Identify Symptoms of Mold Exposure & Prevent Health Risks

While mold is a natural part of the ecosystem, it can cause serious health problems when it grows in our homes and workplaces. Understanding what mold is, where it grows, and recognizing how it affects your health is essential to a safe living environment. Continue reading to learn the basics of mold, common types, symptoms, and how to protect your home from mold-related health risks.

What Is Mold?  

Molds are fungi that have been around for millions of years. Mold spores are in the air around us and can cause health problems, especially for people with preexisting respiratory conditions, if they enter our homes. Molds can come indoors through open windows, doors, vents, and air-conditioning systems. They can also be brought inside our homes on clothing, shoes, and animal matter like pet fur. 

Types of Mold

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the four most common indoor molds are:

• Stachybotrys chartarum (black mold)

• Cladosporium 

• Alternaria

• Penicillium

Where Does Mold Grow?

Molds grow outdoors and inside warm, damp areas with poor ventilation. Black mold (Stachybotrys chartarum) grows on cellulose-containing porous materials such as paper, wood, and drywall. Mold growth is common in places with excessive moisture, such as:

• Leaking pipes 

• Water damage areas on roofs

• Plant pots

• Window mouldings

• Shower stalls, shower curtains, and bathroom tiles

• Kitchen areas prone to spills

• Surfaces around air conditioners 

• Basements

• Areas where there has been flooding

What Are the Symptoms of Mold Exposure?

Common symptoms of mold exposure include:

• Nasal congestion or stuffy nose

• Sneezing

• Postnasal drip

• Cough

• Red, watery, burning eyes

• Skin rash

• Headache

Black mold exposure symptoms can also include respiratory issues such as:

• Dry or productive cough

• Chest tightness

• Dyspnea (shortness of breath)

• Wheezing

Mold poisoning symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, poor concentration, impaired motor skills, fatigue, and mood disorders such as depression are controversial. There isn’t any strong scientific evidence linking black mold exposure to these health problems. However, you should tell your healthcare provider if you have an existing health condition that could put you at a greater risk of serious illness if exposed to mold. Tell your doctor if you are experiencing severe symptoms after exposure to mold.

What Are the First Signs of Mold in Your House?

Black mold looks like a fuzzy or slimy, black or dark green spot, visible to the naked eye, most commonly on hard surfaces in warm, damp areas. 

Other visible signs of indoor mold include:

• Dark tile grout in your bathroom.

• Warped, bubbling, or cracking wall surfaces.

• Uneven attic insulation. 

There can also be a moldy, musty, or earthy smell in mold-infested homes. Mold can also cause a more pungent smell like sweaty socks or rotten meat if the infestation is particularly bad. If you see or smell signs of black mold in your home, it is important to identify the source and remove it before it can grow and cause health issues.

How to Get Rid of Mold

1. The first step if you live in a house with mold is to address the dampness. In other words, if you notice mold growing indoors, first find and correct the moisture problem.

2. The next step in mold cleanup is discarding any porous or wet materials with extensive mold growth (for example, drywall, paper, carpeting, or ceiling tiles).

3. Any hard surfaces that are not rotten or decayed should be cleaned with soap and water. Make sure you wear an N95 mask and rubber gloves while cleaning mold.

4. Routine cleaning of wet areas (where it is practically impossible to eliminate moisture) should be done using chlorine bleach, which kills black mold instantly. Add one cup of chlorine bleach to 5 gallons of water to prevent mold growth in these areas. Ensure adequate ventilation when using bleach to prevent irritation of your eyes, nose, and throat.

5. Perform regular inspections for signs of leaks, moisture, or new mold growth.

Mold typically grows in warm temperatures but can sometimes grow on refrigerated foods. If any food has visible mold, discard it in the trash and clean the area where the food was stored. Check foods stored nearby for signs of mold. 

Is Mold Testing Necessary?

Mold testing to find out what kind of mold you have in your home is not usually necessary. It is not a regulatory requirement. There are no standards for indoor mold levels. Mold sampling and testing can, therefore, be an unnecessary expense, and it is usually simpler and cheaper just to clean the mold.

Professional Mold Remediation Options  

If you have large areas of mold in your home or are highly sensitive to mold spores, it’s best to have a licensed contractor do the mold cleanup. 

Many mold professionals offer a home evaluation and free quote. They can perform a thorough mold inspection to identify the type and amount of mold in your home. 

Professional mold remediation is done using high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to clean the air and remove mold spores in the affected area. All contaminated surfaces are vacuumed with a HEPA vacuum. A professional will also spray and wipe down contaminated surfaces to remove any remaining spores. The area is then treated with an antimicrobial applied with a special device for maximum efficacy. 

How Mold Affects Health  

Exposure to damp, moldy environments can cause health concerns in some people. These health effects occur due to inhaling mold spores, and compounds called microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) that are made by molds. mVOCs are what cause you to smell mold (the characteristic musty, moldy smell). 

Short-Term Health Effects  

People who have a mold allergy can develop upper respiratory symptoms upon mold exposure. This happens because the immune system overreacts to the mold and triggers an inflammatory response. Common mold allergy symptoms are similar to allergic rhinitis (stuffy nose, runny nose, sneezing), postnasal drip, cough, and watery or burning eyes. 

Individuals with lung disease, such as COPD, may also experience bronchoconstriction leading to wheezing even after short-term mold exposure.   

What Happens if You Are Exposed to Mold for a Long Time?

Black mold rarely causes severe reactions, serious illness, or death, but it can cause problems in people with certain health conditions. For example, severe symptoms of mold injury may include:

• Chronic lung disease: Extensive mold growth in the home can lead to worsening asthma symptoms, such as chest tightness, wheezing, and cough.

• Compromised immune system: Exposure to black mold spores can cause mycosis (fungal infection) in the airways or other parts of the body. Risk factors include people with weakened immune systems. 

• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: Household mold exposure has been linked to hypersensitivity pneumonitis, an immune system disorder that causes lung inflammation. 

How To Test For Mold Allergy and Mold Toxicity  

Your doctor can make a diagnosis of mold allergy based on your symptoms, physical examination, and test results, including:

• Skin prick test: The suspected allergen (for example, mold found in your home) is diluted and applied to your skin with tiny pinpricks. People with a mold allergy will develop hives (red, raised bumps) at the site of the skin prick test. 

• Blood test: A radioallergosorbent test can measure immune system activity by measuring levels of immunoglobulin E antibodies (IgE). Your blood sample can also be tested in the laboratory for sensitivity to specific mold types.

• Fungal culture: If you have signs and symptoms of mycosis (fungal infection) in your airways or some other part of your body, your healthcare provider can do a fungal culture test on fluid or cells obtained from the affected area.

Treatment Options

The best way to avoid mold exposure symptoms is to get rid of mold in your home. However, if you are experiencing symptoms of mold exposure, talk to your doctor. They may recommend treatment options, including:

Nasal Irrigation or Nasal Lavage

Rinsing or irrigating your nasal passages with salt water every day can relieve nasal symptoms from mold allergies. You can use a neti pot, bulb syringe, or nasal saline kit such as Sinus Rinse to remove irritants. Only use sterile or distilled water for nasal lavage. Tap water may contain bacteria leading to an infection.

Antihistamines

Antihistamines are allergy medications that can help with sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose, and itching. Examples of over-the-counter antihistamines include fexofenadine (Allegra Allergy), cetirizine (Zyrtec Allergy), and loratadine (Claritin, Alavert). Prescription antihistamine nasal sprays include azelastine (Astepro, Astelin) and olopatadine (Patanase).

Nasal Corticosteroids

Steroid nasal sprays reduce inflammation in the upper respiratory tract caused by mold allergy. Examples include mometasone (Nasonex), fluticasone (Flonase Allergy Relief, Xhance), ciclesonide (Zetonna, Omnaris), triamcinolone (Nasacort), and budesonide (Rhinocort Allergy).

Oral Decongestants

Over-the-counter oral decongestants can help with mold exposure symptoms such as nasal and sinus congestion. However, these medications are not safe for people with high blood pressure. Examples include Drixoral Cold and Allergy (dexbrompheniramine/pseudoephedrine) and Sudafed 12 Hour (pseudoephedrine).

Decongestant Nasal Sprays

Short-term use of decongestant nasal sprays such as oxymetazoline (Afrin) can relieve black mold exposure symptoms. However, these medications should not be used for more than a few days without consulting a healthcare provider. 

Leukotriene Receptor Antagonists 

Medications such as montelukast (Singulair) block the action of immune system chemicals called leukotrienes that cause allergy symptoms.

Immunotherapy

Your health care provider may recommend immunotherapy (allergy shots) to desensitize your immune system to an allergen (mold) if other treatments do not work. This treatment involves getting a series of allergy shots to slowly train your immune system not to overreact to a particular allergen. It can help prevent allergic reactions to black mold exposure.

FAQs on Black Mold Symptoms

What Are The 10 Warning Signs of Mold Toxicity?

Ten warning signs of mold toxicity may include:

1. Sinus or nasal congestion

2. Sneezing

3. Runny nose

4. Eye irritation (red, itchy, watery eyes)

5. Wheezing 

6. Coughing

7. Difficulty breathing

8. Throat irritation

9. Headache

10. Skin irritation, such as skin rash

How Long Does It Take To Get Sick From Mold In Your House?

Mold can affect people differently. If you have an allergy to mold spores, you can develop severe symptoms almost immediately after exposure to mold spores. If you don’t have a mold allergy, you may not get sick from mold in your house for a long time. You may never develop symptoms, or you could develop a mold illness and health issues many months or years later.

How Can I Test Myself For Mold Toxicity?

You cannot test yourself for mold toxicity. However, if you have mold-related health issues and suspect mold toxicity, your healthcare provider can do blood tests and urine tests to check for a specific mycotoxin (a toxin produced by specific fungi).