It is a proven fact that mold can cause serious damage to your health. This does not mean that all molds are harmful, and out of the possible hundreds of thousands of mold types, less than fifty of these can cause health issues or medical problems. In fact, the biggest and most common threat posed by mold growing in your home and in the air outdoors is mold allergies which may make you uncomfortable. Unfortunately, some molds can cause health problems in addition to allergies, and sometimes these health problems can be serious and severe if the mold involved releases mycotoxins. These molds are also called toxic molds, and the health risks that they pose can be serious and require medical attention.
Most molds may cause allergy symptoms, such as sneezing, coughing, watery eyes, itchy nose and throat, and even a fever or nausea. Other molds may cause symptoms which mimic the flu, and can be debilitating when they occur but are usually not harmful in the long term. Allergies are only one type of health risk posed by mold. Another is infection, and although rare these medical conditions can be serious or even fatal. A mold infection occurs when the mold grows either on or in your body, and causes problems. Unlike toxic molds, in which the mold itself is harmless and the problems are caused by the toxins the mold releases, molds which cause an infection actually grow and thrive in and on your body and can be very difficult to treat and eliminate. These infections are more common in anyone who has an immune system which has been weakened, or whose immune system is low because of a young or old age.
Molds can also cause health problems because it is irritating to your tissues, either on the inside or the outside of the body. If your skin comes into contact with mold, you may develop skin rashes and irritation that may need a prescription cream from your doctor to treat and get rid of. Mold irritation can cause itching, swelling, welts, and even hives to appear on your skin. Of all the health risks posed by different types of molds, the most serious is toxic molds.
Toxic molds are called this because they release toxins which can be harmful to humans. The most notorious of these molds is the Stachybotrys mold, and news reports in the past few years have shown that this mold can cause devastating health effects in anyone who is exposed to large amounts of this mold, or has been exposed for long periods of time. With small children and others who have weakened immune systems, this mold can cause many serious health problems, such as nose bleeds for no reason, memory or concentration lapses, fatigue that does not go away after resting or sleeping, difficulty breathing, fevers, a worsening of asthma symptoms, and even more serious problems, such as organ failure including the kidneys and liver, because these filters can not handle the toxins released by some toxic molds. Even adults can be affected by toxic molds. There may be a link between the Stachybotrys mold and the medical condition acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage among babies, but this link is not confirmed by science yet. More studies need to be done to be able to definitively link the mold and the disease together.
Because mold can cause serious damage to your health, it is important to have your home tested and inspected for mold. Mold can hide in your home, out of sight and undetected in wall spaces, ventilation ducts, and other areas that are dark and damp. If mold is not detected quickly, it can spread and contaminate other areas. This can increase your risks from mold, and contribute to more health problems. Some mold toxins are even considered a carcinogen, and have been proven to cause cancer in some people. Preventing and removing any mold contamination in your home will let you protect your health, as well as the health of your family and loved ones.
Testing your home for mold does not have to be complicated or difficult. Olympian offers a home mold testing kit that can give you peace of mind, or alert you to the fact that your home has a mold problem so that proper mold remediation can be performed. These mold testing kits give accurate results with a simple process that takes no experience and very little time. In addition, the cost for a home mold testing kit from Olympian is very reasonable, especially when it can help you detect mold and prevent any serious medical problems caused by these fungi.
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