Black Mold And Toxicity
When you read about molds, you may definitely want to know about black mold, as it is frequently singled out as the biggest culprit. Stachybotrys chartarum, also known as black mold is a greenish-black mold. It was thought to be the reason behind a lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis among infants living in a water-damaged environment in Cleveland, Ohio. However, there is not much research to prove the association between acute pulmonary hemorrhage/hemosiderosis in infants and exposure to molds, specifically stachybotrys chartarum.15 The guidelines from federal organizations suggest that mold growth, regardless of the type, should be controlled in an appropriate manner.16
Chronic Fatigue Due To Mold
Effects of Mold on Human Health Mold illness issues are potentially harmful effects of:
- Breathing: Difficult, Tightness in chest, Asthma
- Diagnosis: Chronic Fatigue, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Fibromyalgia, Lyme Disease, Lupus, MS, Auto-Immune Emotions: irritable, anger
- Extremities: Tingling Hands and Feet
- Eyes: Blindness, Pains, Wear sunglasses, Light Sensitivity, Bloodshot eyes, loss of vision, Detached retina
- Fatigue: Chronic Fatigue , post exertional fatigue
- Mental: Confusion, Absent mindedness, losing things, brain fog, ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, anxiety, depression
- Mold sensitivity: Exposure to Damp house, Mold in air ducts, Red Tide, React to mold
- Nasal: Congestion, Nasal soreness, sinusitis. A study by the Mayo clinic found that 96 percent of all sinusitis is fungal!
- Pain: pain in temples, sudden headaches, sudden, sharp, ice-pick like
- Sensitivity: Car fumes, Smoke, Pets, Feathers, Detergents, Toothpaste, Chlorine, Plastic cups
- Skin: Rashes, Alopecia
- Thirst: Dryness, Excessive thirst, excessive urination
- Weight Gain: Sudden, inability to lose weight despite stringent dieting and exercise
Chronic fatigueChronic fatigue syndrome causes persistent fatigue that affects everyday life and doesnt go away with sleep or rest.
Symptoms of Chronic fatigue
Causes of chronic fatigue syndromeDoctors dont fully understand what causes Chronic fatigue syndrome .
Is Everyone Vulnerable To Mold Exposure
Sometimes inhaling or touching mold or mildew may have hazardous health effects. But, everyone may not be adversely affected by molds. People who have other allergies or existing respiratory conditions such as asthma, sinusitis, or other lung diseases are more susceptible to the effects of mold exposure. Also, those with an impaired or weakened immune system will have severe reactions to molds.2 Pregnancy, autoimmune disease, AIDS, or diabetes are medical conditions that can weaken your immune system. Infants, small children, and elderly people are also vulnerable to mold contamination.3
You May Like: Mildew Bathroom Ceiling
Have You Suddenly Gained Considerable Weight
People can put on 50 pounds from mold exposure even with decreased caloric intake and increased exercise. Because of the insulin resistance from the imbalance of leptin and adiponectin, these people cannot burn fat.
Appetite swings are real common. One very unique thing is patients in a moldy environment often will develop leptin resistance and because of that, they can gain thirty, fifty pounds in a very short period of time with no change in diet or exercise and you can imagine how terrifying that is to a patient to suddenly have this massive amount of weight gain. Its less frequent to have weight loss but that can also occur.
Me My Mold & I A Story Of Me/cfs & Toxic Mold
Thanks to Lissa for providing her disturbing but enlightening version of a severe mold problem in an apparently beautiful house. The deeper Lissa and her husband dug, the worse it got a cautionary tale for us all. Cort
I became chronically ill with ME/CFS almost seven years ago, in the late summer of 2010. It started as a flu-like illness that lasted for over a month, and then turned into what seemed like pneumonia. I knew it was really serious when it got to the point that it became difficult to walk.
My husband and I were celebrating our 1st Anniversary, and after taking a short hike along the shores of Lake Champlain to watch the sunset, I could barely make it back to the parking lot. I suddenly felt as if gravity was pulling me into the center of the earth. I could barely move my legs, and every cell in my body j u s t h a d. t o. l i e d o w n.
When my health started going downhill, Id been a cartographer at NAVTEQ, making digital maps for 15 years. Id earned my way to working from home and I had a great setup including a company SUV, outfitted with gadgets for GPS data collection. The job entailed extensive travel throughout the U.S., with many hours of driving and/or navigating, as well as collecting multiple layers of data, which would be entered later back at the office.
What would you have done differently regarding remediation?
A few websites for starters:
Recommended Reading: Sanding Mold Off Wood
Is Mold The Invisible Trigger For Your Chronic Fatigue A Doctor Explains
Mold is more common than you might think. There are many cases of buildings getting water damage and becoming potential areas for mold infestations. It clings to materials like drywall and finds places to hide and grow.
Mold can cause a lot of damage to your health, and its not an easy problem to fix. My Pure MD medical professionals specialize in cases of fatigue and know how hard it is to eliminate mold. The main problem with mold is that it contains mycotoxins, which are poisons that can cause neurological damage and other health problems.
Chronic mold exposure can cause headaches, bloating, muscle cramps, mood swings, and several other symptoms. Its important to eliminate mold to preserve your overall health and prevent chronic conditions from developing.
What Causes Nasal Congestion
Read Also: How To Remove Molds From Leather
Mold Inflammation And Fatigue Oh My
Lets be clear, its very difficult to diagnose CFS properly. The diagnosis is based on symptoms. And its often handed out when doctors dont know whats causing your fatigue. Toxic mold or CIRS, on the other hand, is very easy to diagnose.
Raising low VEGF is just one of the many steps involved in treating CIRS. But often its the part of the treatment that brings about the greatest improvement in energy levels. And now you know why VEGF is essential to supply your tissues with oxygenated blood. If that doesnt happen, youre going to feel fatigued.
How Can Mold Affect My Health
Many molds can cause health effects. Molds produce allergens, irritants and,sometimes, toxins that may cause adverse reactions in humans. A reaction tomold depends on how much a person is exposed to, the age of the person and thepersons sensitivities or allergies. The same amount of mold may causehealth effects in one person, but not in another.
Exposure to mold can cause a variety of symptoms. Sensitive people who havetouched or inhaled mold or mold spores may have allergic reactions such as arunny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, watery eyes, skin rash and itching. Molds can trigger asthma attacks in people who are allergic tomolds, causing wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. A diseaselike pneumonia may also develop after exposure to mold, but this is uncommon.
Infectious diseases from molds can occur in people with weakened immunesystems, such as those who are immune-compromised or immune-suppressed fromdrug treatment. Some types of mold are known to cause infections inimmune-compromised people. Such infections can affect the skin, eyes, lungs orother organs. These are considered opportunistic infections that usually do notaffect healthy people.
You May Like: How To Clean Bathroom Mold On Ceiling
How To Cure Mold Related Asthma Symptoms
If youve ever experienced the effects of the persistent and hazardous micro-organism called mold, then you already know how unpleasant and debilitating these effects can be.
The very first step in doing away with your symptoms is to find the and the have it removed.
In most cases, mold problems can be traced back to some sort of moisture problem since water is the leading factor contributing to fungal growth. So, begin with detecting the problematic areas in your home. These areas most often include the kitchen sink, leaking toilets, condensation around windows and cracks in the foundation. Also keep an eye on areas that are poorly insulation and more humid.
In some cases, areas that are contaminated with mold are easily identified theyre unsightly, attract dust and release unpleasant odours. Once youve identified them, the next step is fixing them in an efficient manner.
Unless you are lucky enough to possess specialized equipment and knowledge of proper mold remediation procedures, your best option is calling a team of mold removal experts. Not only are they well equipped with all the latest equipment, but they also have years of first-hand experience dealing with all types of mold problems. Theyll be able to pinpoint with certainty the source of the mold contamination and plan for a strategic remediation. Also, theyll ultimately be able to minimize your risk of future mold growth.
What Causes Mold Sickness
The toxins in your system from breathing in mold spores add to the total amount of toxicity in your body. We call this the Total Body Burden. When your burden is high, you start experiencing symptoms many which are seemingly unrelated.
For most people, toxins get flushed out from the body when eliminating waste.
For some, the toxic load is so high that its too much for the body to eliminate them all efficiently. For others, they may have poor detoxification processes or they may even recycle or reabsorb these mycotoxins back, as the body tries to eliminate them. Genetics plays a huge role in this difference from person to person
In short, multiple symptoms happen because, as we say in environmental medicine genetics points the gun, and then the environment pulls the trigger.
Recommended Reading: Black Mold On Ceiling In Bathroom
One: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
At its basic level, fatigue is a continuous state of exhaustion that slowly chips away at concentration, motivation, and mental health.¹ With the busy state of the world nowadays, this state of being could happen to anyone at multiple times in life. However, when this condition cannot be resolved with extensive rest, thats when it moves into the territory of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or Myalgic encephalomyelitis, is defined as fatigue that worsens with physical or mental activity, but doesn’t improve with rest. ² The effects of exhaustion are so severe that even daily tasks become difficult to accomplish. Running errands or making dinner can lead to an overwhelming need to return to bed, rest, and attempt to recuperate.
Except, with CFS, that recharge time never occurs and internal energy levels remain at that low base level. Eventually, this ongoing exhaustion can lead to work, relationship, and overall life burnout. At least one in four ME/CFS patients is bed- or house-bound for long periods during their illness.³
Researchers hypothesize that around 2.5 million Americans suffer from CFS, and about 90 percent of those suffering from the condition have not been diagnosed. That sparks the question as to why so many are continuing to unknowingly suffer.
The Cause of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Once all of the other potential causes are ruled out, treatment for the condition can begin.
Treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Could Mold Be The Cause Of Me/cfs
Could Mold Be The Cause of CFS?
To date, no cause has been identified for ME/CFS. In addition, many patients suggest that the treatments recommended for the disease are not helpful or even can make them worse. At best, research suggests that they are only mildly helpful and clearly not a long-term solution for those suffering from ME/CFS.
Upon review of the symptoms, it is apparent that there are many similarities with the symptoms of Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome .
As discussed in a previous article, 25% of the population have a genetic susceptibility to CIRS which is characterized by 37 symptoms: fatigue and weakness aches, pains, and muscle cramps respiratory issues headaches numbness and tingling focus/concentration issues, confusion, and mood swings sleeping troubles caused by night sweats visual problems, including sensitivity to light and blurring vision diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems and allergic reactions.
Could this possibly mean that individuals diagnosed with ME/CFS are actually suffering from CIRS because they have a genetic predisposition to mold illness?
If this is the case, then one of the key causes of ME/CFS could be mold.
Research backs this hypothesis!
Read Also: How To Get Black Mold Off Ceiling
Supplements For Lung Health
Supplementation with specific vitamins, minerals, and medicinal herbs can be highly beneficial for reducing symptoms associated with mold exposure.
Here are some things to keep in mind when looking for an effective dietary supplement:
- Ensure that scientific research supports the reliability and effectiveness of the ingredients.
- Choose a supplement that has been tested to ensure there are no heavy metals, contaminants, or other toxins present.
- Select multi-ingredient formulas, which provide a synergistic combination of nutrients, or if choosing single-ingredient products, ensure the dose is consistent with scientific research.
Can Mold Give You Body Aches
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.
Don’t Miss: Cleaning Mold Off Bathroom Ceiling
Side Effects Of Breathing Mold And Mildew
The quality of the air you breathe is vital for your well-being. There are thousands of microbial contaminants in the air that may pose health hazards. Fungi, which are ubiquitous in distribution are one such grave threat to your health in indoor environments. Molds are the most common forms of fungi found on earth. And mildew refers to certain kinds of mold or fungus. They reproduce through the formation of spores, which are tiny microscopic cells that float through the air. These mild spores are not always dangerous. We are exposed to them daily, both indoors and outdoors.
Outdoors, molds take part in the decomposition of organic matter such as dead trees, compost, and leaves. But, when they land on a moist surface indoors, they may grow, posing dangers. Molds survive and grow in warm, humid, and damp conditions.1 So, usually they are found in places such as basements or showers where there is high humidity. They also grow on cardboard, wood products, wallpaper, ceiling tiles, paint, and paper products.
Why Does Mold Cause Vertigo
Any illness can cause you to feel lightheaded or dizzy, including mold-related infections. Infections affecting the inner ear, including ear infections and sinus infections, are particularly likely to upset your sense of balance. There is a reason for that.
There is a tube in your ear called the Eustachian tube. This tube connects the middle ear to the back of your throat. It helps equalize pressure in your ears and that helps maintain your balance. Allergies, sinus infections and ear infections can all cause the Eustachian tube to become clogged with mucus, and this affects the pressure in your ear and upsets your sense of balance.
Mold grows outdoors as well as indoors, of course, but the concentration of mold spores is much higher when mold is present indoors, creating a much greater risk.
Recommended Reading: Remove Mildew From Bathroom Ceiling
Indoor Mold: 5 Symptoms Of Mold Exposure
Have you been wheezing lately, or getting out of breath just taking the stairs? Or maybe you feel like youre constantly battling a headache that just wont go away. Symptoms of mold exposure can be similar to those of infections or other conditions. So diagnosis and treatment takes longer than it should. But take heed. Those exposed to mold can be between 30-50% more likely to develop asthma. They also suffer from other respiratory problems and bronchitis.
Pains In The Nose And Face
The main reason that mold exposure may cause headaches is because, more often than not, mold spores can irritate the respiratory system and cause problems with the immune system, which can in turn aggravate the sinuses. And anyone who contends with seasonal allergies on a regular basis and/or is hyper-sensitive to changes in barometric pressure will tell you that irritated sinuses can result in a whopping headache.
Sinus headaches usually feel like dull, constant pressure in your cheekbones, your forehead, the bridge of your nose, or your inner ears. In severe cases, folks may almost feel like something is trying to push one of their eyes out of its socketand in very severe cases, a person may feel like their eye popping out would actually be a good thing, because at least then, they might experience some relief from the pressure in their skull!
The good news is that sinus headaches can typically be tamed with an over-the-counter painkiller, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Decongestants like pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine can help reduce swelling in the nasal passages , too, thus helping to reduce some of the pressure and curbing discomfort at its source.
Recommended Reading: Removing Mold From Leather
Also Check: Get Mold Off Bathroom Ceiling