Sunday, March 24, 2024

How To Test For Mold Toxicity In The Body

Air Sample Testing For Mold

Testing for Mold Toxicity

Now that we have a solid foundation, we are finally ready to discuss air sampling to detect mold. Lets say we are going to sample two houses and each house will have 3 samples take or 225 liters of air passed through a detection media. HouseMold has a severe mold problem in the corner of a large room and House No-Mold does not have a mold problem. House Mold is a tight house with an amazing ERV ventilation system that filters no less than 4,675,000 liters of air per day which is 8.5 filtered air exchanges per day that are capable of filtering out 99% of every mold spore that passes through the filter each time the air passes through the filter. We might as well say the filter has a 100% mold spore capture rate. Because of the number of filtered air exchanges taking place in House Mold our 3 samples will represent approximately 0.000048% of the houses air. To help you understand how insignificant that number is imagine that you hurt yourself and had to go to the doctor. I am 510 tall and if a doctor looked me up and down to see where I hurt myself this would be the equivalent of the doctor only looking at a human hairs thickness of my body and then telling me my diagnosis. In this example the lack of mold found in the air samples would result in House Mold being given a clean bill of health even though the house had an active moisture issue and was being eaten alive by mold.

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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.

Do I Need To Get Medical Treatment

In many cases, exposure to toxic mold doesnt require medical treatment. If you experience cold-like symptoms after exposure to potentially toxic mold, these symptoms will likely fade on their own with no long-term effects once you remove yourself from the environment with the mold.

Generally speaking, your overall risk of long-term health effects related to mold exposure is fairly low. That said, experts still have more to learn about the possible health effects of mold exposure.

For this reason, its still important to avoid long-term exposure to potentially toxic mold and promptly address signs of mold in spaces you spend time in.

Reaching out to a healthcare professional may be a good option if you:

  • have a compromised immune system due to another health condition
  • have significant trouble breathing
  • live with cystic fibrosis

As for a mold detox? Contrary to some beliefs, theres typically no need to go on a cleanse or detox in order to heal your body after exposure to mold.

Heres why: When functioning optimally, your body constantly detoxes itself and its very efficient at this task.

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What Is A Mycotoxin Test

Have you been suffering from new allergies, headaches, or other health problems? If so, you may have been exposed to mold. Fortunately, theres an easy, safe way to determine whether youre suffering from the harmful effects of toxic mold. At The Metabolic Institute in Spokane, WA, we offer a specialized mycotoxin test that may determine whether you have mold toxicity in your body. Read on to learn more about how this powerful testing method can help you address the damaging effects of toxic mold exposure.

How Are Mold Allergies And Exposure Diagnosed

Pin on Mold Exposure

There are no proven tests that show when or where you may have been exposed to mold. However, your doctor may check for mold allergies by reviewing your symptoms and performing one of the following tests:

  • Blood test. Your doctor takes a blood sample and then sends it to a laboratory to measure the number of certain antibodies, which can indicate your immune systems sensitivity to different mold species.
  • Skin prick test. Your doctor takes small amounts of mold and applies it to your skin using a tiny needle. Your skin will break out in bumps, a rash, or hives if youre allergic to that type of mold.

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Can You Test Mold Exposure With A Blood Test

Does Mold Exposure Show Up on Blood Tests?

Black mold could be lurking in your home without you even being aware that its there. Maybe youre showing some of the signs of black mold exposure, but you want to know for sure. There are several ways you can find out, including taking a blood test. Your Manhattan mold removal specialists want to make sure you take good care of your health, so if youre having a reaction to black mold, you can find out for certain.

Taking a Blood Test for Mold Exposure

This test is minimally invasive but very informative. Your doctor will need to take a sample of your blood and send it to a lab for testing. They will check to see how the antibodies in your system react to various mold species, black mold included. When they test your blood, they will also look for toxins that indicate mold poisoning.

Getting a Skin Prick Test

Skin prick tests are another way for your doctor to tell if youre allergic to certain types of mold. They take various types and apply them to the skin using small needles. If youre allergic to that type of mold, your skin will react by forming a rash or other reaction.

Talk With Your Manhattan Mold Removal Experts

Getting exposed to black mold can lead to all kinds of health issues, including asthma, hair loss, confusion, memory loss, and more. Contact us, your Manhattan mold removal professionals, for assistance with your mold problem. We offer free inspections!

Symptoms Of Mold Exposure

Common symptoms of exposure include brain fog, depression, skin irritations/rashes, fatigue, joint pain, and inflammation to name a few.

If you have been suffering from a seemingly random array of symptoms that have no known cause, mold could be the answer. Because mold has the ability to affect the whole body with a broad range of symptoms, many individuals suffer for much longer than they should before receiving a diagnosis.

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If You Or Anyone At Your Home Has Allergies

Allergies are the prominent symptom of mold. If you have signs like puffy eyes, chronic stuffy nose, irritated eyes, breathing problems as shortness of breath and sinusitis etc.

This can be because of mold or any other allergen in the locality. It can also lead to cough which can be severe later. If it gets severe it can lead to bloody cough, body aches, low electrolytes level or electrolyte imbalance which can also cause seizures.

Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

How You Can Test Yourself for Mold Poisoning RIGHT NOW!

An ongoing inflammatory response to mold or other biotoxins can lead to chronic inflammatory response syndrome , also referred to as biotoxin illness. In this condition, inflammation affects multiple body systems.

Chronic exposure to a water-damaged building is the most common trigger of CIRS. Chronic Lyme disease is another cause. Some people have both. Thats a double whammy to your system.

The following can be linked to CIRS from mold-induced toxicity:

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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.

Mold Testing Kit Concerns

As helpful as mold testing kits can be, sometimes they are not the best choice. Surprisingly, there isnt a standard for what is acceptable regarding indoor mold.

Naturally, mold is everywhere. When you perform a mold test sampling, youll find that mold is ubiquitous. The mere presence of mold does not automatically indicate a problem or a potential health risk.

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Home Environmental Testing Companies

An indoor environmental professional is an industrial hygienist who inspects a wide range of environmental concerns including bacteria, odors, radon, and mold. They determine the problem in the indoor environment and ways to improve the environment for individuals. So in a way, indoor environmental professionals are like a doctor of your home.

Environmental Analytics is an Arizona-based environmental consulting firm that brings an indoor environmental professional to your home to perform an on-site inspection.

Founder of Environmental Analytics, and sick building expert Michael Schrantz advises that you must be careful of companies who call themselves mold testing companies and dont do a proper job of testing. For example, some companies may only test for mold by taking a direct air sample by walking through your home.

While air sampling is beneficial, youre not going to be able to detect all mold through an air sample. Thats because not all mold is the same some molds are heavier than others. Some are stickier than others. If a mold is heavy, it wont stay airborne for a long amount of time and wont be detected by the air sample.

Schrantz suggests that in addition to air sampling, other mold testing needs to be conducted.

Green Home Solutions is another Arizona-based company that tests and inspects for mold, determines a mold remediation plan, mold containment, and mold treatment.

Indoor Environmental Sampling And Analysis

Mold poisoning is caused by mycotoxins produced by toxic mold. These ...

Professional mold testing is more detailed and specialized than any DIY test. The accuracy of home mold test results vary widely, and these tests may not offer insight into the concentration of mold spores in indoor air or which species of fungus are growing in a home. These tests may also not differentiate between active growth and desiccated airborne mold spores from past growth.

Having a property inspected and tested by certified experts can provide a clearer sense of the scale and severity of a fungal infestation. Indoor environmental hygienists and other specialists trained in assessing mold damage may take air, batch or surface samples to submit for lab analysis. Air samples may also be taken from a central HVAC system. These results can include information about the species of mold present in a structure and whether growth is active or old, and can be used to guide remediation work.

Even professional mold tests cannot determine whether individuals have been exposed to mold spores, mVOCs or mycotoxins. Such information requires lab testing of biological samples taken from the residents of a home or regular occupants of a commercial building with a mold problem. Only licensed healthcare professionals are qualified to interpret the results of medical mold exposure testing.

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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.

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.

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Urine Mycotoxin Test Kit

Urine mycotoxin tests are ideal for testing yourself for mycotoxin exposure. Theyre absolutely painless, totally non-invasive, and incredibly easy to use. With just a small amount of urine, our experts will be able to spot up to 15 different illness-causing mycotoxins.

A high concentration of mycotoxins in the body is generally indicative that theres mold growing somewhere in your home. A positive test result, then, is typically the first step to a mold remediation plan. It can also be the first step in treating a previously undiagnosed illness.

What Are The Symptoms That Youve Been Exposed To Mold

How To Test For Black Mold In 5 Minutes

Symptoms range from person to person and may be related to your genetics. For example, 25% of Americans have the HLA-DR gene which makes them susceptible to toxic mold they experience more severe symptoms compared to the rest of the population.

Some symptoms that indicate toxic mold exposure include:

  • Respiratory problems including sneezing, runny nose, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, sinus congestion, chronic cough, and chronic respiratory tract problems
  • Chronic fatigue and weakness
  • Neurological symptoms and cognitive problems such as anxiety, depression, sensitivity to light, headaches, vertigo, poor memory, and difficulty concentrating
  • Digestive problems including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps
  • Metallic taste in the mouth
  • Morning stiffness and joint pain
  • Tingling and numbness

Others may be highly sensitive to mold toxins and have Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome a term coined by Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker. CIRS is a condition thats caused by exposure to biotoxins, including mold.

The symptoms above are not specific to only mold toxicity and could be caused by something else. Mold tests will help rule out mold as the cause of your symptoms. Here are ways that you can test for mold in your home.

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What Is Mold Toxicity

The main reason molds can cause illness is that they release spores that produce toxic secondary metabolites that are called mycotoxins. Myco means fungal, and many molds are known to have toxic fungal metabolites that poison humans, animals, and plants.

Mold mycotoxins are not visible to the naked eye and must be detected using laboratory testing techniques such as chromatography or mass spectrometry.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 200 biotoxins have been identified from common molds and can interfere with RNA synthesis and may cause DNA damage.

Mycotoxins have several adverse effects on human beings, crops, and animals that result in both economic losses and illnesses. Diseases caused by exposure to mycotoxins are known as mycotoxicoses. Acute mycotoxicoses can cause serious and sometimes fatal diseases.

Mold toxicity can be caused by many things including:

Inhaling toxins released by molds into the air

When you are around a toxin black mold, you are usually exposed to airborne mycotoxins by inhaling them.

These mycotoxins then end up in the lungs and causing respiratory problems and other chronic symptoms. Trichothecene mycotoxins in the air can also enter your body through the lungs, eyes, mouth, and even be absorbed through the skin.

Eating foods contaminated with mycotoxins like aflatoxin or ochratoxin A

You Are Buying A New Home

It is incredibly important that you have a home tested for mold before you buy it because it can be expensive and sometimes impossible to get rid of. Real estate agents are under no obligation to disclose knowledge of mold in a home. The responsibility lies on you, as a potential buyer, to make certain a professional mold and indoor quality air inspection are conducted.

If mold is detected during the professional inspection, you may be able to negotiate with the seller to have them pay for repairs or lower the sales price. However, if the mold is toxic or there is an unmanageable amount, its best to stay away and look for a home that provides a healthier environment.

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