Mold Symptoms – Do You Know What They Are?

What would be some of the physical mold symptoms you would experience if your house had mold. I live in Florida and have had this terrible tickle and cough for 2 weeks and don’t know why.

Answer

Some symptoms of mold would be: shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, being tired more easily than usual, and coughing material (sputum) out of your lungs. I recommend that you get your cough checked. I had one for a year and a half, now I have asthma in spite of moving.

To treat this, the normal way is to look at it as a chronic cough or asthma. You would likely be prescribed an inhaled steroid to reduce lung inflammation and possibly a bronchodilator like Albuterol/Salbutamol for chest tightness, coughing, or wheezing. Ending your exposure to mold is the best treatment.

Fixing the mold problem could be something minor like washing the surfaces in your home with diluted bleach or severe with major demolition and mold removal by professionals. Try to wear a mask when you know you will be exposed to mold. If you have a moldy bathroom, use another shower, if possible. Let the room dry out for a few weeks. Check the bathroom fan to make sure it is actually pulling air from the room to outside. Good ventilation in a room after cleaning it up can help reduce the amount of mold. Commercially available mold removal spray is useful for surface mold. In addition, paint with mold inhibiting chemicals in it can be a good option for repainted areas you know are prone to mold outbreaks.

When trying to isolate where the mold is, remember that mold needs wetness or dampness to grow. Bathrooms with poor ventilation, areas where the pipes are leaking, basements that need a sump pump or dehumidifier, and spots in the ceiling that are not insulated properly can encourage the growth of mold.