I have spoken a lot in the past about mold and its toxic effects on humans…especially children. I have written article after article on how to find mold in your home, how to get rid of mold and even how to hire an expert in the area to help you when you are over run with mold.
What I have never talked about is how to spot the signs and symptoms of mold when you don't know that it is in your home. Mold can grow and hide anywhere, so unless you have somebody come to your home and inspect it every few months, you could never even know what is growing in your walls or in your crawl space.
What does this mean for you? Usually when you have a cold or an illness you blame it on your kids who just started back to school, or the weather or the fact that it's allergy season. What probably never runs through your mind is that many of your symptoms can be an exact symptom of mold inhalation and growth.
So now I think it is important to talk a little bit about these symptoms and what to look out for, when to suspect mold is an issue and how to handle it when you suspect it.
These are just the most common signs and symptoms of mold exposure. Now, I know firsthand what going to the doctor and saying "I think I have been exposed to mold" will do. Mine actually looked at me like I had two heads! So, what is the first step when you suspect that your symptoms are caused by mold?
Obviously your first step is going to be to go to the doctor, but you will want to have some information to back up your claim. A mold inspection performed by a professional can give you all of the answers that you will need. When the inspector comes out to your home they will take samples of the mold for lab testing which will help to give you a better idea of what you are dealing with. Of course sending samples off to a lab takes time, but at least you will have an idea when you go to your doctor!
What I have never talked about is how to spot the signs and symptoms of mold when you don't know that it is in your home. Mold can grow and hide anywhere, so unless you have somebody come to your home and inspect it every few months, you could never even know what is growing in your walls or in your crawl space.
What does this mean for you? Usually when you have a cold or an illness you blame it on your kids who just started back to school, or the weather or the fact that it's allergy season. What probably never runs through your mind is that many of your symptoms can be an exact symptom of mold inhalation and growth.
So now I think it is important to talk a little bit about these symptoms and what to look out for, when to suspect mold is an issue and how to handle it when you suspect it.
- Constant Headache
- Nose bleeds
- Constant fatigue
- Coughing up blood
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Breathing problems
- Sexual Dysfunction
- Chronic sinus infections
These are just the most common signs and symptoms of mold exposure. Now, I know firsthand what going to the doctor and saying "I think I have been exposed to mold" will do. Mine actually looked at me like I had two heads! So, what is the first step when you suspect that your symptoms are caused by mold?
Obviously your first step is going to be to go to the doctor, but you will want to have some information to back up your claim. A mold inspection performed by a professional can give you all of the answers that you will need. When the inspector comes out to your home they will take samples of the mold for lab testing which will help to give you a better idea of what you are dealing with. Of course sending samples off to a lab takes time, but at least you will have an idea when you go to your doctor!
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