Toxic Black Mold Exposure

Black mold is a type of fungus belonging to Stachybotrys genus. It is referred to as Stachybotrys chartarum (or Stachybotrys atra). It is commonly found in the damp, dark interior parts of our house. It thrives in humid climate. It grows well in high cellulose materials such as drywall, water soaked wood, carpet, fiber-board, wallpaper, thermal insulation and so on. In a mold infested house, these greenish-black fungi can smear the floors, walls as well as ceilings. There are several varieties of black mold but all of them are not so harmful. Toxic black mold exposure can occur on direct contact with the skin and ingestion or inhalation of the mold.

Symptoms

Black mold poses serious health risks to children and the elderly as they have weak immune system. The toxic black mold exposure symptoms in humans often vary from mild to severe depending on the extent to which the body is exposed to black mold. When there is an increase in the toxic molds in your body, then the immune system first responds to the allergens with allergic reactions. It can be identified with symptoms that are quite similar to a sinus or cold infection. They are: runny nose, sneezing, coughing, irritation in eyes and throat, watery eyes, skin rash, etc. It can cause asthma attack in some people.

If you are exposed to it for a prolonged period of time, then black mold health issues are likely to be more serious. In such cases, the spores of black mold may start attacking the health cells of the body resulting in malfunctioning of its systems. Some molds can enter into the lungs and start growing there. This has a negative impact on the overall respiratory system. Some of the molds produces toxic substances inside the body and affect mucous membranes and the nervous system. It may trigger nose bleeding, lung bleeding, vomiting, nausea, headache, etc. It may also lead to neurological disorder that causes loss of memory, dizziness, short attention span, lack of concentration and so on.

Treatment

When you suspect that you are suffering from allergies due to exposure to black mold, then you must consult your doctor for proper treatment. They prescribe cold and sinusitis medicines to bring down the symptoms. Nasal sprays are given to clear out the nasal congestion. Corticosteroids may be administered orally or through injections to reduce the allergic inflammation. During this period, intake of calcium and potassium need to be increased. This help the body to fight the negative effects of mold more effectively. For this reason, you must include calcium and potassium rich foods in your diet.

When it is a more severe form of exposure and mold spores are causing permanent damage to the cells of the body, then the body need to be detoxified. It should be conducted by an experienced detoxification specialist and the patient need to be admitted to the hospital for this purpose. It involves elimination of maximum number of the harmful mold spores from the body. Thus, this treatment ensures stopping any further destruction of the healthy cells in the body. However, the cells that have already been damaged cannot be repaired.

An integral part of toxic black mold exposure treatment is prevention of any further exposure. The more you are exposed to it the more your body turns sensitive towards it. Some people even develop allergy towards other substances such as dust or smoke which they did not have before. Therefore, proper mold removal from the house is the best way to protect yourself and your near and dear ones from this health hazards.