Could Mold and Water Damage be Causing Your Symptoms?

Your home and your health are intricately connected. Considering that the average person spends 90% of their time indoors and takes 20,000 breaths each day, it makes sense!

Living in a mold and water-damaged indoor environment can cause a wide variety of symptoms that are often mistaken for other conditions. Those sickened or impacted by mold may spend years struggling with these chronic symptoms and the wrong diagnosis, if they get a diagnosis at all.

Some common symptoms of exposure include:
  • Brain fog and memory issues
  • Cognitive decline
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Headaches
  • Digestives issues
  • Fatigue
  • Depression, anxiety, and mood swings
  • Skin problems
  • Respiratory issues
  • Chronic sinusitis
  • Muscle weakness or joint pain
  • Dizziness

A 2018 Tufts University study concluded that exposure to mold and mycotoxins was associated with asthma, wheezing, bronchitis, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, headaches, anxiety, mood, cognitive issues, and depression.

A study from Brown University in 2007 showed that residents living in visibly damp and moldy households had a 44% HIGHER risk of depression than those in mold-free dwellings.

To complicate the situation even more, mold symptoms vary from person to person, even among individuals living in the same house.

This can occur for a variety of reasons, some of which include:

  • Underlying/pre-existing health conditions
  • Amount, type, and length of exposure
  • Age of people in the home
  • Genetics
  • Previous exposures

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, schedule an appointment with a knowledgeable health care practitioner and have your home evaluated for signs of mold and water damage.

For resources on how to check your home for mold and water damage, click here.

To see Dr. Jill Crista’s Mold Symptom Questionnaire, click here.

To learn more about symptoms associated with Environmentally Acquired Illnesses: 

Further Reading:

Medical Disclaimer:

Change the Air Foundation does not provide medical advice and is not intended to be a substitute for the advice, diagnosis or treatment from a physician or other health care professional. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of any interaction you have had with Change the Air Foundation.

Sources:

  • Spengler, J., Neas, L., Nakai, S., Dockery, D., Speizer, F., Ware, J., & Raizenne, M. (1994). Respiratory symptoms and housing characteristics. Indoor air, 4(2), 72-82.
  • Mudarri, D., & Fisk, W. J. (2007). Public health and economic impact of dampness and mold. Indoor air, 17(LBNL-63007).
  • Flappan, S. M., Portnoy, J., Jones, P., & Barnes, C. (1999). Infant pulmonary hemorrhage in a suburban home with water damage and mold (Stachybotrys atra). Environmental health perspectives, 107(11), 927-930.
  • Zock, J. P., Jarvis, D., Luczynska, C., Sunyer, J., Burney, P., & European Community Respiratory Health Survey. (2002). Housing characteristics, reported mold exposure, and asthma in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 110(2), 285-292.
  •  Hope, J. (2013). A review of the mechanism of injury and treatment approaches for illness resulting from exposure to water-damaged buildings, mold, and mycotoxins. The Scientific World Journal, 2013.
  • Ratnaseelan AM, Tsilioni I, Theoharides TC. Effects of Mycotoxins on Neuropsychiatric Symptoms and Immune Processes. Clin Ther. 2018 Jun;40(6):903-917 

  • Shenassa ED, Daskalakis C, Liebhaber A, Braubach M, Brown M. Dampness and Mold in the Home and Depression: An Examination of Mold-related Illness and Perceived Control of One's Home as Possible Depression Pathways. Am J Public Health. 2007 Oct;97(10):1893-9.