Toxic Mold SymptomsMold is formed naturally and is always present in the environment. However there are some dangerous forms of mold, called toxic molds which prove to be rather harmful to living creatures. This toxic mold has seen an increase in the past few years with the increased efforts in energy conservation and airtight structures. So it can be said that though a building conserves energy and is airtight, it has its share of disadvantages too. This increase in the amount of toxic mold in the environment has brought about in increase in damage, ill health and death due to toxic molds. Depending on the type and quantity of mold present in a building, it causes different symptoms of exposure to toxic mold and corresponding diseases. Mold also releases its spores in the environment, and these along with other polluting substances can aggravate the sickness in people. It is usually infants and young children, the elderly and the immune-compromised who suffer the most from toxic mold and exhibit the most toxic mold symptom types. The different routes of exposure to molds are through inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact. So the health effects associated with this include irritation with volatile organic compounds, allergic reactions, mycotoxicosis and invasive disease. The common symptoms of toxic mold syndrome are cough and burning sensation in the mouth, throat and nasal passages with cutaneous irritation at the different points of the body having contact with toxic mold. Nosebleeds and tracheal bleeding are also reported but it is not proven if these symptoms arise through common building exposures. This is because though mycotoxin is associated with disseminating fungal conidia, the quantities are not sufficient to explain observed effects. Some forms of mycotoxins and conidia of mycotoxigenic fungi bring about toxic mold exposure symptoms because of activation of pulmonary alveolar macrophages, slowing down of the respiratory ciliary beat and the inhibition of oxidative burst killing mechanism in PAMs. However in addition to all these symptoms, there are some interactions with immune mechanisms that explain unsolved toxic mold symptoms which are not explained by toxicosis. On carrying out studies on people living in contaminated buildings, it has been found out that there is an association between the inhalation of fungi and different respiratory symptoms including toxic mold symptoms. Once you realize you are suffering from the consequences of toxic mold, it is important that you approach your family physician immediately for treatment. It is not possible for you to treat yourself if you suffer from toxic mold as different forms of toxic mold produces different forms of symptoms and allergies. It is up to the doctor to prescribe numerous tests to find out which allergy or disease corresponds with the toxic mold symptoms you exhibit. Once the cause and type of toxic mold is determined through tests, the doctor will be able to advise you and provide you with the right medication and treatment that cures you of your problems and symptoms of toxic mold. Sometimes if the medication does not work as expected, you may have to leave the place that triggers your problems. This means you may have to request a change of place if your office is the trigger of your toxic mold problems or perhaps change your home if your home triggers your attacks. Or, you could hire a professional service for the testing and removal of mold from your surroundings. |