What Does Mold Poisoning Feel Like? Symptoms & Treatments

Mold is a fungi that we haven’t thought worth exploring too many times unless we actually experience what it can do to our health. We’ve underestimated what it can do and how it will do it. In order to stop that from happening, this article is a wakeup call for everyone who has mold in their house and wants it gone. It’s not always easy to tell if mold exposure is getting you unwell.

Mold poisoning has diverse effects on different people’s bodies. Some people suffer from migraines and headaches on a regular basis, as well as shortness of breath, brain fog, exhaustion, and depression. Because symptoms range from person to person, mold exposure may not be immediately linked to them. Many people who are sickened by mold have a difficult time getting a good diagnosis and inquiry.

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What is mold?

Mold is basically a type of fungi that is present in damp areas where wetness resides for a long duration of time. These places could be basements, kitchens, washrooms, etc. However they do not grow with just leaks and floods, they can develop within your home if you have poor ventilation and retained moisture behind your walls. You have to make sure your house is built in such a way that there isn’t much moisture on the walls and floors of the basement to be retained and there’s proper ventilation so air can pass through.

These fungi are propagated via spores, which are invisible “seeds” that travel through the air. They then take up residence wherever they come across a moist surface. These spores multiply swiftly and can take hold in less than 24 hours in areas with poor ventilation and excessive humidity.

When you inhale these spores, the trouble begins. They create toxic compounds called mycotoxins, which can trigger an immunological response in some people and are also exceedingly dangerous. It is for this reason that some mold is referred to as “poison molds.”

What is Mycotoxin Poisoning?

Mold’s most serious issues are caused by tiny compounds known as mycotoxins, which mold produces when it feels threatened. Consider how an octopus generates ink or how a skunk sprays someone. Low amounts of some mycotoxins aren’t a problem for most people.

Low levels of these mycotoxins (ochratoxin, aflatoxin, and mycophenolic acid) can be discovered in food. Other mycotoxins, such as Trichothecenes, are hazardous in much smaller amounts, but only in water-damaged structures, and they are considerably more toxic. Stachybotrys, sometimes known as black mold, produce trichothecenes.

Mycotoxins induce a variety of health impacts, and these symptoms are impacted by heredity, sex, and the age of the patient. Symptoms are influenced by the number of mycotoxins ingested by the patient as well as the type of mycotoxin ingested (2). Chronic fatigue, ADHD, rashes, COPD, and depression are all typical symptoms. Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and cancer are some of the less prevalent symptoms. Mycotoxins also damage the immune system, making it more susceptible to secondary infections.

What leads to mold sickness?

Mold sickness develops when your body is exposed to mold for a long period of time. However, that isn’t the case for everyone. People with mold allergies develop mold sickness quicker than most. It’s when your body inhales all the spore molecules in the air, irritating your airways and lungs. During this time, toxins usually move out of the body when you’re eliminating waste. But things do not always go as planned. Sometimes the toxin load is so how that all of the toxins aren’t able to leave the body. This leads to a poor detoxification process and creates even more of a problem. Your body doesn’t fully release all the toxins either.

Sometimes the situation escalates solely because of genetics, as you might have a history of allergies or sensitivity. This can surely create problems for you as a whole.

Symptoms of mold sickness

If you’re being exposed to such fungi more and more, you’ll develop symptoms rather quickly. It’s important to note how much that might be the case. If you’re exposed to it on a regular basis then you’ll experience symptoms like:

shortness of breath
Watery eyes
Runny nose
Itchy eyes
Coughing
Redness of the eyes
Rash

If the situation becomes worse or bodies isn’t as sensitive and is reacting more, you’ll have symptoms like:

Migraines and headaches
Pain in joints
Cramped muscles and pain and aches in joint
Persistent nerve pain
Dizziness
Fatigue

What are the signs of mold?

It’s important to always be on the lookout for things that actually cause you health issues. The best to know that is by knowing about the signs that tell you if these fungi actually exist here. The perfect sign of mold existing somewhere in your house is the distinct stale smell that is always around it. It will be a huge indicator of how things are going. If there’s been water damage in your house, that will also tell you if there is mold in the house.

The most alarming thing about it is its ability to grow in speed. You can tell that within 24 hours of water leakage, mold will grow on walls and floors without your notice. One thing you can do to ensure there isn’t any mold in your house is by:

Checking different surfaces of the house for leaks or mold
Check if the air is developing signs of spores
Look at the sources of moisture to tell if they are there.
Use natural enzymes to kill mold spores from different areas

Conclusion:

It’s natural to believe that if your house is clean, mold cannot exist. Mold, on the other hand, comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Hopefully, this article has opened your eyes to the possibility of mold being a danger to your body. This way you can deal with all of these things without worrying it having a negative effect on your body.