Mold Symptoms - Effects of Mold to People

If you’re having mold problems in your house, you will have the chance to be infected by few symptoms of mold. Basically, many people don’t know that they are having the symptoms of mold.

As from this page, you will know about mold symptoms and also treatment for mold symptoms.



Usually, there are 3 main types of symptoms which are allergic and irritant symptoms, toxic symptoms and infection.

1-Allergic symptoms from mold exposure.

Mold symptoms usually caused by mold allergies. Breathing in mold spores will make your immune symptoms responds and creates allergic reaction. The immune system’s reaction is to defense against foreign particles that enter the body.

A person is more likely to be sensitive to mold if they are always surrounded by mold. Finally, they can’t stand staying around even small amounts of mold. Their allergic reactions will become worst.

Mold allergies can cause few symptoms which are as follows:

Cold or flu like symptoms, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, irritated, itchy throat, blocked nose, itchy nose, runny nose, sinus congestion, sinus headaches, breathing difficulty, breath shortness, wheezing,itchy skin, rashes, hives, watery eyes, red and bloodshot eyes, itchy eyes, itchy ears, hair loss, baldness and hay fever symptoms.

2-Toxic Symptoms from Exposure to Toxic Mold.

Generally, about 16 types of mold species that are toxic to human being. These molds can produce mycotoxins, a type of highly toxic chemicals. Mycotoxins are more dangerous than allergic symptoms caused by ordinary mold. Toxic molds can cause bleeding, damage to internal organs, mental impairment, cancer and even death in some cases.

Stachybotrys chartarum, which is always called as toxic black mold or just black mold, is the most hazardous toxic mold. You can know more about the symptoms caused by black mold at the Toxic Black Mold symptoms page.

3-Mold Infections

Breathing in mold spores can allow them to grow inside the human’s body. Usually, they can grow in the sinuses, skin or digestive system.

Healthy people will not face this problem. People who are older or sick might be suffering from these infections because their immune system is not strong enough to fight against the mold. Sometimes, mold infections can cause death.

Trichoderma, Penicillium marneffei and Aspergillus fumigatus are a group of mold species that usually infect people.

Testing for Mold Symptoms

The test may be done by doctor or allergist. There are many available tests to discover the mold symptoms.

The doctor can conduct a simple physical test by asking what problems you’re having. Through your explaination, the doctor can identify whether you have the symptoms or not.

Skin Tests for Mold Symptoms

The best way is skin test. The doctor will insert tiny drops of purified mold allergens into the surface of skin and the reactions can be observed. Basically, skin test is more reliable than blood test.


Blood Test for Mold Symptoms

Blood test is another test that can be used to detect mold symptoms. Your blood will be taken and examined to find out the presence of mold antibodies.

Memory Lymphocyte Immunostimulation Assay or MELISA is a test that can detect alergies to chemicals, toxins and molds. Aspergillus and Penicillium can also be detected.

MELISA test works almost as the same as skin test. Allergens will be applied to the sample and the reaction will be observed. MELISO test, just like skin test, also does not discover the amount of of mold’s toxins or allergens in a someone’s body but just llergic reaction.

ELISA or Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and RAST or Radioallergosorbent are also types of similar blood tests.

Treatment for Mold Symptoms

First and foremost is to avoid from mold as much as possible. Mold problems in your house? Get rid of it. You will get clean environment, breath in clean air and get well faster.

You may refer from the page Mold removal and Clean up to learn complete steps of removing mold.

If there is no more molds in your house, there will be a chance for new mold to grow. So, regularly vacuum and clean to minimize allergy-causing spores.

Preventing Mold page will provide you more information of how to prevent from mold and spores in your house.

Avoiding Food Mold

If you have mold allergies, eating certain food that contain fungus such as muchroom and yeast will cause increase of reaction to your allergies.

So, stop eating something that will make your allergies worst in the past. Do check your food for signs of mold before eating especially cheese, bread and fruit that mold will directly grow after the due date.

Medications for Mold Symptoms

There are also medications supply for mold symptoms. You can get directly from the pharmacy such as claratyne or zyrtec or medication that is prescribe for you. Usually the medications will come in the form of pills or nasal sprays.

Do consult your doctor for teh medicine and follow the directions of medication you’re using. Do not take over dose. Please bear in mind that all these kind of medications are just helping to reduce the symptoms of allergic reactions. They do not work to cure or make you less allergic to mold in the future.

Shots for Mold Symptoms

If all the medications do not work on you, you will have to take some shots. Shots must have be the last choice after all medications because there are some disadvantages.

In order for you to receive shots the mols allergens that is affecting you need to be identified. Other than that, you have also to take the shots regularly for months or years to make the shots remain effective. Shots don’t cure allergies just like other medications. They will just help to lessen the allergic reactions.

What Is Mold | Black Mold Information That You Should Know

What is mold?

Mold is an organism under the kingdom of fungi. It is neither a plant nor an animal. Unlike, plants molds cannot synthesis their own food through photosynthesis under the sunlight. As a matter of fact, the UV ray in sunlight could inhibit their growth. The mold is a detritivore, organism that decomposes other decaying organism to obtain food. These decaying organism can be a dead plant, leaves or even decaying dead animal.

You can find molds growing in the outdoor at places such as in the soil, on dead wood, decaying plants or dead animals. Meanwhile, inside the house they commonly grow on the carpet, on paper, on leather, on walls, on wood and most importantly on food. You can find out more about where molds usually grow at Where Mold Grows.

Condition for Molds to Grow In the House.

The main factor in mold growth is moist apart from oxygen and carbon rich materials. You can find mold growing almost anywhere provided there is enough moisture. To know more about causes of mold growth you can check it out at Causes of Mold.

Molds will not grow in houses unless there is a moisture problem. The moisture can accumulate due to humidity, condensation, or water intrusion from leaks, spills, floods, etc. Most molds only require suitable materials to be moist for 24-48 hours before they can grow.

Molds that can survive on only humidity are called Xerophiles, organism that can survive on very little water, whereas other molds require asufficient amount of moisture to grow. To prevent mold growth at home is to limit moisture. 

To find out more about preventing mold in your house, please visit Prevent Mold.

Other than moisture, molds also need suitable temperature to grow. Mostly, they grow best in warm or room temperature. However, some species of mold can grow in extreme temperature of about 2°C. If environment is unfavorable, they would not necessarily die; instead, they might lay dormant until the right condition is met.

Mold Biology Information

A colony of mold is considered a single organism as it is apparent to the naked eye. Under microscope, the mold has cellular projection or filaments called hyphae. These form a network creating a large body known as mycelium. In reality, molds are microscopic singly: hence, we can only see them in large colonies.

The function of the hyphae is to digest food. 

Mold digest food by releasing certain enzyme from the hyphae. Then, the hyphae absorb the nutrients and passed them to the mycelium. These induce colony growth.

If mold receive sufficient needs such as suitable temperature, enough oxygen, sunlight and food; this could induce spore formation to create new colonies. These spores are created at the hyphae cells . A mold reproduce similar to a tree with seed.

After the spores are completely formed, they will be transmitted via air.  If the spore lands on a moist area with sufficient nutrients, oxygen and light, it will germinate into hyphae then further grow into a colony.  

Ungerminated mold spores continually float through the air outdoors and indoors and it is impossible to eliminate them all inside buildings. Spores are resilient and have high resistance; even if they do not germinate they can last for years.