Mold Exposure: 5 Common Symptoms

By: Lauren Bruun
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Toxin Detox
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August 20, 2021
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8 Min read

Common-symptoms-of-mold-exposure Mold is something that we often can not see, and it can significantly impact our health. Thankfully, there are tests for mold and mold exposure. This article discusses the common symptoms of mold exposure and what to do if you believe you have mold illness.

What is Mold?

Just like you, mold is a living thing. It is a type of fungus whose existence is important for this planet’s ecosystem. These organisms can live almost anywhere, including our homes. In general, they love wet surfaces and moist environments. They reproduce through lightweight spores that travel through moist air. These spores are what make us sick when we breathe them in.

There are several types of mold which fit into different classifications. We can broadly classify harmful molds into the hazard categories listed below:

Allergenic - This group of several molds can spark allergic reactions, such as skin irritation or eye irritation.
Pathogenic - These molds can cause disease, most commonly in immunocompromised people.
Toxigenic - Toxigenic molds produce mycotoxins that are harmful to us .

Four common types of mold:

Acremonium - This mold qualifies as both pathogenic and toxigenic. It is common in buildings that have water damage. Typically, it spreads slowly and is easier to catch than other molds. It starts as a relatively small growth on a moist surface, then slowly develops into a powdery substance that can be grey, orange, white, or even pink. 
Alternaria - Alternaria mold is allergenic and includes over two hundred and fifty species. You will commonly find different species of Alternaria on fruits, vegetables, and plants including indoor plants. It spreads in dry and windy conditions, such as summer weather, or forced air heating. Determining if you have Alternaria in your home requires a professional health test. 
Penicillium - This is another allergenic mold. The musty smell that accompanies it allows it to be found easily and has a powdery texture and can be anywhere there is indoor moisture. It notoriously contaminates leather and other clothing items. This is the type of mold is famous as it was initially used to make penicillin.
Stachybotrys chartarum - This is also called "black mold", which is very prevalent in wet or moist environments. This mold contributes to much of the mold illness, as it can grow in water damaged areas, basements, attics, and behind or under walls and flooring. The mycotoxins from the black mold get released in the ventilation system and travel throughout the home or environment, contaminating furniture, clothing, and everything you come in contact with on a daily basis.

Symptoms of mold exposure

Anyone can show physical signs of mold exposure. However, some people are more sensitive than others, including people with asthma, allergies, compromised immune systems, infants, the elderly, and those with other lung issues. Common symptoms of mold exposure include:

Coughing
Nasal Congestion
Chronic sinus infections
Insomnia
Depression and anxiety
Fatigue and weakness
Muscle and joint pain
Inability to lose weight

Dry scaly skin
Watery and itchy eyes
Postnasal drip
Sore throat
Sneezing
Fever
Constantly falling ill

As these symptoms are common for a variety of ailments, your health professional can help you determine the source of the symptoms. Noting when, where, and for how long you have these symptoms will be helpful. For example, if you have symptoms every time you have spent time in a specific room, it indicates an allergen or a mold might be in that room. If watery itchy eyes happen in the spring after time spent outside, it is more likely to be a seasonal allergy.

Testing for Mold

The CDC and EPA both say that there is little value in testing and determining the type of mold that is growing in an area. They recommend thoroughly inspecting and removing any mold that you can see or smell. Sometimes, mold may be "hidden" or growing in areas that can't be seen. In these cases, it is recommended to hire an experienced professional to find and remove the mold.

Treatment for Mold Exposure

Once the source of mold has been removed, your body will need assistance getting back to a healthy state. Supporting your immune system, detoxing, specific dietary choices, exercise, and using a HEPA air filter to properly purify and reduce allergen exposure will go a long way to heal and return to optimal health. To make this process easier, there are kits you can purchase to help your body with this process. Dr. Jill's Miracle Mold Detox Box is a good example.

Something to keep in mind is if you are toxic from mold exposure, you most likely have other concerns to address. Often, the body has collected too many heavy metals or there is candida, yeast, or parasites growing unchecked in the gut. It is critical to support the body in riding itself of toxins in a safe way. Incorporating daily sauna sessions, sweating through exercise, and taking hot detox baths are great ways to promote toxin elimination out through the pores. Performing coffee enemas and taking activated charcoal or a BioToxin binder to bind and eliminate these toxins from the liver and colon will further help you heal and reduce symptoms. Consuming a balanced, clean, high fiber whole-foods will also provide further support. Ultimately, it is most beneficial to work with a health coach to ensure these practices are in place so you are able to properly detox and heal.

Conclusion

Overall, mold can have a significant impact on our health. Removing the source of the mold and getting out of the moldy environment is going to be step one, then you can truly detoxify from mold exposure and eliminate the stored mycotoxins within your cells. If you need more guidance and support to effectively detox and heal from mold exposure, our certified health coaches are experts in this field and welcome you to schedule an initial consultation to address your needs.