Tag Archives: Mold and Your Health

Toxic Mold May Trigger Psychiatric Symptoms

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Depression Linked to Mold

Depression Linked to Mold

Experts regularly warn about toxic mold as a risk to your physical health, particularly the upper respiratory system. A noted mental health professional recently spoke about the lesser-known link between toxic mold and psychiatric symptoms.

Mold and Biotoxin Illness

Dr. Mary Ackerley of Tucson is an integrative psychiatrist who uses alternative treatments with patients who don’t respond to traditional methods. She is also certified in the Shoemaker Protocol for treating biotoxin illness and chronic inflammatory response.

While Dr. Ackerley was originally unaware of the dangers of mold, she had her first experience with a patient who presented with depression and brain fog along with stomach pains and chronic sinus infections. It turned out that remodeling of the woman’s home had uncovered extensive mold.

The Mold-Brain Connection

Cytokines are proteins that regulate the body’s immune response to foreign organisms. When cytokines are at elevated levels, such as during prolonged exposure to mycotoxins in mold, they can result in neuroinflammation, triggering these psychiatric symptoms.

Dr. Ackerley cited another case of a woman who began suffering from extreme depression and anxiety when her husband performed DIY mold remediation at their home. The doctor pointed out the irony of these patients being told depression is “all in their head” only to discover that there are clear physical causes.

Stern Mold: Effective Mold Remediation for NYC and Northern NJ

As in the cases of these patients, traditional mold remediation can actually aggravate toxic mold symptoms rather than relieve them. Contact us to learn more about our non-toxic, non-invasive MoldExterm process and schedule your free mold inspection by our experienced professional technicians.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Remediation, Mold Tips, Mold Treatment, MoldExterm, News

My House is Making Me Sick – The MoldExterm Makeover

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Have You Been Experiencing Upper Respiratory Symptoms?

Have You Been Experiencing Upper Respiratory Symptoms?

Have you or your family been experiencing unexplained sneezing, coughing or other symptoms of upper respiratory illness? Maybe your doctor has suggested mold as the underlying cause.

If you suspect that your house is making you sick, don’t wait to investigate. Prompt and effective mold remediation may be the answer to your chronic health problems.

Does My House Have Mold?

The short answer is: yes, it does. Mold and mold spores exist nearly everywhere. Problems arise when mold levels rise beyond your body’s ability to tolerate them.

Begin by scheduling a professional inspection. Mold is notorious for growing in hidden places, so you need someone with an experienced eye who knows where to look.

The MoldExterm Makeover

Once the presence of mold has been confirmed, the next step is mold remediation. Unfortunately, the traditional process of removing affected materials is expensive, messy and inconvenient.

Our revolutionary MoldExterm process solves the disadvantages of regular mold remediation. The system is cost-effective, requires no replacement of building materials and generally takes only one day to complete.

• Affected areas are first treated with an EPA-registered, multi-purpose antimicrobial solution that cleans, disinfects and deodorizes.

• Next, our proprietary polymer sealer is applied to all surfaces for an effective barrier against the reappearance of mold, even when covered by a coat of paint.

• Finally, we install a professional-grade dehumidifier to reduce moisture levels, which discourages mold growth.

Get the MoldExterm Makeover for your NYC or Northern NJ Home

Our friendly, experienced technicians at Stern Mold provide state-of-the-art mold remediation with a minimum of disruption to your household. Contact us today to schedule your free inspection.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Remediation, MoldExterm, News

Are All Interior Mold Varieties Toxic?

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The term “toxic mold” has lead Americans to a great deal of stress and confusion in recent years. Are all varieties of mold toxic? How worried should you be about interior mold?

All molds in high concentration may cause health problems, but only a few or toxic.
Toxic, or “toxigenic” molds produce small molecular toxins – mycotoxins – spread via spores. The mycotoxins in these spores pose potentially serious health problems in high quantities. Two of the best known toxigenic molds include aspergillis and stachybotrys, or “black mold.”

Toxic black mold
Stachybotrys is infamous due to its prevalence in the home and its ability to sicken exposed individuals. It easily grows on building materials, especially in high-moisture environments. Greenish-black and gelatinous to dry in texture depending on conditions, black mold resembles several similar molds, therefore expert analysis is recommended to confirm its presence for mold removal.

Black mold symptoms:

  • Irritation of mucous membranes
  • Respiratory & skin issues
  • Weakened immune system
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Mental impairment
  • Organ damage
  • Hemorrhaging
  • Possible death

Immediate mold removal is necessary
Black mold can cause permanent damage and threaten your life. Health damaging risks increase in direct proportion to exposure times.

Not a D-I-Y situation
Disturbing mold can release huge amounts of spores. NEVER attempt removal of black mold on your own. Professional removal is necessary.

Need mold removal fast? For a timely alternative to mold remediation, contact Stern Mold today.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Treatment, News

Can Mold Exposure Cause Asthma?

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Lungs And Mold

Lungs And Mold

One of the reasons effective mold treatment is so important is the negative health effects for the home or building’s occupants. The microscopic spores drift through the atmosphere where they can be inhaled with each breath. The greater the concentration, the stronger the effect.

Upper respiratory problems are a common result of interior mold growth. The spores irritate the linings of the throat and nasal passages causing symptoms such as coughing, sneezing and itchy, watery eyes. Intensity varies based on an individual’s particular sensitivity, which can become more acute with extensive exposure.

People with chronic lung illnesses such as asthma are at higher risk for mold allergies. Exposure can trigger an attack accompanied by coughing and wheezing. But can mold exposure actually cause an individual to develop asthma?

There is currently no evidence showing a direct link between mold and asthma in adults. However, a government-funded study has shown a correlation between mold exposure and the development of asthma in children. Out of 289 infants with an average age of eight months, 24 percent developed asthma by the age of seven.

The study focused on the homes’ Environmental Relative Moldiness Index, or ERMI. Researchers discovered that high ERMI values put the children at risk even when there was no visual evidence of mold.

Traditional mold remediation can further disperse mold spores, actually aggravating the problem. Our proprietary MoldExterm mold treatment encapsulates the affected surfaces for non-toxic removal. Don’t put the health of your family or others at risk. Visit our website to schedule an appointment for a free mold evaluation.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Treatment, News

Am I Reacting to Mold? What Are the Symptoms?

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Mold in an Office Building is No Problem for Us

Mold in an Office Building is No Problem for Us

People are often initially unaware of a mold infestation in their building because it’s not always immediately visible. The first suggestion of a possible problem may come from physical symptoms that develop after exposure to the mold spores. Learning to recognize the more common symptoms can help alert you to the necessity for mold treatment.

Mold is an important part of the ecosystem and you’re likely to be exposed to it on a daily basis without any negative effects. Problems arise when mold gets a foothold indoors, where limited ventilation can’t prevent a concentrated build-up. As a result, you and others in the home or building end up inhaling significant quantities of mold spores.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to mold causes primarily upper-respiratory ailments such as wheezing, nasal stuffiness and itchy, watery eyes. Intensity of the symptoms can vary based on an individual’s particular allergies or sensitivities. However, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has found sufficient evidence to demonstrate that mold can cause upper-respiratory ailments in otherwise healthy people.

Another serious matter concerns the effects of mold exposure on children. The IOM data showed that healthy children are also susceptible to the upper-respiratory symptoms. In addition, studies have found evidence of a link between early exposure to mold and the development of asthma.

Traditional remediation methods can actually aggravate mold-related health problems by dispersing mold spores into the environment. Our innovative MoldExterm mold treatment concentrates on killing the fungus and preventing its return. Visit our website to schedule a free mold inspection and evaluation of your property.

Posted in Mold & Your Health
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