins Damage Your Health
Mycotoxins are sneaky. While mold itself cant enter your bloodstream though it can hang around and colonize in spots like your nostrils and lungs mycotoxins can get into your bloodstream and circulate throughout your body.
These opportunistic toxins can hijack your immune system, making you more vulnerable to infections. If your immune system is already compromised , mycotoxins take advantage. If youre healthy, they can make you very sick.
Studies show that mycotoxins can:
- Cause lung inflammation that can make it harder to breathe
- Worsen allergy and asthma symptoms
Unfortunately, mold toxicity is frequently misdiagnosed. Because of its wide-ranging effects, its typically mistaken for other conditions including depression, multiple sclerosis, or autoimmune conditions. Plus, because mycotoxins are opportunistic, theyre often connected with debilitating diseases such as Lyme disease, IBS and fibromyalgia.
Your Genes Can Make You More Vulnerable
Around 25% of people are genetically predisposed to get sick from mold exposure. A simple test, called the HLA-DR, can tell you if youre in that more susceptible population.
If you are, it means your immune system cant easily identify and get rid of mycotoxins. That can allow them to build up in the body, causing harm wherever they end up. On top of that, because of that genetic twist, even relatively small exposures to mycotoxins can affect you.
Read Also: What To Do With Black Mold On Drywall
Can I Get Tested For Mold Exposure In My Body
Mold lives in the atmosphere and can harm your health when you have a specific allergy. There are several types of mold commonly found in houses where moisture and warm temperatures collide. If you are worried about mold exposure, you need to make sure you have identified the signs and symptoms associated with mold exposure. Among the symptoms of mold exposure are:
The problem many of you have when you are affected by mold exposure is the common nature of the symptoms. Mold exposure symptoms mimic those of the common cold and allergies to pet dander. Mold exposure symptoms are so common they can easily be confused with those of other medical conditions. If you feel you have been exposed to mold and want to receive a diagnosis, you need to undergo medical testing. If you are worried about mold exposure in your home, you should start with a talk to your doctor about your fears. When your doctor agrees there is a risk of mold exposure, you will usually undergo one of two tests:
Recommended Reading: How To Clean Mold Off Bathroom Ceiling
Treating For Mold Illness
The main goal of healing from mold illness is to remove the mold from your body. If youre sick from mold, you most likely are in the 25% of the population that has the HLA gene that makes it extremely difficult for your body to find and remove the mold from your body by yourself.
Binders
One of the bodys main ways of removing toxins is through the liver and into the bile. The bile is excreted into your GI tract where it can be removed through bowel movements. If bile isnt removed from the body it will be reabsorbed and recycled as a way of maintaining energy efficiency.
This is why binders are ALWAYS used in treating mold. There are different types of binders for different types of mold, so knowing what type of mold youre dealing with is incredibly helpful here. The binders grab on to the bile so that it cant be recycled, and it is removed with the next bowel movement.
My preferred binder is BioToxin Binder by CellCore which you can grab here: www.cellcore.com with this code: HB6MKFS5
Going to the bathroom daily is also super important to healing from mold illness. For tips on improving bowel movements and eliminating constipation read my blog on constipation.
Gut healing
People with mold illness often have overgrowths of candida and bacteria in their gut so a gut healing protocol is another important step when dealing with mold illness.
Diet
Thyroid health
Detox
Hidden Infections
Recommended Reading: Does Mold Grow On Insulation
Mold Testing Safety Considerations
According to the EPA, touching or inhaling mold spores can trigger allergic reactions among sensitive individuals. People with asthma may be especially sensitive to mold and should avoid all contact or exposure. If you have a weakened immune system or asthma, it is likely best to hire a professional to test for mold rather than do a DIY test.
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.
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Types Of Household Mold
There are more than 100,000 types of mold in the world. Although each type of mold has its own species name, most are best known by the categoriessuch as black mold or pink mold. Molds also fall into categories based on how they affect humans.
- Allergenic mold: Non-toxic, but can irritate people with asthma or mold allergies
- Pathogenic mold: May affect people with weakened immune systems
- Toxigenic mold: Causes toxic reactions in people and animals
Mold Related Health Issues
Mold exposure is a serious health issue for many people in many parts of the world. Mold spores are normally found outdoors, but indoor environments can become contaminated with mold spores. In order to minimize health risks, you should be able to identify and properly remove mold in your home. The best way to identify mold is to use a mold test kit. These kits are small kits that allow you to detect levels of mold in your home. As long as you live in a mold-prone area, you should keep a mold test kit in your home. These kits can be purchased from many online sources, including Amazon.com.
Also Check: What Will Kill Mold On Walls
A Mold Toxicity Test Can Help
By using a mold toxicity test it is possible to determine whether or not you are suffering from this type of overgrowth. This can be an overwhelming problem to tackle, but starting with the right tools will allow you to get your life back quickly and easily.
The first step in overcoming mold toxicity is getting tested this way youll know exactly what you are dealing with and how to effectively make a change. A common scenario is that if people find out they have mold sensitivity, their first impulse is often to clean the house from top to bottom. This doesnt actually help unless you determine whether or not any toxic mold has made it into your home in the first place, which means you need to do a mold test.
If this shows that there is a mold problem in your home, then you will need to determine whether or not it is a small isolated issue with one room, or a widespread problem with the entire building. If its a single area, all you need to do is fix that area and remove any toxic mold in the environment. However if the problem spreads throughout your whole building then there is a good chance that the mold has also grown in other areas. If this is the case then its time to talk to your landlord and get them to take care of the problem.
