What Causes Mold Allergy Symptoms?

Unlike seasonal allergies, mold allergy symptoms tend to be present all year round. They grow throughout the year or until a hard freeze leaves them dormant. In particular, indoor mold may be more of a problem during the winter months as the humidity levels in most homes tends to be higher.

Mold can grow inside your walls, in your basement, your attic and in specific rooms such as the kitchen and the bathroom. Mold tends to favor places that are dark and moist and can attach to and grow on a variety of surfaces including wood, paper, clothing, carpets, and food, it digests these matters to grow.

Mold is considered a fungus and it spreads when tiny spores are released into the air from the wind or other disturbances of its colonies. In one colony mold can have thousands of spores continuously spreading throughout that particular site. Mold can only be seen in this nature, as each individual spore is too tiny to be seen by the naked eye.

There are literally thousands of species of mold that cause mold allergy symptoms. The most common species of mold include

• Acremonium
• Slow growing mold that is compact and moist. It can cause mycetoma, onychomycosis and hyalohyphomycosis in man and animals.
• Aspergillus
• Normally grows on many plants and trees, aspergillus also contaminates starchy foods such as breads and potatoes.
• Cladosporium
• Produces olive-green to brown and black colonies and are commonly found on living and dead plant material.
• Fusarium
• Is commonly found in soil and with plants, in particular this species of fungi infects much of the production of barely and can result in head blight and pink barely.
• Mucor
• Commonly found in soil, the digestive system, plant surfaces and rotten vegetables. This fast growing fungus is white to beige and grey.
• Penicillium
• The primary producer of penicillin, this fungus has played an important role in the food and drug production. It produces an antibiotic that kills certain kinds of bacteria inside the body.
• Rhizopus
• There are around 50 species of this type of fungi that are problematic to plants and humans. They are found on mature fruits and vegetables, jellies, syrups, leather, bread, peanuts and tobacco. Some species of the rhizopus can be fatal and are also associated with complications of diabetic ketoacidosis.
• Stachybotrys
• With over 50 species of this fungus it is one of the most infamous of the fungus due to S. chartarum also known as Black mold or toxic black mold. Depending on the inhalation of this mold and length of exposure, chronic symptoms can manifest including headaches, fever, irritation to the eyes, mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and throat, rashes, chronic coughing, and sneezing. In severe cases symptoms included vomiting, nausea and bleeding in the lungs and nose.
• Trichoderma
• There are over 89 species of this fungus found in all soils.

In many cases it can be very difficult for a person to get an accurate diagnosis as most people realize that they are having mold allergy symptoms but do not take the time to find out what might be causing them.

What are the Mold Allergy symptoms?

In most cases mold allergy symptoms are similar to regular seasonal allergy symptoms. In cases where exposure is extensive and symptoms are more severe, serious respiratory problems may occur. Most of us recognize most of the more common mold allergy symptoms. But there can be different degrees to the severity of the symptoms.

• Mild
• Rash
• Congestions
• Watery eyes
• Dark circles under the eyes
• Sneezing
• Moderate
• Itchiness
• Difficulty breathing
• Pinkeye
• Coughing
• Severe
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Cramps
• Varying degrees of swelling
• Dizziness or Mental confusion
• Anaphylaxis

If you exhibit mold allergy symptoms or suspect that you may have a mold allergy, you should make an appointment with your doctor for thorough testing. He will probably send you to an allergist for a full series of skin tests to see what exactly you are allergic to.

In the event of long term exposure, it is possible that the person may never fully recover and will live with their allergy symptoms and the lung damage for the rest of their life. Therefore, if you know you have had exposure to mold, schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Mold allergy symptoms is not something to take lightly.

Prevention

In an effort to keep you healthy, here are some mold allergy avoidance measures you can take in order to keep mold from growing in and around your home. Preventing the mold from growing in the first place will eliminate the mold allergy symptoms.

• Purify air: to help minimize airborne pollutants use an air purifier with a HEPA filter.
• Properly ventilate: When you properly ventilate your home, the pressure of that ventilation will force moisture and contaminates outside where they belong.
• Dehumidification: If the relative humidity in your home is 55% or higher you have created a playground for mold and dust mites. To control humidity use a dehumidifier in your home.
• Protect basement/crawl spaces: it is an important preventative measure to keep your basement or crawl space protected by putting plastic over any dirt in the crawl space or by providing good ventilation for your basement.
• Water leak preventatives: the most common reason for mold build-up in the home is from water leaks and other forms of water intrusion.
• Keep firewood outside: mold loves wet, dark spaces and this includes firewood.
• Monitor ductwork: change all air filters in your home regularly and have a duct cleaning company to remove dirt from duct areas at least once a year.
• Dust level: Any area that has dust is more susceptible to mold. Dirt, dust, and grime are organic materials and a favorite of mold.
• Bathroom preventions: When mold starts to become visible on your shower curtain, trade it in for a new one.
• Keep water away from the home: Any standing water can and will eventually grow mold, be sure the ground is sufficiently sloped around the foundation.
• Keep mold off household plants: Mold loves your plants almost as much as you do, be sure to keep your plants dusted and well groomed to keep the mold from building up.

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