Suspect Mold? 6 Actions to Take
Mold illness often starts with small suspicions. You smell mold three days after it rains. Or you don’t smell anything, but every time you get up you are stiff, you feel tired and sometimes dizzy, and your memory isn’t as good as it used to be. Your ears are buzzing. You think you’re getting old. Time passes, and you notice you aren’t getting anything done anymore. You begin to realize this could go on a long time. You feel as though you are fading away…
Finally, a window fails. You believe you’ve found the mold problem, but have no idea it’s connected to the constellation of symptoms you’ve been experiencing. You have heard mold can be unhealthy and wonder what you need to do to fix the problem.
If this sounds something like your situation, you need a plan of action. This includes determining whether or not you have mold illness, and marshaling a team to resolve the problems you are facing. Here’s what to do:
Get a preliminary indication of whether or not you suffer from mold illness by taking Dr. Richie Shoemaker’s visual contrast sensitivity test at https://www.survivingmold.com/diagnosis/visual-contrast-sensitivity-vcs. Symptoms vary widely, but this test is a strong indicator.
Test your home and workplace’s relative mold levels with an ERMI at www.mycometrics.com. You will have the choice of submitting dust samples from individual rooms in your house, or submit a combined dust sample from all rooms to get an idea of the general level in the house. The former will be more expensive, but also will likely be more useful to your mold inspector, should you use one.
Follow this link to choose a doctor near you: https://iseai.org/find-a-professional/. 25% of the population lack the HLA-DR gene which triggers an antibody reaction to mold toxins, causing them to build up in the body. In order to know whether or not this is you, you must find a mold-aware doctor. Although this may seem expensive, it is critical to your health to understand the threat you are under.
If you are sensitive to mold and your home or workplace is moldy, you must remove yourself from the moldy environment, get mold illness treatment, and clean your environment or get to a clean one. Consult your doctor about what to do. Your best option may be to move.
Take the time to remediate your belongings or hire a professional. Remember to protect yourself by wearing an N95 mask and gloves whenever you are exposed to a moldy environment. Do not ignore this advice. Remediating your belongings is a big topic, and you must learn how to do it right. You can find out more at www.survivingmold.com.
If you own a dwelling that has high levels of mold, find a mold inspector and a mold remediator you can trust. Your doctor may be the best resource you have for finding a top-notch mold inspector, since they will have seen whether or not their patients get better. To find a mold remediator, your best resource will be your mold inspector. They will know which remediators listen to and act on his advice. Keep in mind that air samples are useless in mold inspection because they are not actionable. If your mold inspector suggests getting an air sample, get a new mold inspector.
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Mold problems are daunting and can be all-consuming, but I am here to tell you there is light at the end of the tunnel. By following these steps and getting proper treatment, you can expect to feel much better soon.