What Happens If You Eat Food With Mold
The thought of eating something moldy likely makes you want to gag. Most of the time, this is the only symptom youd get after eating moldy food. If somethings not right with your immune system and you eat something moldy, you might experience symptoms like:
- If you are allergic to mold, those allergy symptoms may be triggered also
If you notice mold on your food that you dont want to throw away, consult the USDAs guide on handling moldy food.
How Much Mold Exposure Is Harmful
Molds are a type of fungi, which can flourish both indoors and outside. There are millions of mold species.
Mold is important for the planets ecosystem, because it helps break down waste products and organic matter, such as leaves, dead trees, and garbage.
Some people get sick from exposure to mold. Others have no symptoms and dont experience ill effects of any kind.
In this article, well talk about the potential dangers of mold exposure, identify whos most vulnerable, and provide solutions for keeping your environment mold-proof.
How To Kill Black Mold With Bleach
Killing Black Mold with Bleach work well on a hard, non-porous surface and will kill nearly any type of mold spore that it comes in contact with.
Eliminating Mold with Bleach is also very cost effective.
However, bleach does not get to the root level of mold growth in porous type items such as tile grout , wood and cement block.
Have you ever wondered why mold stains keep coming back to the same area so if it does you know you may have an issue inside the wall of black mold spores living there.
Never mix bleach with ammonia This is extremely dangerous and will likely produce Toxic Chloramine Fumes or Vapors.
Never mix bleach with vinegar Combining these two mold cleaners together will not give you a better cleaning agent to work with.
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What Is The Treatment
Its almost impossible to avoid all contact with fungal spores, so treatment for mold in your lungs often consists of taking medications.
Corticosteroids often help open your airways to make coughing easier. You may need to take them when daily or only when your symptoms flare.
You may also be given an antifungal medication such as itraconazole, but its effectiveness is still debated.
In a , researchers found that 97.1 percent of patients with ABPA received a prescription for oral corticosteroids. About 41 percent of patients received a prescription for oral corticosteroids combined with inhaled corticosteroids and antifungal drugs.
Surgery may be needed if mold reaches your heart or other organs.
The people at the highest risk for developing health complications from breathing in mold are:
- people with respiratory issues such as
How To Minimize Your Risk
To know how to protect yourself, start by knowing where mold spores thrive. Besides growing best in warm, damp, humid spots. Outside, youll find mold in shady, damp areas or where leaves or other vegetation break down. Inside, mold grows in high-humidity locations, such as basements and showers, she says.
If you are prone to breathing problems, such as asthma, you should consider limiting exposure to damp, humid areas such as basements and saunas, she says.
Here are other things you can do to minimize your mold exposure risk:
- Use an air conditioner or dehumidifier to keep humidity levels below 50% at all times.
- Check the humidity level in your home at least once a day because humidity changes with temperature shifts.
- Be sure your home is adequately ventilated. If you have exhaust fans, use them especially when you shower.
- Use paints fortified with mold inhibitors.
- Use mold-killing bathroom cleaning products, such as bleach.
- Dont carpet bedrooms or bathrooms. If you own your home and can afford to, remove carpeting from your home and replace with another surface, such as laminate tile, thats easy to clean.
- Remove or replace carpets and upholstery that have gotten wet or soaked through in the past as these are breeding grounds for mold spores.
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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.
How To Get Rid Of Mold
There are plenty of DIY mold removal options for you on the web some more effective than others. These may suffice if the problem is minor. After DIY treatment, it may be good to have an air quality test taken to measure the effectiveness of your work.
If the problem is more than minor, DIY methods will likely only remove the appearance of mold for a short time. For more serious problems, the best approach is to hire a certified and reputable local mold remediation company.
Most mold remediation companies will recommend demolition of the infected part of your home to literally remove the mold, so keep in mind that you might have additional expenses to restore a portion of your house. On top of that, the process might take several days.
If you are looking into demolition-free mold removal, then consider companies that use a dry fog technique. When properly done, this method not only kills mold without demolition, but it also takes less than a day to complete.
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Treatment For Mold Exposure
The most important treatment for indoor mold exposure is to fix and remove the source of the mold. Limiting your exposure to mold is the most effective way to eliminate symptoms. If you remove the mold yourself, you need to take appropriate precautions to prevent exposure. You can also contact a mold remediation company to remove it for you.
Nasal sprays
These sprays, which contain corticosteroids or decongestants, are generally well tolerated and effective. They work by reducing the inflammation caused by allergies. Some can be bought over-the-counter, and some are only available by prescription.
Allergy medications
Over-the-counter allergy medications such as cetirizine or loratadine are often used to treat allergies. These are antihistamines that work by blocking histamine, a chemical released by your immune system in response to allergens.
Montelukast is a prescription allergy medication that works by blocking another chemical released by your immune system, leukotrienes.
Sinus rinses
Rinsing your sinuses with saline water can help flush away allergens and mucus from your sinus cavities. This will help keep your nose free of irritating substances that can cause bothersome symptoms. These kits are widely available over the counter.
Allergy shots
Allergy shots, also called immunotherapy, expose you to a small amount of an allergen to build up your immunity over time. These can be effective for certain types of mold allergy.
Is Black Mold Toxic
Some fungi produce substances called mycotoxins which are harmful to people or animals. You typically have to consume mycotoxins for them to affect your health. However, certain mycotoxins cause problems through inhalation or skin contact.
Black mold can produce a type of substance called trichothecene mycotoxins. Research shows that it doesn’t typically affect humans through inhalation. Illness from trichothecene mycotoxins usually only occurs after eating food with high contamination levels from the toxins. The symptoms include gastrointestinal problems and anemia.
There have been cases where people with significant exposure to black mold had negative health effects. These cases arose in people who lived in buildings with widespread mold. Crew members who came in to clean up the mold reported similar symptoms, including:
- Sinus irritation and congestion
The mental symptoms from heavy mold exposure are consistent with the effects of a severe mold allergy Mental issues are not symptoms of trichothecene mycotoxicity. Experts in allergies note that people often report fatigue and “mental fog” when they are suffering from allergies.
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How To Test And Remove Indoor Mold:
There are many ways in which you can test your property for mold, including:
- ARMI testsThe American Relative Moldiness Index test is cost-effective however, it is not the most thorough as it can only detect a select few types of mold.
- ERMI testsThe Environmental Relative Moldiness Index test was developed by the EPA and can detect up to 36 different types of mold within a home. Despite being able to identify more molds than ARMI tests, an ERMI test does not provide information on the source of mold production.
- Mold clearance testingThis is a series of tests conducted by professionals to make certain that the areas of your home where mold was removed have returned to normal conditions.
- MSQ/PCRThese tests can help homeowners identify the genus and species of mold.
- Petri dish testsPetri dish tests are common and often sold in hardware stores. However, homeowners should be wary of the accuracy of these tests. There have even been numerous instances where at-home petri-dish test results have been wrong. Some unopened test kits have even been moldy upon purchase.
- Presence Absence:These are simple swab applicators that detect mold in a home. If the swab comes back as green, then there is mold present in a home. However, these tests do not give homeowners an idea of the level of toxicity/classification of the mold or the moist area of the home that caused it to grow.
Is Mold Dangerous To Breathe
Normally when we come across mold whether in our home or somewhere else we recoil, perhaps gag and then set about getting rid of it or simply walking away. And whilst mold is, unarguably, a less-than-favorable sight to behold, the real concern can actually be a lot more serious, depending on the person and the type of mold found. So, what can breathing in mold actually do?
Mold produces allergens, irritants and sometimes, even, toxic substances, depending on the type. Some people are more sensitive to mold, for example, babies and the elderly, those with existing skin and respiratory conditions and those with a weakened immune system. For these people, breathing it in may cause a blocked nose, sore throat, wheezing, shortness of breath, skin itchiness, headaches, fatigue or eye irritation, according to a 2004 study by the Institute of Medicine and others.
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What Is Mold And What Are The Health Risks Associated With It
Mold is a type of fungus that thrives in moist environments. It is the moist environments in our homes that encourage mold growth. There are thousands of different types of mold, and they can be found both indoors and outdoors.
Black mold is an example of toxic molds. Black Mold needs to be killed, and cleaned by a professional restoration company as quickly as possible to stop airborne mold spores and avoid inhaling mold spores. Mold growth happens by forming mold spores, which are ejected into the air and can potentially germinate and grow into new mold colonies.
What To Do If You Think Youve Been Exposed To Mold
If you think you may have mold exposure, it is important to take action right away. Exposure to mold can cause a variety of health concerns.
Some symptoms of mold exposure include respiratory issues like asthma development, lung disease, or skin irritation, and gastrointestinal distress. Here are some steps you should take if you think you have experienced mold exposure:
1. Remove yourself from the mold. If possible, leave the area where you had mold exposure and go someplace else. This will help reduce your level of exposure and potentially prevent further health problems.
2. Obtain an air sample to test for mold spores. You can purchase a mold test kit online or at your local hardware store. Testing the air for mold spores can tell you whether or not there is a problem
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How Long Do Mold Symptoms Last
The tricky thing about mold exposure is that its different for each person. The amount of time mold exposure symptoms persist depends on:
- What type of mold they are exposed to,
- How long the exposure has been,
- How well their bodies eliminate toxins
Those who process toxins well can see their symptoms disappear as quickly as a few days.
Others who eliminate toxins slowly can experience symptoms for much longer. They could be ill for months or even years after the source of mold is eliminated.
Eliminate The Source Of Mold
Mold can grow anywhere there is dampness. To reduce the risk of mold in your home or office, fix water leaks. Use fans to circulate the air and dry the area. Clean susceptible areas like bathrooms often and use ventilation fans to decrease the humidity in your home. When cleaning, make sure that you wear a mask to prevent the inhalation of mold spores. Once you finish cleaning moldy areas, wash your clothing immediately, and take a shower to prevent spreading mold spores throughout your home. If your home has been subjected to extensive water damage, contact a mold remediation specialist and have your home professionally cleaned. The cleaners may recommend carpets, draperies, and upholstery to be disposed of if they cannot be properly cleaned by the professional.
Mold can be several different colors, including green, black, and brown. Sometimes mold will appear as a spot and begin to grow. Mold has a musty, earthy smell. Mold can be hidden behind drywall, under carpets, or behind wallpaper. Routinely inspect your roof, basement, and crawl space for moisture. Check plumbing pipes, kitchens, laundry rooms, and bathrooms for any signs of mold. Routine inspections of these areas can prevent a large mold infestation. As soon as you notice the first traces of mold, use a mixture of bleach and water to clean the area, and destroy the mold spores.
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How Can I Breathe In Mold
Although mold appears to us as a solid, fuzzy, growth, it is much more complex. Mold spreads by sending tiny, invisible spores into the air. They then land on other surfaces and allow new colonies to grow. If you have mold growing in your home, these spores can travel through the air, even in the ventilation, and you breathe them in.
What Does Black Mold Exposure Treatment Look Like
Just like the diagnosis, the treatment of mold exposure differs from doctor to doctor. One thing most doctors will advise you to do is to test for and, if needed, remove any unhealthy mold conditions from your home. Even if the treatment will help in the short-term, it wont be effective over the long-term if your indoor environment isnt improved.
To treat the symptoms, doctors may suggest:
- Over-the-counter medication. Medicine that would decrease the airway inflammation and suppress the allergic reactions.
- Nasal sprays to deal with a runny or stuffy nose or rinses to clear your nasal passages from inhaled mold spores.
- Regular allergy medicine
A persons immune system must be working properly to fight mold symptoms, so changes in a lifestyle or diet might be necessary. In more severe allergy cases, doctors prescribe immunotherapy to relieve symptoms
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Mold Inhalation Not As Toxic As Patients May Think
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IDCNY 2011
NEW YORK Despite what many parents think, inhaling mold sporesgenerally does not cause severe disease. Severe disease occurs only after moldspores are ingested, according to a presenter at the recent 24th AnnualInfectious Diseases in Children Symposium.
Cyrus Rangan, MD, director of the Bureau of Toxicology at the LosAngeles County Department of Public Health, spoke about the myths thattypically surround molds and fungus. He said reasonable evidence exists thatlinks exacerbation of allergies and asthma to mold inhalation, but truesystemic disease tends to occur after a patient ingests mold species such asFusarium and Aspergillus.
According to Rangan, historical reports of cases of systemic poisoningin humans were found to be linked to ingestion and absorption of mold or thereports have since been proven false, including the original 10 cases ofidiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis among infants in Cleveland that weresupposedly caused by Stachybotrys atra. Contact with inhaled oraerosolized mold causes only minor respiratory or dermal complaints in most.
Mold may be a red herring
Rangan, who also serves as an assistant medical director at theCalifornia Poison Control System and is a medical toxicology consultant forChildrens Hospital Los Angeles, said mold grows almost everywhere if thetemperature is ideal and a nutritionand water source is present.
Identifying Mold In Your Home
- Appearance or dark spots or clusters. Look for spots or clustered growths, especially in warm, moist rooms.
- Musty smell. You may be able to identify mold by a musty smell.
- Allergies or asthma. If you experience asthma attacks or allergy symptoms in your home, that may also indicate theres mold.
- Potential causes. Look for causes of mold growth, like a leak, water damage, lack of ventilation, or old food, papers, or wood.
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What Happens If You Breathe In Mold & What To Do
Do you suspect mold is growing in your home or on your belongings?
Worried you might be breathing in mold & it might be dangerous to your health?
In this guide, you will learn:
- The health effects of mold exposure & How much Mold Exposure is Harmful,
- The Signs and Symptoms of what breathing in mold can do,
- How to treat mold spores growing in your lungs.
