Mold allergy

Description

If you have a mold allergy, your immune system overreacts when you breathe in mold spores. A mold allergy can cause coughing, itchy eyes and other symptoms that make you unhappy. In some people, a mold allergy is linked to asthma and exposure causes difficulty breathing and other symptoms of the respiratory tract.

If you have a mold allergy, the best defense is to reduce your exposure to the types of mold that cause your reaction. Medications can help keep mold allergy reactions under control.

Symptoms

A mold allergy causes the same signs and symptoms that occur in other types of upper respiratory allergies. The signs and symptoms of allergic rhinitis caused by allergy to mold may include:

  • Sneezing
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Cough and postnasal drip
  • Itchy eyes, nose, and throat
  • Watery eyes
  • Dry, scaly skin

Mold allergy, the symptoms vary from person to person and range from mild to severe. You can have year-round symptoms or symptoms that flare up only during certain times of the year. You may notice the symptoms, when the weather is wet or when you are indoors or in outdoor spaces that have high concentrations of mold.

Mold allergy and asthma

If you have a mold allergy and asthma, your asthma symptoms may be triggered by exposure to mold spores. In some people, exposure to certain molds can cause a severe asthma attack. Signs and symptoms of asthma include:

  • Cough
  • Wheezing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Tightness in the chest

When to see a doctor

If you have a stuffy nose, sneezing, watery eyes, difficulty breathing, wheezing or other annoying symptoms persist, consult your doctor.

Causes

Like any allergy, mold allergy symptoms are caused by an overly sensitive immune system response. When you breathe in small, mold spores in the air, your body recognizes them as foreign invaders and develops the allergy-causing antibodies to fight them.

Exposure to mold spores can cause a reaction right away, or the reaction can be delayed.

Several molds are common in indoor and outdoor. Only certain types of mold that cause allergies. Being allergic to one type of mold does not mean you will be allergic to another. Some of the most common molds that cause allergies include alternaria, aspergillus, cladosporium and penicillium.

Risk factors

A number of factors that can make you more likely to develop a mold allergy or worsen your mold allergy symptoms, including:

  • Having a family history of allergies. If allergies and asthma in your family, you are more likely to develop an allergy to mold.
  • Work in an occupation that is exposed to the fungi. Occupations in which exposure to mold can be high, are agriculture, dairy work, registration, bakery, carpentry, carpentry greenhouse of work, development and repair of furniture.
  • Living in a house with high humidity.To have moisture on the inside of more than 50% can increase the mold in your home. Mold can grow virtually anywhere, if the conditions are right — in the basement, behind the walls in the frame, in soap-coated mortar and other damp surfaces, on the pads carpet, and the carpet itself. Exposure to high levels of household mold can trigger mold allergy symptoms.
  • Working or living in a building that has been exposed to excess moisture. Examples include leaky pipes, water leaks during storms and flood damage. At some point, almost all of the buildings have some type of excess moisture, which can cause the growth of mold and mildew.
  • Living in a house with poor ventilation. Tight window and door seals can trap moisture in the interior and prevent a adequate ventilation, creating the ideal conditions for the growth of mold. Wet areas such as bathrooms, kitchens and basements — are the most vulnerable.

Living in a house with high humidity. To have moisture on the inside of more than 50% can increase the mold in your home.

Mold can grow virtually anywhere, if the conditions are right — in the basement, behind the walls in the frame, in soap-coated mortar and other damp surfaces, on the pads carpet, and the carpet itself. Exposure to high levels of household mold can trigger mold allergy symptoms.

Complications

The majority of allergic responses to mold to involve the hay fever-type symptoms, which can make their life miserable, but they are not serious. However, certain allergic conditions caused by fungi are more serious. These include:

  • Mold-induced asthma. In people allergic to mold, breathing in spores can trigger an asthma attack. If you have a mold allergy and asthma, make sure that you have an emergency plan in case of a severe asthma attack.
  • Allergic fungal sinusitis. This is the result of an inflammatory reaction to the fungi in the sinuses.
  • Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. This reaction to the fungus in the lungs can occur in people with asthma or cystic fibrosis.
  • Hypersensitivity pneumonitis. This rare condition occurs when the exposure to airborne particles, such as mold spores causes of lung inflammation. Can be triggered by exposure to allergens of dust into the work.

Other problems caused by mold

In addition to allergens, mold can pose other risks to the health of susceptible persons. For example, the mold can cause infections of the skin or mucous membranes. Generally, however, the mold does not cause systemic infection except for people with immune system problems, such as those who have HIV/AIDS or who are taking immunosuppressive drugs.

Prevention

To reduce the growth of mold in your home, keep these tips in mind:

  • Eliminate sources of moisture in basements, such as leaks in pipes or in the groundwater filtration.
  • The use of a dehumidifier in any area of your home that smells of mold or moisture. Keep humidity levels below 50%. Remember to clean the collection bucket and the condensation from the coils regularly.
  • The use of an air conditioner and consider the installation of central air conditioning with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter attachments. The HEPA filter can trap mold spores from outdoor air before it is distributed on the interior of your home.
  • Change the filters on your heating system and air conditioners on a regular basis. You have forced-air heating ducts inspected and, if necessary, clean.
  • Make sure that all the bathrooms are well ventilated, and run the fan for a shower or a bath and immediately after drying the air. If you do not have an exhaust fan, open a window or door while you're in the shower or the bath.
  • Do not carpet bathrooms and basements.
  • Promote groundwater drain away from your home for the elimination of the leaves and the vegetation around the base and the cleaning of rain gutters with frequency. Make sure that the soil away from the foundation.
  • Keep the plant organic container clean and dry, such as those made of straw, wicker or hemp.
  • Toss or recycle old books and newspapers. If left in wet places, such as basements, which can quickly become moldy.

Mold allergy

Diagnosis

In addition to taking into account their signs and symptoms, your doctor may perform a physical examination to identify or rule out other medical problems. Tests that are used to identify an allergy include:

  • Skin test. This test uses diluted amounts of common or suspected allergens, such as molds found in the local area. During the test, these substances are applied to the skin of your arm or on the back with small punctures. If you are allergic, it develops a bump (hive) at the test location on your skin.
  • Blood test. A blood test, sometimes called the radioallergosorbent test, you can measure the response of the immune system to the fungus by measuring the amount of certain antibodies in the bloodstream known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. A blood sample is sent to a medical lab, where it can be tested for evidence of sensitivity to specific types of mold.

Treatment

The best way of managing an allergy is to avoid exposure to triggers. However, the molds are common, and you can't completely avoid them.

Although there is no sure way to cure allergic rhinitis caused by allergy to mold, a number of medications that can relieve your symptoms. These include:

  • The nasal corticosteroids.These nasal sprays help prevent and treat the inflammation caused by airway mold allergy. To many people, are the most effective allergy medications, and are often the first medication prescribed. Examples include the ciclesonide (Omnaris, Zetonna), fluticasone (Flonase Allergy Relief, Xhance), mometasone (Nasonex), triamcinolone and budesonide (Rhinocort). Bleeding of the nose and nasal dryness are the most common side effects of these medications, which are generally safe for long-term use.
  • Antihistamines.These medications can help with itching, sneezing, and runny nose. They work by blocking histamine, an inflammatory chemical released by the immune system during an allergic reaction. Over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines include loratadine (Alavert, Claritin), fexofenadine (Allegra Allergy), and cetirizine (Zyrtec Allergy). Cause little or no drowsiness and dryness of mouth. The nasal spray azelastine (Astelin, Astepro) and olopatadine (Patanase) are available with a prescription. Side effects of nasal sprays may include a bitter taste in the mouth, and nasal dryness.
  • Oral decongestants. OTC oral decongestants, such as Sudafed 12 Hour and Drixoral Cold and Allergy, can raise blood pressure, so if you have high blood pressure (hypertension). Other possible side effects include insomnia, loss of appetite, heartbeat (palpitations), anxiety, and agitation.
  • Decongestant nasal sprays. These include oxymetazoline (Afrin, others). Do not use this medication for more than three or four days, as that may cause congestion to come back with worse symptoms when you stop using them. Other possible side effects include headaches, insomnia, and nervousness.
  • Montelukast.Montelukast (Singulair) is a tablet that is taken to block the action of leukotrienes, and the immune system of the chemicals that cause allergy symptoms, such as excess mucus. However, concerns about the side effects, including anxiety, insomnia, depression and thoughts of suicide are on the rise. The Food and Drug Administration recently put a warning on the box about the use of the drug. Such as antihistamines, this medicine is not as effective as inhaled corticosteroids. It has been used when nasal sprays can not be tolerated or when the mild asthma is present.

The nasal corticosteroids. These nasal sprays help prevent and treat the inflammation caused by airway mold allergy. To many people, are the most effective allergy medications, and are often the first medication prescribed.

Examples include the ciclesonide (Omnaris, Zetonna), fluticasone (Flonase Allergy Relief, Xhance), mometasone (Nasonex), triamcinolone and budesonide (Rhinocort). Bleeding of the nose and nasal dryness are the most common side effects of these medications, which are generally safe for long-term use.

Antihistamines. These medications can help with itching, sneezing, and runny nose. They work by blocking histamine, an inflammatory chemical released by the immune system during an allergic reaction.

Over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines include loratadine (Alavert, Claritin), fexofenadine (Allegra Allergy), and cetirizine (Zyrtec Allergy). Cause little or no drowsiness and dryness of mouth.

The nasal spray azelastine (Astelin, Astepro) and olopatadine (Patanase) are available with a prescription. Side effects of nasal sprays may include a bitter taste in the mouth, and nasal dryness.

Montelukast. Montelukast (Singulair) is a tablet that is taken to block the action of leukotrienes, and the immune system of the chemicals that cause allergy symptoms, such as excess mucus. However, concerns about the side effects, including anxiety, insomnia, depression and thoughts of suicide are on the rise. The Food and Drug Administration recently put a warning on the box about the use of the drug.

Such as antihistamines, this medicine is not as effective as inhaled corticosteroids. It has been used when nasal sprays can not be tolerated or when the mild asthma is present.

Other treatments for mold allergy include:

  • Immunotherapy. This treatment of a series of allergy shots can be very effective for some allergies, like hay fever. Allergy shots are used only to certain types of mold allergy.
  • Nasal Wash.To help with irritating nasal symptoms, your doctor may recommend that you rinse your nose daily with salt water. The use of a specially designed squeeze bottle, such as the one included in saline kits (Sinus Rinse, others), syringe or neti pot to irrigate your nasal passages. This home remedy, called a nasal wash can help to keep your nose free of irritants. The use of sterile distilled water, previously boiled and cooled, or filtered using a filter with an absolute pore size of 1 micron or smaller to achieve the irrigation solution. Be sure to rinse the irrigation device after each use with similarly distilled, sterile, previously boiled and cooled, or filtered water and leave to air dry.

Nasal Wash. To help with irritating nasal symptoms, your doctor may recommend that you rinse your nose daily with salt water. The use of a specially designed squeeze bottle, such as the one included in saline kits (Sinus Rinse, others), syringe or neti pot to irrigate your nasal passages. This home remedy, called a nasal wash can help to keep your nose free of irritants.

The use of sterile distilled water, previously boiled and cooled, or filtered using a filter with an absolute pore size of 1 micron or smaller to achieve the irrigation solution. Be sure to rinse the irrigation device after each use with similarly distilled, sterile, previously boiled and cooled, or filtered water and leave to air dry.

Self-care

To prevent mold allergy symptoms at bay, take the following steps:

  • Sleeping with the windows closed to keep out the air free of mold. The concentration of mold spores in the air tends to be greater in the evening, when the weather is cool and wet.
  • Keep indoor humidity below 50% and to correct any moisture or water damage in the home. You can measure relative humidity with a small moisture meter, available at many hardware stores.
  • Wear a mask over your nose and mouth so that the mold spores if you have to rake the leaves, mow the lawn or work around compost.
  • Avoid going out at certain times, for example, immediately after a storm, in the fog or wet weather, or when published in the mold count is high.

Preparing for your appointment

Many people are diagnosed and treated for allergies by their primary care physicians. However, depending on the severity of the allergy, your primary care doctor may refer you to a doctor who specializes in the treatment of allergies.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

  • Ask if there are any pre-appointment restrictions at the time of making your appointment. For example, if you have allergy tests, your doctor will probably ask you to stop taking allergy medication for several days before the test.
  • Write down your symptoms, as well as where you were and what you were doing when the onset of symptoms.
  • List of all medications, vitamins or supplements that you take, including over-dose.
  • Write down your questions for your doctor.

Allergy to mold, some questions you might want to ask include:

  • What do you think is causing these symptoms?
  • There are tests available that can confirm a specific allergy? What do I need to prepare for these tests?
  • How can I treat a mold allergy?
  • What side effects can I expect from the anti-allergy drugs?
  • How can I get the mold from my home?
  • I have another health condition. How can I best manage these conditions?
  • Do you have brochures or other printed material I can have? What sites do you recommend?

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor may ask you questions, such as:

  • Exactly what are your symptoms?
  • What seems to trigger the symptoms, or the symptoms get worse?
  • Are your symptoms worse during certain times of the year or at certain times of the day?
  • Did your symptoms flare up when you are in certain places, such as outdoors or in the basement of your house?
  • What other health problems you have?
  • Do other members of your family have allergies? What kind?
  • Are you exposed to mold, dust, fumes, or chemicals in the workplace?
  • Do you know if you have mold in your home?

What you can do in the meantime

While you're waiting to see your doctor, there are many over-the-counter allergy medicines that may help relieve your symptoms.

If you have visible mold in your home, having someone who is not allergic to mold, clean the area with a solution of 1 cup (250 ml) of bleach in 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of water or a commercially available mold-cleaning product. If you have to clean up the mold yourself, make sure to use long rubber gloves, safety glasses and a mask to limit your exposure to mold.

Symptoms and treatment of Mold allergy