Molds can be found practically everywhere in your environment. Be it at home, in your office, club, factory, store, or any other place that you work or live in, you can be exposed to fungi and mold colonies. If you have been suffering from allergies that occur all across the year, then you are probably exposed to mold infections. The spores of fungi and mold are released in the air once their colony gets disturbed. Inhaling these spores, or coming in contact with them through other means, can cause harmful repercussions.

In this article, we intend to provide you with a closer look at how mold allergy takes place and causes health problems. 

Mold and Mildew – What are They?

Mold and mildew are types of fungi that are unlike animals and plants in their growth and reproductive behavior. They comprise of spores or ‘seeds’ that are light and capable of floating freely in the air. In case you are going through unexplained health issues then mold might be causing allergies that do not go away easily. The spores of mold are likely to spread over longer distances in windy and dry weather. Mold spores propagate in different ways. For instance, you’ll come across certain types of spores that tend to spread in foggy or dewy conditions, or whenever there is high humidity in the atmosphere. 

Some people may be prone to allergic reactions that are caused by inhaling the spores. While fungal spores are common in the later parts of the year, the allergies attributed to mold can occur across the year. This is because mold growth takes place indoors and outdoors alike and can cause problems to humans at any time of the year. 

Molds and Allergic Reactions

It is possible to find molds on the walls of your rooms, in the inner spaces of a lesser-used garage, on rotting logs, the leaves piling up in your backyard, grains, compost piles, etc. If you observe your environment, you’ll find different kinds of mold growing almost everywhere. Fortunately, all kinds of mold are not allergic or harmful to your health. Neither do they die with the first killing frost like pollens? As per experts dealing with microorganisms, most molds go into a state of inactivity when the cold seasons arrive. In most cases, damp places provide the perfect ground for their growth and spread. As basements, bathrooms, and kitchens are exposed to more humidity than other places at home, they are prone to the existence of allergy-causing molds. 

Symptoms of Mold Allergy

Just like other types of allergies, mold allergy depicts symptoms like itching, runny nose, sneezing, congestion or dry and scaling skin. The molds inhabiting outdoors are prone to causing allergic symptoms during fall or summers. In certain cases, they may cause allergy to sensitive people throughout the year like indoor molds. 

In certain cases, the spores of mold are likely to enter your nose to bring about hay-fever like symptoms. It’s also possible that they reach your lungs through the nasal passage to inflict you with the symptoms of asthma. These symptoms are the result of chemicals that are released by the allergy cells present in the lungs or nose. While in some cases, the allergic reactions may take place instantaneously, in others, they tend to depict delayed symptoms. These delayed symptoms may bring about worsened asthma or nasal congestion issues over extended periods. In case you have been exposed to mold toxicity then the symptoms may get worse if you enter moldy and damp places like a basement. The increased symptoms in such places indicate the presence of molds that may bring about even more stringent allergies. 

Allergies and Asthma Caused by Molds

In rare instances, some patients may be diagnosed with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, which is a more serious health condition. It leads to a combination of inflammatory responses and allergic symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing, shortness of breath, and so forth. All these symptoms are quite similar to those of asthma and may bring about a lot of discomfort to affected people. 

Yeast containing food, mushrooms, vinegar or soy sauce, dried fruits, etc. are usually free from the symptoms of the eyes, lungs, and nose. In all probability, the blood vessels are directly affected in response to the allergic reactions of fungi containing food items. For instance, histamine, a natural substance, can be found in wine and other types of fermented food. Histamine refers to a chemical that’s emitted by allergy cells in the course of allergic reactions. The food items comprising of histamines are known to trigger off harmful allergy-like reactions once they’re consumed. 

Diagnosis of Mold Allergy

IgE blood tests that are allergen-specific, and certain skin tests, are advised by medical professionals when mold allergy is suspected. They also ask for a complete medical history to ascertain the nature, extent, and cause of the mold allergy. In the case of lab tests, the extracts belonging to various species of fungi are used for scratching the skin. If there are no conclusive reactions to skin tests then it’s probably something else, and not mold allergy, that you’re suffering from. 

Prevention of Allergic Reactions to Mold

Though there’s no visible cure for the symptoms of mold allergies, you can decrease their intensity by avoiding direct contact with the spores. The measures that may help include limiting outdoor activities in the period when mold counts shoot up. You can reduce the number of mold spores you may inhale by curtailing your outdoor moments. You may also want to wear a dust mask while digging around plants, cutting grass, picking up leaves, or while disturbing certain plant materials.

Way Forward with Mold Removal Services

In case the fear of mold exposure lies within your house then central air conditioning with asthma & allergy specific filter attachments is what you should invest in to trap the mold spores. It’s a good idea to steer clear of devices that change the temperature of air with electrostatic ions, heat or ozone. Lowering the humidity levels in your environment will also take away the grounds for mold formation and reduce the fear of allergies in your environment. It’s equally essential to hire professional help to remove the presence of mold from your basement, bathrooms, and kitchen. An aggressive attitude is a must if you desire to remove molds from your personal and living spaces. Get in touch with a professional mold removing company, today.