Black Mold

There are variables that will determine the type of black mold symptoms and the severity. Age, amount of exposure, other health issues, and especially occurrences of asthma are some of the variables.

Black mold symptoms are usually respiratory related symptoms because it is an irritant to mucus membranes and the spores are inhaled. These are some of the respiratory related symptoms that can occur:

• Runny noses
• Itchy-watery eyes
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Throat irritation

Sinusitis and asthma symptoms can worsen when there is brief or prolonged exposure to black mold.

Other types of black mold symptoms can include the following:

• Central nervous system irritation
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Attention span decrease
• Concentration difficulties
• Dizziness

Fungi has been associated with the following invasive diseases:

• Aspergilosis
• Cladosporium
• Rhizopus

It is rare for the general population to suffer from the above fungi diseases when exposed to black mold. Those with immune compromising illnesses (cancer with chemo treatments and HIV/AIDS) are at greater risk for the above illnesses.

It doesn’t matter if a person is healthy or not, they should not be exposed to black mold; it should be cleaned as soon as it is discovered. It should be done professionally if needed.

Many black mold symptoms will lessen as the exposure to black mold is eliminated. If there is black mold in the home it will need to be cleaned properly. It may be harder to avoid black mold symptoms if the exposure occurs at work and there is fear of retaliation if it brought to the attention of the employer.

If you know you can’t avoid a brief amount of time where the black mold is located, have allergy medicine at hand, a paper facemask, and/or asthma inhaler handy to minimize black mold symptoms