Mold is a fungus that can grow anywhere. It loves places such as concrete, wood and cardboard. Mold does not cause health problems every time it’s breathed in but some people are more sensitive to the spores than others and if you have asthma or allergies, you might have an increased risk of having a mold infection.
Mold is a fungus that can grow on anything. It likes to grow on wood, cardboard, concrete, and old furniture. Mold can be found in the air in places with high humidity, and indoor mold is more common than people think. Mold has been found everywhere you can find dust mites. It’s even been found in children’s toys like stuffed animals and dolls.
Health problems from mold exposure vary for each person. Some people will start to experience health problems right away while other people may only be affected very slowly in the long term. For some people, the health problems are not evident until a few years after the mold exposure.
Mold is usually not a major health problem because it’s relatively harmless but there are ways you can prevent mold growth, even in areas where it seems like it should be impossible to grow.
Diagnosing Mold Exposure
If you think that you’ve been exposed to mold and start experiencing health problems, it might be a good idea to see a doctor to make sure it’s really because of mold exposure. The first thing your doctor will probably do is ask questions about what you’ve been exposed to, any previous health problems and lifestyle habits. Your doctor may also want to take samples of your hair, skin or blood. This is done so that the samples can be tested in a lab for mold spores.
For some people, exposure to mold will cause recognizable symptoms that will make it possible for a doctor to diagnose them with a mold infection. For example, if someone has a history of allergies and the exposure to mold causes sneezing, watery eyes and difficulty breathing, it’s possible that the symptoms are caused by mold.
On the other hand, if the exposure to mold was very short-lived or if there was minimal exposure, it will be more difficult to diagnose a mold infection.
The doctor might run several mold infection tests in order to make sure that there is no other possible cause for your symptoms. For example, if you have an increased amount of eosinophils in your blood, which are normally found in the lining of the lungs and respiratory tract, it could be because of something other than mold.
Conclusion
Mold is a fungus that grows in areas of high humidity. It can be found in concrete, wood and cardboard. Mold spores are everywhere you find dust mites. It isn’t dangerous in small amounts but for some people, exposure to mold can cause health problems.
If you think that you’ve been exposed to mold and start experiencing health problems, it might be a good idea to see a doctor to confirm that it’s really the mold causing the health problems.