Your
Mold Allergy May Last All Year Long
People with allergy
symptoms would do almost anything to avoid their stuffed up noses,
persistent headaches, and non-stop sneezing. The good news for those
with a seasonal allergy is they can look forward to the season’s
end. Others, however, experience hay fever-type symptoms all year
long, usually because they have a mold allergy.
As the name suggests,
the underlying cause of a mold allergy is mold and mildew fungi.
Mold and mildew are different from plants and animals, and therefore,
a mold allergy has its own unique characteristics. Mold reproduces
by spreading spores into the environment through winds, fog, or
dew. Certain individuals experience a mold allergy when they breathe
in mold and mildew spores. Since mold and mildew can exist in so
many places—including indoors—people may suffer from
mold allergy symptoms all year long.
Mold and mildew
spores can come from rotting logs, fallen leaves, and in all damp
areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, and cellars. Studies have suggested
that a mold allergy is more common in people who work in certain
fields such as farmers, loggers, mill workers, carpenters, and furniture
builders. People with other allergies (i.e. pet dander allergies,
seasonal allergies, pollen allergies) and those with a family history
of allergies are at a higher risk for mold allergy symptoms.
The symptoms of
a mold allergy are similar to the symptoms of other sinus allergies:
congestion, dry skin, scaling skin, itching, runny nose, headaches,
and sneezing. In rare cases, fungi can enter the human body and
grow, causing permanent damage to airways. There are several other
serious complications connected to mold allergies including asthma
attacks and exposure to mold toxins called mycotoxins. The reported
dangers of mycotoxins are liver damage, nervous system damage, and
cancer.
If you are exposed
to mold, you may not experience a mold allergy right away. Your
mold allergy symptoms may be immediate or delayed, and can become
worse over time. To prevent a mold allergy, it is recommended that
you keep indoor humidity below 45 percent. Other ways to prevent
mold allergy include quick repair of plumbing leaks, the use of
air conditioning and exhaust fans, the removal of bathroom carpet,
scouring sinks and tubs monthly, as well as throwing away old books,
newspapers, bedding, and clothing.
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