What is black mold?
Black mold is a type of mucus that mostly are dark green or black and often has a distinct musty or damp, mildewy smell. It may be one of a lot different species of fungus, including Stachybotrys chartum. The best conditions for black mold to advanced are areas that contain a lot of cellulose (for example: fiberboard, wood, paper etc.) In most of cases mold adopt dank places, warm environments, but it can grow wherever too. Black mold usually thrives in humid areas (such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, and shower cubicles). It may also crop up after a flood. Also it can grow in areas of a building that a person cannot immediately see, like underneath floorboards or carpets.
What is black mold poisoning?
Mycotoxicosis is usually the poisoning form of black mold. This may arise if a person’s breathes have too many mycotoxins over a continued period. Mycotoxins are the toxins that some molds discharge.
The symptoms of it exposure may include:
- coughing
- wheezing
- a stuffy nose
- a runny nose
- red eyes
- itchy skin or eyes
- a sore or itchy throat
- nosebleeds
How alarming is it to health?
Black mold disclosure has probable to be destructive in the long term, specially in people with respiratory conditions and other risk factors. However, there are many hyperbolic claims of the dangers of it on the internet. In otherwise healthy people, short-term exposure to mycotoxins is unlikely to cause harm. It universally takes time and consistent exposure to it for symptoms to develop. In people with respiratory conditions, such as asthma, and respiratory allergies, inhaling black mold toxins have the possibility to worsen symptoms or trigger flare-ups.
Diagnosis
The major symptoms of mold poisoning are typical to other respiratory disorders, which can make diagnosis difficult. If a doctor suspects that a person’s symptoms are due to the inhalation of mold toxins, they may order a test to check the levels of mold in their home. A doctor may also recommend allergy tests or blood tests if they think that an individual has a mold allergy.
