Mold is ubiquitous. Even though mold spores are everywhere we go, mold may become an issue if it grows inside your house, apartment or condo and the count of spores inside is higher than the count of mold spores outside. Depending on a number of factors some people may develop symptoms of mold sensitivity such as mold allergy, rash, and asthma, while others may be affected by the mycotoxins that molds produce on the whole different level – nose bleeds, mild cognitive impairment, digestive upset, other food sensitivities.
INDOOR MOLD is an Issue
Buildings with even minor water damage create the perfect environment for mold growth. Almost any damp area left will grow mold within the first 72 hours after water intrusion. Unfortunately, many of us living in a dry climate, such as in Arizona, presume that there could be no mold damage inside of the buildings. The water leak does not have to be huge. It could be a leaking pipe under the sink, a leaking AC unit, roof leaks during the monsoon or old windows that let the water seep through the drywall inside of the house.
While mold consumes the drywall inside of the building it pollutes the air with VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) released during the decomposition of the building materials and drywall. Living or working in a building with mold can cause a multi-symptom, multi-system illness. The symptoms that can be caused by mold are headaches, brain fog, gastrointestinal complaints, joint stiffness, migrating muscle pain/cramps, cognitive impairment, and multiple chemical sensitivities to name a few. Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS), mold illness, sick building syndrome, and biotoxin illness are some of the terms used to describe a cluster of symptoms that could be caused by the exposure to the water damaged building and mold that comes with it. Unfortunately, a lot of times the cause of these symptoms is not investigated and the patient is labeled with one of the common diagnosis of fibromyalgia, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety attacks, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or chronic fatigue syndrome.
The research on the health effects of mold is growing by leaps and bounds, however, unfortunately, it takes approximately 17 years for the new research to be implemented in standard clinical practice. Fortunately, Evidence-based medicine can be practiced now without waiting 17 years to be able to help people who suffer from mold exposure.
Mold Illness Evaluation: How to Tell You Could Have Been Affected?
- Have you lived or worked in a water-damaged building?
- Have you moved out and felt better, but still not all your symptoms went away?
- Are you looking for a second opinion to find the root cause of your chronic condition?
At Sprouts Health we can help you with the personalized patient-centered approach.
PERSONALIZED APPROACH
At Sprouts Health, we provide patients with a patient-based, personalized approach to find the root cause of your symptoms instead of focusing on band-aiding the symptoms. We explore the reasons for what might be causing your symptoms to understand how they need to be treated. Such an approach results in more effective care that will benefit your health for a lifetime.
Once the potential causes of your symptoms are identified, we will TOGETHER decide on the best possible interventions effective for you. We unite the most up-to-date research, as well as expert opinions to create treatment plans that take into consideration your lifestyle, genetics, personal and family medical history and test results. Functional medicine approach helps us individualize your treatment plan to make it more effective and provide you with the solutions that will prevent or stop the development of future illness.
At Sprouts Health we can help you begin your path to wellness today. Call us to learn more about treatment for mold illness treatment and to find out if it is the missing puzzle in getting you healthier today!