Mold Allergies - How to Effectively Combat Mold Related Allergies

People who have allergies are also prone to discomfort time and time again. These allergy symptoms, including those of mold allergies, can be present year round. This gets even worse during damp weather conditions.

People who have pollen allergies have a tendency to experience seasonal symptoms. As for mold allergies, these can go on for an entire year if mold issues are not fixed right away.

During the winter months, indoor mold can become a great problem especially since mold can grow inside the house as long as there is enough moisture (in crawl spaces, basement walls or behind bathroom tiles and more). Though mold cannot be detected easily, if you are sensitive to it or you have mold allergies, your body will react and showcase wheezing, coughing, irritated eyes and stuffy nose.
Studies show that everyone can be affected by mold spores. Mold is a type of fungus that can break down animal or plant matter such as wood, leaves, food and dirt. It can be present both inside and outside the house.

However, people with mold allergies have problems with include the triggering of asthma or allergic rhinitis. It can also generate volatile organic compounds or VOCs which can be irritating to the throat, nose and eyes.

As for black mold, it is a type of slow growing mold that can grow only on cotton, paper and wood. For this reason, it is called "toxic black mold". Then again, amidst its name, it is not that poisonous.
Black mold has also been associated for some serious lung problems. Then again, for people who don't have mold allergies, there is also a tendency to develop it. The ones most likely to develop it include small children, infants and the elderly.

Though it can be hard to diagnose mold allergies, it is even harder if the individual has these symptoms and they still don't realize that they have a mold as well as moisture problem at home. It is only when you get rid of the "allergens" such as the mold that you can get better.

Experiencing mold allergies can be a very difficult time. There are even rare cases where mold exposure can result to serious respiratory problems. The symptoms for these include a difficulty in breathing and chest tightness. Some signs of mold allergy include wheezing, runny nose, coughing, irritated throat or eyes and more. When these are being experienced, you can get an allergist to do some skin or blood testing.

Have You Ever Wondered What Allergies And Allergic Reactions Really Are?

An Allergy is a hypersensitivity to foreign substances which are normally harmless but which produce a violent reaction in the allergy sufferer. Allergies are generally the body's effort to eliminate something it considers unsuitable. Typical allergic reactions are hay fever, migraine, asthma, allergic rhinitis, digestive disturbances, coeliac disease, conjunctivitis, urticaria, eczema, drowsiness, CFS, hyperactivity in children, tinnitus, recurrent sinusitis and ear infections. In a few people, the histamine (anaphylactic) reaction can cause muscle cramps, disorientation, unconsciousness, and death from shock or suffocation.

Types

There are different types of allergies, the most common being type1. When an allergen encounters cells capable of antibody formation, they then form IgE antibodies, which bind to the surface of other cells, called mast cells and basophils. In response to the attachment those cells release chemicals, called mediators of anaphylaxis, among them histamine. Those chemicals cause allergic reactions such as swelling or the secretion of mucus.

Almost any substance can be an allergen for an individual. Common allergens include certain foods, especially milk, wheat and eggs, pollens, dust, moulds, cosmetic and certain food additives.

An Allergy is not the same as intolerance. Allergies always involve the immune system, whereas intolerance, e.g. lactose intolerance, is caused by a lack of lactase, the enzyme that converts lactose into glucose.

Causes

Allergies may have many different causes-from pets to pollen to certain types of medicine and foods. In addition, allergic symptoms may be just as varied. While no one can predict when or how an allergy will develop, you can learn how to keep allergies under control by following a treatment plan and avoiding the things that aggravate your allergic symptoms.

Symptoms

When allergies flare up, they may cause a considerable amount of discomfort and inconvenience, but having allergies does not mean you have to struggle with your symptoms. Understanding how to help keep allergies from interfering with the things you want to do may make a big difference in how you feel and how you live.

Asthma and Allergies - Coping With Mold Allergies

Let's start out with the basics. Mold is an organism that is everywhere. There is no place there is no mold unless it is a "Clean Room." According to Wikipedia: the definition of a Clean Room is an environment, typically used in manufacturing or scientific research, that has a low level of environmental pollutants such as dust, airborne microbes, aerosol particles and chemical vapors. More accurately, a clean room has a controlled level of contamination that is specified by the number of particles per cubic meter at a specified particle size.

Mold is a type of fungus that has a job to break down dead material and return the nutrients to the environment. Microbes grow by digesting plant, organic or animal matter such as wood, leaves, paper, and food. It moves around the environment by releasing tiny, microscopic spores that travel through the air. Mold grows quickly in moist dark areas, such as basements, wet drywall and piles of rotting leaves. I have seen it under a Microscope and it is really small and interesting to see how it spreads across a surface like a weed.

We are all exposed to some mold every day with no bad effects. We can breathe in mold spores that are present in the air. Some of us eat foods in which mold has begun to grow such as cheese. People with mold allergies, will have a reaction when exposed to too much of the fungus. I have several clients who will end up in bed as a result of these reactions especially during the summer months when the humidity is high.

Symptoms of mold allergies can be itchy, watery eyes and wheezing like an Asthma Attack or rashes that look like the hives. Some individuals have neurological symptoms such as spaciness or lightheadedness with a tendency to forget things. These are only a few of the symptoms, I have some clients that end up in the Emergency Room or have to go to bed due to fatigue on exposure to high levels of mold spores.

It is not easy to cope with Mold Allergies. Several of my clients take shots to deal with it, while others are so allergic, they live in a "Clean Room" which they created to cope with the Mold allergies. Air Cleaners such as the Austin Air Cleaner is good for removing microbial spores and chemicals from the air or you can use Whole House Air Cleaners installed in your Central Air Conditioning System. Talking to your Doctor is important in dealing with microbial allergies so they can help you design a coping mechanism for your problem.

In conclusion, mold is everywhere except in Clean Rooms. Clean Rooms have a controlled environment used for specific purposes such as an operating room in a hospital. We are exposed daily and need to consult with a Doctor for a course of treatment. Air Cleaners can help you cope with your allergies in your home.

Attack Back - Mold Allergies

Mold allergies can be a constant source of discomfort. Unlike seasonal allergies that get seasonal time off; or food and pet allergies, which can be physically avoided, mold allergies bother sufferers 24/7. This is because mold is around us all the time, every day, indoors and out, rain or shine.

People with mold allergies tend to have their most severe symptoms in the summertime. But mold spores, the allergen in question, are released into the air in warm or cold weather; in humid or dry conditions. In addition, mold can settle and grow almost anywhere, making nowhere safe for the mold allergy sufferer.

On the bright side - there are thousands of types of molds and only a small few will cause allergies. These generally are the types that live in moisture, such as outdoor mold on damp leaves and grass cuttings or in rotting vegetation and trees. Indoor moisture molds of allergenic nature can grow in the laundry room, bathroom, kitchen, basement, or attic; anywhere moisture gathers.

Symptoms of mold allergies are similar to those of all other allergies - skin irritations, chronic sneezing, nasal congestion and itchy, watery eyes. A doctor can give you a simple skin test to determine if you are allergic to mold. Once diagnosed, a plan for treating the current symptoms and preventing further occurrences can be developed.

Symptoms can be treated by over-the-counter medicines like antihistamines, nasal sprays and decongestants. For a severe reaction, see your doctor. He can get you some prescription strength medications that will do the trick.

The next thing you need to do is remove or minimize all possible sources of the mold allergens from your home. Here are some recommended actions:

1. Assure the house is properly ventilated and have working exhaust fans in each bathroom.

2. Use central air conditioning, if possible. Install a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in the central air conditioning unit. This prevents mold spores from being circulated throughout the home.

3. If you have carpeting in any room that could become damp, like the kitchen, bathroom or basement, remove it. Carpeting plays host to mold and you're better off without it if it could easily get wet.

4. Because mold can accumulate very quickly, bathrooms and kitchens need to be scrubbed frequently.

5. Use a dehumidifier to reduce the humidity levels in your home. If you don't have a dehumidifier, raising the temperature also reduces humidity.

6. Any water draining from the roof should be channeled away from the building's foundation to eliminate the mold growth process closest to you.

7. Any leaks in the home should be repaired as soon as possible to stop any mold growth within the structure that will be harder to detect and get rid of later. This could happen anywhere, but is especially prevalent in roofs, foundations and areas of wall near windows or doors.

8. Steps should be taken to help assure that any place in the yard that becomes damp, especially in close proximity to the house and open windows, should be able to dry. Remove excess foliage, or cut trees, to allow air and sun to get at these areas and dry them out regularly.

Don't let mold allergies get the better of you. Fight back!