Mold spores can easily be brought into your home on your shoes or clothing or through open windows or doors. If these spores can find a warm, damp, humid environment, they can begin to multiply. Soon, your home can be filled with toxic mold. If you think mold has invaded your home, look for various symptoms of mold exposure.
Symptoms of Mold Exposure
Breathing Issues
Breathing difficulties and respiratory diseases increase exponentially when an individual is exposed to mold. Mold exposure can worsen asthma, increase irritation of the nasal passages, lungs, and throat. Individuals may experience wheezing, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, and nasal congestion. Additionally, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, sinus congestion, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis have been associated with mold exposure in those with a weakened immune system.
Skin Problems
Your skin is the largest organ of your body. It is also one of the first places that willindicate there isan issue going on inside the body. When you have been exposed to mold and a mold illness begins, your skin can become dry. Your skin may flake and become itchy. Furthermore, you may develop rashes or hives as inflammation begins to worsen throughout your body.
Sensation of Pins and Needles
Another sign of mold illness is numbness, twitching, or tingling. This pins and needles feeling is typically experienced in your extremities – hands, feet, legs, and arms. Pins and needles are often said to feel like the sensations experienced when you have kept your body in an awkward position for too long. Although pins and needle sensations can signify a serious nerve disease or nerve damage, it can also be a sign of a nerve illness.
Depression and Sadness
Mold illnesses can manifest in numerous ways, including psychiatric symptoms like depression, concentration problems, insomnia, anxiety, and memory loss. Approximately 40 percent of individuals who live in a moldy home experience depression. Researchers believe that mental health problems can be related to toxic mold exposure as well as the stress of dealing with the physical symptoms of mold illness.
Digestive Disorders
A mold illness can cause a plethora of digestive issues. Many people experience a lack of appetite, which can cause unwanted weight loss. In addition to this, stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting can be experienced. As the mold spores flood the body, systemic inflammation can occur and cause bloating and weight gain as the digestive system becomes battered with toxic mold exposure.
Headaches and Dry Eyes
Mold spores can cause symptoms to hay fever. You may experience red eyes, itchy eyes, and blurry vision. As more mold spores enter the body and cause systemic inflammation, eyes can become inflamed and dry. When mold particles are inhaled, sinuses can become inflamed and infected, which can increase sinus pressure, leading to an increased incidence of headaches and migraines.
Muscle Pain
Are you experiencing muscle pain? If you have unexplained muscle pain that is not caused by an activity, it can be a sign of a mold illness. Unexplained muscle pain can affect any muscle group within your body. Typically, those suffering from a mold illness experience dull achiness; however, certain individuals report shooting, intense pain.
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.
Toxicity Questionnaire
The Toxicity Screening Questionnaire helps identify symptoms that are useful to detect underlying causes of illnesses.
How Can We Help?
Mold illness can cause a number of other symptoms including fatigue, chest tightness, twitching, shaking, frequent urination, excessive thirst, and a metallic taste in your mouth. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of mold illness, our integrative mold doctor can help you overcome mold toxicity and regain your health and your life using a variety of proven mold treatments, including detoxification, osteopathic manual therapy, acupuncture and dietary changes.
