Molds are fungi that can be found both indoors and outdoors. No one knows how many species of fungi exist, but estimates range from tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thousand or more. Molds grow best in warm, damp, and humid conditions and spread and reproduce by making spores. Mold spores can survive harsh environmental conditions, such as dry conditions, that do not support normal mold growth.

There are three ways in which Stachybotrys spores and mycotoxins can enter the body, which is equally dangerous. The most common method of entry is through the lungs. Black mold toxins easily become airborne and circulate through enclosed spaces by air handling systems. This makes it all too easy to breathe in toxic black mold. If you handle a material infested with toxic mold, it can enter your body through your skin. Additionally, black mold toxins can enter the bloodstream through the lungs and the mucous membranes of the nose, eyes, and mouth

According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation. Some people, such as those with serious mold allergies, may have more severe reactions. Severe reactions may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as farmers working around moldy hay. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath. Some people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs.

The scariest thing about Stachybotrys exposure is that it can affect every single system of your body. Symptoms are so various that it’s often difficult to pinpoint the culprit until damage has been done. They include sore throats, difficulty breathing, rashes, and other skin irritation, coughing and wheezing, depression and anxiety, nausea, memory loss, heart arrhythmia, high blood pressure, and internal bleeding, among other things.

You should first consult a family or general health care provider who will decide whether you need a referral to a specialist. Such specialists might include an allergist who treats patients with mold allergies or an infectious disease physician who treats mold infections. A pulmonary physician might be recommended if an infection is in the lungs. While seeing your primary care physician is a good first choice, an Environmental and Occupational physician would be the next choice.

Absolutely not! Companies that inspect and remediate mold problems are vested in finding problems that don’t exist. After all, they make more money correcting the problem. Also, you shouldn’t trust an inspector who will “refer” you to someone to fix the problem. They’ll get a referral fee for that. Really, the only mold inspection company you can trust is one that only does the inspection, and that’s me.