sthma
Prolonged exposure to high levels of indoor dampness can lead to chronic health problems like asthma.
According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 6 million children in the United States have asthma. While genes play a lead role, childhood asthma has also been linked to indoor mold growing in a child’s home.
In a 2003 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers analyzed several studies and reported that there is consistent evidence that dampness exacerbates preexisting respiratory conditions like asthma, but they said it was not clear whether it also causes these conditions.
Later, a 2012 study published in Environmental Health Perspectives reported that mold exposure during early childhood increases the risk of asthma by 80 percent.
Apart from asthma, mold exposure is also linked to bronchitis
Rhinitis Infection
Household molds increase the risk of rhinitis. In fact, those already suffering from a rhinitis infection are more likely to have more severe symptoms when exposed to mold.
A 2010 study published in the Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society reports that although indoor dampness or mold exposure in relation to rhinitis symptoms does not have a strong relationship, there is a strong connection between high in-home fungal concentrations and development of allergic rhinitis in a child’s first five years of life.
A subsequent 2013 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology provides evidence that dampness and mold exposure at home are determinants of rhinitis and its subcategories, allergic rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis. The associations were strongest with mold odor, suggesting the importance of microbial causal agents.
Headaches
If you are spending time in a mold-affected home and you get frequent headaches, the reason may be mold toxicity.
Headaches, including migraines, are common consequences of mold toxicity. Mold can trigger a headache or migraine as a result of an allergic reaction to mold spores in the air. It can even be due to sinus pressure caused by a sinus infection or inflammation of the mucous membranes in the nasal cavities.
Along with headaches, you may also suffer from fatigue and tiredness. In addition, you may experience soreness in your muscles and joints.
To prevent headaches and migraines due to mold toxins, you’ll need to eliminate your exposure to mold
Weak Immunity
Mold toxins can even affect the body’s immune system, thus making you more prone to illness.
Heavily infested homes can have fungi that can produce volatile organic compounds, which in turn impair the immune system.
The problem is basically common in small children, whose immune systems are not fully developed. When their bodies are exposed to mold or antigens, their immune systems may react abnormally, creating frequent health problems.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, toxic effects from mold may cause severe health problems in infants, including acute vomiting, diarrhea, asthma attacks and even pulmonary hemorrhaging in severe cases. In fact, long-term exposure can lead to death.
Not just children, even adults living around toxic black mold for extended hours are more prone to get infections and become sick.