Don’t Let Mold Exposure Take Over: Treatment Options Explained

Mold Exposure is the contact or inhalation with mold or mold spores. Belonging to the fungi family, molds are microscopic organisms with enzymes that decompose and digest organic matter. Molds can enter your home through vents, windows, heating and air conditioning systems, and open doorways. It can also attach itself to pets that can be brought indoors, shoes, and clothing.

Exposure to damp environments can cause health problems, so some people are sensitive to molds. The Institute of Medicine (IMO) discovered evidence connecting indoor exposure to mold with cough, wheezing, and respiratory tract symptoms in healthy people, hypersensitivity pneumonitis in individuals prone to immune-mediated conditions, and asthma symptoms for people who have asthma. To prevent having these symptoms, mold exposure can be treated by the following:

Bronchodilators

This treatment is crucial if you have asthma since the doctor may prescribe this to help open your airways and mitigate symptoms such as shortness of breath and wheezing. So when you experience the first sign of a symptom, don’t forget to use your quick-relief albuterol inhaler.

However, keep in mind that bronchodilators do not address the primary cause of the symptoms in the respiratory area, which pertains to mold spores exposure. In order to remove the mold, it is vital to address the source of the mold growth.

Decongestants

Decongestants can relieve nasal congestion when caused by mold exposure since it is a typical symptom for individuals with allergies to mold. Decongestants can help reduce congestion and swelling and work by shrinking the blood vessels in the nasal passages.

So if you have symptoms such as sinus pressure, postnasal drip, and stuffy nose, decongestants can relieve these symptoms. Decongestants are available in both nasal and oral spray forms. For oral decongestants, they are available over-the-counter and are combined with antihistamines in allergy medications. While nasal decongestants may also be available over-the-counter, they shouldn’t be used for three days in a row. Long-term use can lead to rebound congestion.

Montelukast Tablets

Also known as leukotriene receptor antagonists, these tablets can be helpful for individuals with mold exposure, specifically those with asthma or other respiratory conditions. Montelukast blocks the action of leukotrienes or chemicals produced by the body to respond to mold and other allergens.

Leukotrienes can lead to symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, coughing, and wheezing. With that being said, Montelukast can improve breathing and reduce inflammation in individuals with symptoms of mold respiratory. But it is crucial to remember that Montelukast is not for everyone and may not work for some individuals with mold exposure.

Antifungal medications

A healthcare professional may prescribe you to take an antifungal medication like voriconazole if you have an infection due to mold exposure or a compromised immune system. Antifungal medications can directly target and eliminate the mold that causes allergic reactions or other health problems.

Additionally, antifungal medications work by eliminating the reproduction and growth of fungi, particularly the mold. These medications are administered depending on the type and severity of the fungal exposure or infection through oral or injection.

Immunotherapy

There are cases when your doctor may recommend immunotherapy. This therapy will help desensitize your immune system to mold by regularly injecting small amounts of mold allergens. This can decrease the severity of allergic reactions over time and set the need for medications to manage symptoms.

Immunotherapy aims to train the immune system to become less sensitive to specific allergens, which include mold. There is a buildup phase for the treatment during the gradual increase of the allergen dose over several months. This phase is followed by a maintenance phase during a steady level in which a dose is maintained.

Oxygen therapy

If you have breathing problems, your doctor may recommend you to take oxygen therapy to help improve your blood’s oxygen levels. A study looked at the effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments on patients with mold toxicity. Researchers confirmed mold exposure and exposure to mycotoxins and related by-products in all patients that received treatment from this study. 15 adults between the ages 18 and 58 took part in this study.

After exposure, the participants became ill and developed clinical attention deficit disorder (ADD), affecting their reaction time and attention span, determined by the TOVA test administration. Following this is the improvement of all 15 patients in reaction time and attention span after only 10 sessions of Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments therapy.

Allergy Medications

If you’re suffering from allergies to mold, your doctor may prescribe nasal corticosteroids, antihistamines, and decongestants. These will relieve symptoms like itching, congestion, and sneezing. Moreover, there are also over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines like loratadine (Alavert, Claritin), fexofenadine (Allegra Allergy), and cetirizine (Zyrtec Allergy). These can only cause no or slight drowsiness or dry mouth.

You can also take nasal sprays that are accessible by prescription, such as azelastine (Astelin, Astepro) and olopatadine (Patanase). Nasal corticosteroids are nasal sprays that treat and prevent the upper respiratory mold allergy from causing inflammation. Many people consider these nasal sprays as their first medication prescribed and the most effective allergy medication.

Nasal lavage

Having nasal symptoms can be irritating, so your doctor might recommend you to rinse your nose with salt water daily. To irrigate your nasal passages, use a specifically designed squeezed bottle like a bulb syringe, neti pot, or the one included in saline kits (Sinus Rinse, etc.). Also, it’s required for you to use water that’s distilled, previously boiled or cooled, sterile, or filtered using a filter with an exact pore size of 1 micron or even smaller to complete the irrigation solution.

Nasal lavage can be helpful for individuals, particularly those with mold-related nasal symptoms such as sinus pressure, congestion, and runny nose. Additionally, since nasal lavage can reduce inflammation in the airways and improve breathing, it can also be helpful for individuals with mold-related asthma.

Antibiotics

It is important to note that antibiotics are not directly used to treat mold exposure since they are only effective against bacterial infections and mold is a type of fungus. But you can take antibiotics if you develop a respiratory infection due to mold exposure.

Moreover, antibiotics can be prescribed by your doctor to treat the infection in circumstances when mold exposure develops a secondary bacterial infection. The type of antibiotic prescribed will rely on what causes the severity of the infection through a specific bacteria.

Removal of the source of mold growth

It’s important that we shouldn’t forget to remove the source of mold growth to prevent individuals from experiencing more mold exposure. This may involve fixing leaks, cleaning and disinfecting affected areas, and improving ventilation. Removing the source of mold growth is the most effective way to eradicate mold exposure.

The mold will only continue to grow and release spores into the air if the source of mold growth isn’t removed. This can result in the trigger of allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. As long as the mold is present, mold exposure will continue to occur even if medications and other treatments are used to manage symptoms.