So, What can mold do to you? Let’s get into it!
If you have mold, or if you’re concerned about it, it’s only normal to wonder what can mold do to you. We’re not talking about the usual affects, such as headaches and asthma, which can be found in our 3 Mold Symptoms That You Should Not Avoid blog or in our Symptoms of Mold Exposure blog. We’re going beyond the norm and introducing affects of exposure that is not talked about in every blog post about the causes of exposure. Now let’s answer the question of what can mold do to you.
Invasive Aspergillosis
Aspergillosis, an airborne mold that is often is found in air conditioning units, compost piles and damp or flood-damaged homes or buildings, can cause a deadly fungal infection called invasive aspergillosis when breathed in. According to Science Daily, aspergillosis is generally harmless; however, when it does affect someone, chronic lung problems and serious allergic reactions can occur. Also according to Science Daily, this invasive aspergillosis kills 40 to 80 percent of those with a widespread inspection.
Symptoms include: Fever and chills, bloody coughs, lungs bleeding, shortness of breath, chest or joint pain, headaches, eye-sight loss, nosebleeds, facial swelling, skin lesions, etc.
Treatment includes: Antifungal medications, surgery may be needed in the case of lungs bleeding, steroids to strengthen lungs. In minor cases, your body will get rid of the condition on it’s own and only a few chest x-rays will be required to be sure that the condition doesn’t worsen.
Tinnitus & Hearing Loss
Tinnitus is the medical term for unusual noises, such as whistles and crackles in your ears. Prolonged exposure to toxic mold can cause these uncomfortable sounds to appear on a normal basis. Often times when tinnitus is consistently present, it is followed by hearing loss. If you’re exposed to it for an extended amount of time while experiencing these symptoms, it is possible to go completely deaf. Hearing loss may be temporary or permanent, depending on how much damage has been done to the ear canal. Wholenewmom.com shares a story of a family who experienced a moldy nightmare. In this story, a seven year old boy developed tinnitus and it eventually landed him in a wheelchair.
Symptoms include: Sinus infections, crackling and crunching sounds, high-pitched ringing, beep and whistling sounds, gurgling sounds, whirling sounds, buzzing sounds, and random sounds that comes and goes.
Treatment includes: Tinnitus is often known as one of the non-treatable conditions. However, Tinnitus Treatment Solutions seem to have a different view on that. Tinnitus Treatment Solutions use treatment strategies, including tinnitus hearing aids and sound therapy to treat patients.
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a disease that affects your brain, sexual dysfunction, spinal cord, the optic nerves in your eyes, etc. It can cause problems with muscle control, balance, vision, and other bodily functions. Multiple sclerosis occurs when the protective coating of bodily nerves, called the myelin sheath, are destroyed. According to Asbestos Mold Connecticut, long term exposure to Stachybotrys or Chaetomium molds can destroy the myelin sheath, causing potential multiple sclerosis outbursts.
Symptoms include: fatigue, lack of vision, tingling and numbness, vertigo, dizziness, muscle weakness, spasms, problems with balance and coordination, difficulty speaking, problems with swallowing, cognitive dysfunction, bladder and bowel dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, mood swings and depression
Treatment includes: Asbestos Mold Connecticut states that there is no real cure for multiple sclerosis but there are medications available to help control the disease.
Fungal Pneumonia
Fungal pneumonia is a lung infection caused by fungi. This pneumonia occurs following the inhalation of spores or conidia. According to Patient.info, fungal pneumonia is most prevalent in those who have traveled abroad to areas where fungal pneumonia pathogens are endemic, or in patients who have an impaired immune system due to solid organ transplantation or HIV infection.
Symptoms include: fever, cough, chest discomfort, difficulty breathing, weight loss, fatigue, wheezing, skin lesions and joint pain or swelling.
Treatment includes: cardiotoracic surgery, chemotherapy, steroids, colony-stimulating factors to boost immune cell production, and drugs may be prescribed to decrease toxicity, treat infections, etc.
This article does not imply that if you ever experience one of the conditions above, mold is the automatically the cause. The purpose of this list is to inform you of some of the more uncommon conditions that have been linked to mold but people are not aware of. If you still have questions about what can mold do to you, feel free to contact the mold experts. If you’re concerned about a potential mold problem, fill out the form to schedule a mold removal, mold inspection or mold testing or give us a call at 317-837-6665.
