Mold-related illness is an area of medical science that is only recently beginning to be spotlighted. Today, more and more people are being exposed to water damaged and mold infested buildings, due in part by global warming and poverty. Moreover, newer high tech “tight buildings” with inadequate ventilation are exacerbating the problem.
◙ By law, buildings can be condemned due to mold infestation. However, the people exposed and harmed are not recognized by the medical community as being ill from this mold exposure. Many unwittingly have become permanently injured, as well as financially destitute due to medical and remediation expenses.
◙ The medical community is minimally informed about the apparent dangers from mold exposure. It is currently NOT the standard of care to even ask whether a patient was exposed, let alone run tests for such exposure, or more importantly, provide education and training on how to recognize and/or prevent such exposure.
◙ For decades, anecdotal reports have coupled human disease with intense or chronic mold exposure, especially in flood damaged areas, as caused by hurricane Katrina.
◙ Diagnosing mold infection is difficult even with the finest medical procedures and laboratories. In the best medical institutions, it is difficult to prove scientifically that mold is present in tissues even with optimal samples. Molds are both difficult to detect by microscopy and to grow in the laboratory from human specimens. Better diagnostic methods are urgently needed.
◙ Although research in animals on infectious complications and toxic effects of the dangerous molds is substantial, research defining the medical impact on humans is scarce due to ethical restraints. Both the public and medical communities remain largely uninformed. Funding for this serious public health threat remains sparse.
Mold-related Illnesses
04/10/2012
03/22/2010
Mold Health Hazards
Mold Health Hazards From “Sick Buildings”
Key signs for indoor mold:
• Musty Smell
• Water stains
• Visible mold growth
Hidden molds send dangerous inflamatory chemicals and infectious spores into the air.
Any sign of mold means the air could be dangerous.
Do molds hiding in the body continue to make toxins?
Could poorly explained diseases be caused by mold toxins?
SYMPTOMS SUSPICIOUS FOR MOLD EXPOSURE
◙ chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, swollen glands
◙ suppression of the immune system
◙ autoimmune diseases (Sarcoid, Sjorgren’s,…)
◙ muscle aches, spasms, sharp pains & cramps
◙ unexplained neurological disease (MS, ALS…)
◙ attention deficit, difficulty thinking & speaking
◙ anxiety, agitation, panic, palpitations
◙ mood swings, depression
◙ insomnia
◙ unexplained blood clotting, nosebleeds, bruising
◙ recurrent sinusitis, cough, postnasal dripping or sore throat
◙ chronic lung disease, lung nodules or unexplained cough
◙ rashes and nail distortion
◙ tremors, dizziness, vertigo, hearing loss
◙ kidney disease, kidney cancer
◙ indigestion, irritable bowel, abdominal pain, constipation, reflux, bloating, diarrhea
HOW MOLDS HARM HUMANS
Molds are generally accepted to cause allergies or deep infections in those with weakened immune systems. Science has shown molds make both airborne infectious spores and dangerous toxins that can permanently damage tissues on direct contact, penetrating skin, airways or the gut.
Highly resilient, molds survive in harsh environments. They spread by shedding infectious airborne spores which will grow in suitable environments. While they survive without proliferation for years with minimal moisture, they still can produce dangerous toxins. Animal studies have shown that certain toxins cause instant cellular destruction on contact, bleeding, and cancer. Whether the molds continue to produce the same toxins inside the human body as they do in their natural environment is an area for further study.
Key signs for indoor mold:
• Musty Smell
• Water stains
• Visible mold growth
Hidden molds send dangerous inflamatory chemicals and infectious spores into the air.
Any sign of mold means the air could be dangerous.
Do molds hiding in the body continue to make toxins?
Could poorly explained diseases be caused by mold toxins?
SYMPTOMS SUSPICIOUS FOR MOLD EXPOSURE
◙ chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, swollen glands
◙ suppression of the immune system
◙ autoimmune diseases (Sarcoid, Sjorgren’s,…)
◙ muscle aches, spasms, sharp pains & cramps
◙ unexplained neurological disease (MS, ALS…)
◙ attention deficit, difficulty thinking & speaking
◙ anxiety, agitation, panic, palpitations
◙ mood swings, depression
◙ insomnia
◙ unexplained blood clotting, nosebleeds, bruising
◙ recurrent sinusitis, cough, postnasal dripping or sore throat
◙ chronic lung disease, lung nodules or unexplained cough
◙ rashes and nail distortion
◙ tremors, dizziness, vertigo, hearing loss
◙ kidney disease, kidney cancer
◙ indigestion, irritable bowel, abdominal pain, constipation, reflux, bloating, diarrhea
HOW MOLDS HARM HUMANS
Molds are generally accepted to cause allergies or deep infections in those with weakened immune systems. Science has shown molds make both airborne infectious spores and dangerous toxins that can permanently damage tissues on direct contact, penetrating skin, airways or the gut.
Highly resilient, molds survive in harsh environments. They spread by shedding infectious airborne spores which will grow in suitable environments. While they survive without proliferation for years with minimal moisture, they still can produce dangerous toxins. Animal studies have shown that certain toxins cause instant cellular destruction on contact, bleeding, and cancer. Whether the molds continue to produce the same toxins inside the human body as they do in their natural environment is an area for further study.
Irene Grant, MD, Holistic and Integrative Physician, Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease, Certified Acupuncturist
Expert in Diagnosis and Treatment of Complex Illnesses
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Environmental Chemical Sensitivity
- Fibromyalgia
- Lyme Disease
- Infectious Diseases
- Autoimmune Disorders
- Mold-related Illnesses
- Internal Medicine
- Infectious Disease
- Oriental Medicine
- Medical Nutrition
- Acupuncture
- Detoxification
- Herbology
