Mold allergy is a hypersensitive reaction by your immune system towards exposure to mold. Mold can grow in your bathroom, basement, under your sink, in the pile of leaves in your backyard, or even in the grass around your compound. There is a wide range of mold types on earth, most of which are not visible to our naked eyes. A large number of people suffer from mold symptoms but do not realize it. Here are some facts you should know about mold and mold allergy treatment.
Allergic Symptoms from Mold Exposure
There are three types of reactions caused by molds, that is, allergic and irritant symptoms, toxic symptoms, and infections.
Allergic and irritant symptoms: When you breathe in mold spores, your immune system responds by creating allergic reactions. The more a person is exposed to mold, the more sensitive they become towards it. At the extreme end, they are unable to tolerate staying around even the least amounts of mold as their allergic reactions become more severe. Some allergic reactions exhibited in this case are coughing, sneezing, itching throat, itching nose, blocked nose, sinus headaches, difficulty breathing, and wheezing.
Toxic symptoms: There are around sixteen mold species that are toxic to humans. These molds release highly toxic chemicals known as Mycotoxins. The symptoms of Mycotoxins are far much worse than those of ordinary molds. Some of the symptoms exhibited by allergy towards Mycotoxins are skin problems, immune system problems, vision problems, tiredness, and discomfort.
Infections: At times, mold spores like trichoderma, penicillium marneffei, and aspergillus fumigators can be breathed into a person’s lungs from where they begin to grow. Such mold infections can also grow on skin, in sinuses, or even in the digestive system. The infection occurs mostly in old people or those with a weak immune system. In extreme cases, they can cause death.
Mold Allergy Treatment
In order to detect mold symptoms, various tests are carried out. For example, there can be physical examinations of blood, skin tests, and blood tests. Upon discovery of the symptoms, the following treatment is recommended:
Avoiding mold: The best response towards mold allergy is avoiding exposure to mold and mold spores. If there is any mold in your home, remove it to avoid breathing in mold. After clearing mold, it is important to remember that a build up of mold spores can still affect you. Therefore, vacuum and clean your home regularly to minimize allergy-causing spores.
Avoiding food mold: Eating food that contain fungi like mushroom and yeast increases your reaction in case you are allergic to mold. It is, therefore, important to avoid foods you know have caused you a reaction in the past. Again, before eating foods like bread and fruits, check for presence of mold to avoid consuming it accidentally.
Medication for mold symptoms: There is medication for allergies that you can buy from pharmacies or some that you can take under a doctor’s prescription. It is, however, important to consult your doctor or allergist to find the kind of medicine you can take to treat your allergy. Finally, remember that medication eases the symptoms of allergy but does not cure it.
Shots for allergy symptoms: Shots for mold allergy treatment are usually a last option when other forms of medication have failed. Before these shots are administered, the allergen affecting you must be identified first. Thereafter, you may be required to take the shorts regularly for months or even years.
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