{"id":3121,"date":"2019-01-22T08:23:34","date_gmt":"2019-01-22T08:23:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=3121"},"modified":"2021-05-24T18:55:16","modified_gmt":"2021-05-24T18:55:16","slug":"12-unexpected-mold-exposure-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/12-unexpected-mold-exposure-symptoms\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Unexpected Mold Exposure Symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Is your roof leaking during heavy rainstorms? Do you have dripping pipework in your walls? Has your geyser burst recently leaving water all around your roof? If so, your home is at risk of developing toxic black mold. Mold thrives in a warm, moist environment and spores readily travel through your home, settling in dark, damp corners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These spores multiply rapidly and contaminate the air in your house. Since the spores are microscopic, you won\u2019t be able to notice them in the air. However, mold does have a musty and stale smell to it, especially when colonies of mold begin to get out of control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mold infestation in the home is responsible for various adverse health conditions that affect your respiratory system and immune function. Here are eight unexpected mold symptoms. If you notice any sign of contamination from spores, and you should seek immediate removal of the mold and treatment from your physician.
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1.    Allergies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mold spores spread in a warm and moist environment, you may notice an elevation in the humidity of the affected room or rooms. This rise in humid conditions signals that water is leaking or has leaked in this room in the past. The extra humidity occurs alongside a musty smell in the room, and this is a sign of mold growing somewhere \u2013 in the cupboards, between walls, or the roof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If anyone in your family suffers from allergies<\/a>, one of the first signs of mold growth is an exacerbation in their allergy symptoms. Affected individuals notice an increase in wheezing, coughing, and sneezing, and some highly sensitive individuals may begin to develop a rash. Some people may brush off the symptoms due to an increase in pollen during the spring, but if you notice a musty smell, it’s probably mold causing the flare in your allergies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the mold spreads, symptoms continue to increase, and if left untreated and unmanaged, the symptoms could progress into complications of the respiratory system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2.    Respiratory Illnesses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When mold first starts to colonize in your home, it may go unnoticed until you begin to see symptoms of allergy flare-ups in affected individuals in your family. Unfortunately, by the time respiratory symptoms begin to emerge, the chances are that your home is under infestation from microscopic mycotoxin spores<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this stage, family members may begin to experience signs of respiratory distress, such as a persistent cough and a runny nose. As the mold spores become more prevalent in the air, they seek out other hosts. Your lungs offer a dark and damp space for them to multiply. Doctors treat mold infections with antibacterial and antifungal medications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, some individuals who fail to receive treatment in time may develop growths of spores in their lungs. If left untreated, these spores can create severe respiratory illnesses that become life-threatening. In most cases, people with this condition require surgery to remove the spores from the lungs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3.    Infections<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When mold spores begin to multiply, they eventually reach a critical level where they disperse into the air. In this state, the mold spores float around your home, entering the lungs of family members. What starts as a flare-up of allergies, progresses into respiratory illness, and eventually into infections of the airways and lungs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toxic mold-related illnesses can become life-threatening if you don\u2019t receive the right treatment in time. The mold creates the ideal environment in your respiratory tract that attracts bacterial and fungal infections. The most common infections occur due to the presence of pathogens <\/a>such as aspergillus, fumigatus, and Histoplasma. The first signs of disease show up as an inflamed sinus and respiratory tract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctors treat these pathogens using a combination of antifungal and antibacterial drugs. In some cases, it may take weeks for the lungs to regain their normal function. However, if left untreated, the disease will spread to other parts of the body and may manifest into severe health conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4.    Reproductive Issues  <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Exposure to mold mycotoxins typically affects the respiratory tract and sinus <\/a>first. At this stage, most people will visit their doctor and receive a diagnosis of their condition. After returning home, the affected individual typically discovers the source of the mold and removes it from their premises. Removal may include air-remediation to remove all of the spores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in rare cases, some affected individuals either don\u2019t notice their symptoms in time or fail to remove the mold entirely from their home. Therefore, the spores reoccur, causing further damage to the health of the people in the affected household.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the unexpected symptoms of mold exposure is dropped infertility in both men and women. Immune function reduces as the body tries to fight off the infection, resulting in the disease spreading to other biological systems. Mold infection can cause a hormonal imbalance that disrupts normal hormone production, leading to pregnancy complications and issues with conception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5.    Digestive Problems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When the body has to deal with removing stubborn mold spores, immune function diminishes, allowing for the spread of infection into the digestive tract as well. As a result, the digestive system<\/a> may have a tough time removing biological waste. This lack of digestive capacity leads to digestive problems which can cause bouts of vomiting, diarrhea, and in some cases, internal bleeding in the intestinal wall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you notice any dark or foul-smelling stools, you may be suffering from digestive issues as a result of severe mold mycotoxin exposure. If left untreated, the infection may affect the liver. The liver is the body\u2019s primary filter, and in a weakened state, it may not be able to produce enough bile to remove toxins from the bloodstream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This lack of function and increase in toxins eventually results in liver disease that could become life-threatening. If you notice your skin or the whites of your eyes turning yellow, it\u2019s a sign of liver distress requiring immediate medical treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6.    Chronic Fatigue Syndrome<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Are you feeling more tired than usual? Chronic fatigue syndrome, (CFS,) occurs when mold infection begins to get out of control. As the spores spread, you start to breathe in more of the mycotoxins. These toxins affect neurotransmitter creation and function in the brain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, you begin to experience a decline in cognitive function. Thinking slows down, decision making becomes impaired, and you start to feel tired all of the time, even after a good night\u2019s sleep. Chronic fatigue<\/a> describes a condition where feelings of tiredness persist for weeks or months at a time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 1-million Americans suffer from this condition. However, most of them write it off to stress in their life or poor lifestyle choices, such as a diet high in fast food, smoking, or alcohol use. If left untreated, the syndrome can develop into chronic autoimmune disorders, such as adrenal fatigue, where the body produces too much of the hormone cortisol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7.    Unusual Skin Sensations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Due to its status as an allergen<\/a>, it may surprise you to learn that mold infection can affect the health of your skin as well. Mold spores settle on the surface of the skin and begin to colonize. The spores seep into your pores and are resistant to being washed off in the shower or the bath unless you\u2019re using an antibacterial shower gel or body scrub. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result of the mold infecting your skin, you may begin to develop a rash that consists of tiny red bumps where the mycotoxins inflame the pores and skin cells in the surrounding area. In some cases, a rash may not develop, but the affected individual notices intense itching sensations of their skin. Other symptoms of skin irritation include a tingling feeling, as well as numbness in the affected area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Treatment for the condition involves prescription-strength antibacterial and antifungal creams or lotions that kill off the invading mold spores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8.    Life-Threatening Illnesses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most homeowners will notice the signs of mold growth before it gets out of control. However, some individuals may not identify the musty smell due to activities like smoking cigarettes <\/a>indoors, leaving the smoke to hang in the air while masking the smell of mold spores. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In such a case, the spores continue to colonize your home, leading to infection. Since smokers typically deal with respiratory infections on a semi-regular basis, they may not notice the initial signs of mycotoxins spreading in the body. As a result, a buildup of mycotoxins can lead to the development of life-threatening health issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pneumonia comes from infection of the bacteria known as \u201cstreptococcus pneumonia,\u201d and these bacteria love breeding in moist, dark places \u2013 like inside the alveoli in your lungs. If left untreated, pneumonia can spread to both of the lungs, causing respiratory distress and collapse. Other severe diseases caused by mycotoxins include lupus, fibromyalgia, lupus, cancer, tuberculosis, and sudden infant death syndrome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Brain Fog<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This condition describes disruption in the rational thinking processes in the brain due to infection with mycotoxins found in mold spores. Affected individuals may start to notice feelings of fatigue that affect their physical activity during the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If left undiagnosed and untreated, these feelings of tiredness spread into other areas of the body, including the nervous system and the brain. Mycotoxin spores disrupt the neurotransmitter production in the body. Neurotransmitters are responsible for numerous cognitive functions, and a dip in their production leads to brain fog<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After receiving the correct treatment from your doctor, you\u2019ll notice a rapid improvement in your symptoms as the bacteria clears from your system. Most individuals experience a complete recovery, without sustaining any permanent damage to the brain or nervous system. However, those individuals who don\u2019t seek diagnosis and treatment may end up developing seizures that scar brain tissue, leading to permanent, irreversible damage.
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10. Chronic Cough<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mold spores colonize in your room or home, you\u2019ll notice a musty smell in the air from the mycotoxins. Although these particles are too small to identify with the naked eye, their presence is detrimental to your health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breathing in air contaminated with mycotoxins allows the fungus <\/a>to enter your airways. Mold spores breed in the dark, damp areas of your home, and your lungs provide the ideal breeding ground where they can multiply as they please.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result of mold exposure, the bronchial tubes and alveoli sacs in the lungs become clogged with spores, resulting in a chronic cough that escalates in intensity as the spores multiply in the lungs. Unfortunately, many people write off these symptoms as bronchitis or some other form of mild respiratory disease and choose to forgo seeing a doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failure to receive the necessary treatment to clear the infection may result in severe scarring of the lungs and respiratory failure.
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11. Blurred Vision<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mycotoxin spores floating through the air not only affect the health of your respiratory system, but they also irritate the eyes and sinus as well. People who experience high-mold areas in their home may notice inflammation in the corners of their eyes that turn the edges of the eyelids pink or red. Symptoms of itching appear soon after, and the infection then spreads to the sinus, where it creates inflammation in the upper respiratory tract and nasal cavities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people confuse this symptom with an allergic reaction to pollen in the spring or summer. However, toxic mold is most active in warm conditions, so you can expect most mold infections to occur during the warmer months of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If left untreated, mold infects the eyes causing blurred vision<\/a> and weeping. The fungus produces intense bouts of itching and leaves your eyes feeling dry. If you live in an area where there\u2019s plenty of dust in the air, it may get into your eyes and scarring the cornea.
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12. Stiff Joints<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mold infestation in your home is a serious concern. If left unmanaged, the mold will spread through your house, infesting every room with mycotoxin spores that ruin your health in a variety of different means. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mycotoxin spores entering the lungs may affect the bloodstream and oxygen levels in blood vessels. This effect leaves the infected individual feeling tired and lethargic<\/a>. However, the damage does not stop there. If left untreated, mold spores can affect the mobility of your joints as well. One of the less common symptoms of toxic mold exposure is waking up with stiff or sore joints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many medical professionals misdiagnose this symptom as some other disorder, such as a degenerative bone disease like arthritis. If left undiagnosed, affected individuals will notice a steady decline in mobility and joint health, until they experience toxic shock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After receiving the necessary treatment to rid the body of mycotoxin spores, the joints return to normal function and health in a few days.
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13. Mood Swings
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Individuals experiencing mold infection may also notice changes to their mood<\/a>. They may experience moments of elation, followed by periods of depressive thinking or low emotional response. Mycotoxin exposure enters the body through the lungs where it gains access to the bloodstream. Mold spores may disrupt the normal neural function of the brain, diminishing neurotransmitter production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neurotransmitters are responsible for managing our emotional well-being and stabilizing mood. When infected by toxic mold, neurotransmitter production slows, reducing the presence of feel-good chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and melatonin to name a few.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result of the inhibited neurotransmitter production, affected individuals will notice changes in their mood that occur even when there is no external stimulus to produce a change in the emotional state of the infected individual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consult your doctor right away, as emotional imbalance may be a sign of toxic mold exposure, as well as various other severe adverse health conditions.
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14. Increased Thirst and Urination<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the more common signs of toxic mold exposure is an increase in thirst and urination<\/a>. As the mold colonies increase their presence in your home and your body, they start to disrupt normal body functions, such as thirst and urination. Infected individuals may find that they start going to the bathroom a lot more frequently than usual and that no matter how much water they drink, they continually feel thirsty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mycotoxin spores in mold affect the body\u2019s production of antidiuretic hormone, (ADH.) When ADH levels start to decline, we find ourselves running for the toilet more often, and drinking more water than we would on a hot day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This hormonal imbalance is a serious problem that requires immediate medical attention. When we drink too much water and increase urine frequency, we flush vital minerals and electrolytes from our system, leading to mineral deficiencies that result in catastrophic incidents, such as seizures.
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