Common household mold causes a variety of health problems, but it is difficult to prove the exact cause of these symptoms. Mold spores can become airborne and contribute to a variety of respiratory and eye problems.
Because the symptoms of mold allergy resemble those of sinusitis, common cold and asthma, it is often difficult to determine the exact cause of these symptoms.
Most people suffer an allergic reaction if exposed to mold. The symptoms of mold allergy include:
Stuffy and runny nose.
You may feel suddenly congested when you walk into a certain room, basement or other part of the house. This is likely because there is mold. Areas that are humid or have had water damage are ideal places for mold to grow.
Itchy eyes.
These same mold spores can make your eyes red and itchy. During clean up of mold, it is important to protect your eyes, because the irritation can be severe. Itchiness or redness around the eyes may be a sign that you have mold.
Wheezing and coughing.
If you have no prior condition or cold, but find yourself wheezing and coughing, this may be because of mold. To test it, you can try moving around to different parts of the house and see if it clears up. If so, the area where you find yourself coughing may have mold.
Skin rashes.
This occurs only in pretty severe cases. If you experience skin rashes, you might have a lot of mold hiding out somewhere. You may have also come into contact directly with mold and your skin is reacting to it.
These are common symptoms of health related mold problems. Some people are more sensitive than others to mold, but all of us experience some of the above symptoms when we come into contact with mold.
Doctors are not sure exactly what health problems are mold related. But, it has been observed that those with asthma suffer especially bad in the presence of mold.
Some mold is toxic and researchers believe that constant exposure to mold over time might possibly contribute to certain types of cancer. This is not proven yet, but some species of mold, like the common household aspergillis, contain toxins similar to those found in those who suffer from liver and kidney cancers.
Have you ever heard of "sick building syndrome?" This refers to old buildings which may have some toxins in their building materials and cause those who work there to suffer various symptoms such as fatigue, headaches and respiratory problems.
Recent research suggests that sick building syndrome may be in part caused by mold. The symptoms of those who suffer from sick building syndrome are similar to health problems related to mold, and it is known that often old buildings were not built well to protect against mold.
Household mold has not been shown to produce any life-threatening diseases, but exposure to it can be a health problem. For this reason, it is best to keep your home and workplace as mold-free as possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment