Asthma Overview

More than 25 million Americans are affected by asthma. Asthma is a chronic condition that can cause inflammation of your airways, which makes it difficult to breathe. Asthma is a chronic disease that cannot be treated. Avoiding triggers and taking medications to control symptoms is the best way to treat asthma.

Asthma and Mold Allergy

Mold spores can trigger asthma symptoms in people with asthma and mold allergies. Some people can get severe asthma attacks from exposure to mold spores. Asthma symptoms include:

  • Itching
  • You are wheezing
  • Breathing difficulties
  • Chest tightness

The Causes

Mold allergy symptoms can be triggered, just like any other allergy. Your body develops allergic-causing antibodies when it inhales tiny airborne mold spores.

Mold spores may cause an immediate reaction or delay the reaction.

There are many types of molds that can be found indoors as well as outdoors. Allergies can only be caused by certain types of mold. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be allergic to all types of mold. Alternaria, penicillium, Cladosporium, and Aspergillus are some of the most commonly found molds that can cause allergy.

Risk Factors

There are many factors that can increase your chances of developing a mold allergy or make it worse.

A family history of allergy. You are more susceptible to developing a mold allergy if you have asthma or allergies in the family.
You could be exposed to mold if you work in an occupation that involves high levels of exposure. Some occupations that can expose you to mold include farming, milk work, logging, and baking.
High humidity can lead to mold growth in your home. Indoor humidity levels above 50% could lead to mold growth in your house.
If the right conditions exist, mold can thrive almost anywhere. Mold allergy symptoms can be caused by exposure to moldy household materials.
Living in or working in an area that has been subject to excessive moisture is dangerous. Leaky pipes, flood damage, and water seepage from rainstorms are just a few examples. Nearly every structure has excess moisture at some point. This can lead to mold growth.
Poor ventilation can lead to poor health. Poor ventilation can lead to moisture trapping in the house and prevent proper ventilation. This creates ideal conditions for mold growth. The most susceptible areas are bathrooms, basements, and kitchens.

Problems

The most common allergic reaction to mold is hay fever, which can be very distressing but not serious. Some allergic reactions to mold can be more serious. Some of these include:

Mold-induced asthma

Asthma flare-ups may be caused by people who are allergic to mold spores. You should have an emergency plan in place in the event of severe asthma attacks if you suffer from asthma and mold allergies.

Allergic fungal sinusitis

It is caused by an allergic reaction to the fungus found in the sinuses.

Allergy bronchopulmonary asthma

Cystic fibrosis or asthma sufferers can experience this reaction due to fungus buildup in their lungs.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis

Lung inflammation can be caused by exposure to mold spores or other airborne particles. This condition can also be caused by dust allergies at work.

Mold can also cause other problems

Mold can also pose health hazards to people who are allergic. Mold can also cause skin and mucous membrane infections. However, most people don’t get systemic infections from mold, except those with compromised immune systems such as HIV/AIDS patients or immunosuppressant drug users.

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