There are over 10,000 species of mold, with a majority of them being harmless to human beings. However, appearance can be deceiving when it comes to black mold. Despite looking like any ordinary buildup of mold, exposure to black mold can bring about many harmful effects. The mold releases lethal mycotoxin spores which can cause numerous health conditions and even death. Here is some important information about black mold exposure and actions that you could take to eradicate black mold.
What is Black Mold?
Mold is a type of fungi that’s found almost everywhere. However, black mold is one such mold that can cause harm to human beings. Exposure to large amounts of black mold can cause numerous harmful effects on the body.
Symptoms of Black Mold Poisoning
At the beginning of exposure, black mold can cause detrimental effects on the respiratory system. Symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing and a stuffy nose. Those with weaker immune systems, allergies or asthma might experience a greater severity in the symptoms. They might experience headaches, fever and sinusitis.
Long-term exposure to black mold can cause detrimental effects even for a healthy individual. Some symptoms from long-term exposure to black mold include muscle spasms, stomach pain and hair loss. As the black mold spores are neurotoxins, certain patients have experienced extreme mood swings and memory loss from being exposed to black mold for long periods.
Treating Black Mold Poisoning
Once a doctor has identified your condition as black mold poisoning, they might prescribe certain antihistamines and decongestants to treat the symptoms. They also offer nasal sprays to rinse the nasal canal of any black mold spores. In severe cases, the doctor may prescribe Montelukast or allergy shots for the patient. Montelukast is great at clearing mucus from the nasal canals, while the shots can help the body in building its immunity.
Identifying Black Mold and Remediation
If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms of a black mold exposure, there is most likely black mold in your home or your workplace. It is essential to remove this mold as long-term exposure can cause a series of detrimental effects on the body. Watch out for black splotches that have a mud-like consistency along surfaces in rooms with high moisture, such as near water pipes or sinks. If symptoms are activated when you enter a room, it is likely that black mold could be found in this room.
It is highly advised that you hire professionals to remediate your mold issue. Handling black mold can be extremely dangerous if you do not take the necessary precautions. Furthermore, you might have the essential solutions and equipment to thoroughly remove the mold.
Find the source of the moisture and eradicate black mold from your household by contacting Iris Environmental Laboratories! We provide mold inspection services to help our clients in remediating their mold problems. Call now at 1800-908-6679 to find out more on our mold inspection services or fill up our online form to be contacted by our consultants.