Mold can be a concern in the home and should not be allowed to grow. Extensive mold contamination may cause health problems as well as damage to your home. Exposure to mold can cause health effects in most people. The most common effect is allergic responses from breathing in mold spores. Mold causes symptoms which includes hay fever, asthma, irratation to the eyes, nose, throat or lungs. Allergic reaction comes from dead as well as living mold spores.

The least common effets of mold exposure are infections and toxic effects. Infections from living mold are relatively rare and occur in people with severely suppressed immune systems. Exposure to high ammounts of mold is not healthy for anyone, so mold growth in a home should be cleaned up. Individuals with current respiratory sensitivities such as allergies, asthma, or emphysema, and individuals with current immune systems such as HIV/AIDS infection, organ transplant patients, or chemotherapy patients are more susceptible to health problems from mold exsposure.

Mold can irritate mucous membranes of the eyes. Trigeminal nerve effects have been associated with mold, and have been reported to cause decreased attention spans, disorientation, diminished reflex time, and dizziness. Volatile compounds (VOCS) produced by mold causes headaches, attention deficit, and the inability to concentrate. Some molds produce toxins or poisons.

Toxic molds can suppress the immune system, or damage intestines, skin, and lungs. They can increase the chance of cancer. Toxic molds can cause blood vessels in the skin or lungs to rupture. Toxic molds are reported to cause nausea and diarrhea, depression, headaches, tremors, kidney problems, and infertility. Penicillium is a toxic mold which has been linked with kidney damage. Aspergillis is the most toxic mold according to some sources. Some of the toxins produced by aspergillis are reported to cause liver cancer and damage other vial organs.

Indoor mold can lead to health problems. It needs to be controlled or eliminated.Contact a mold damage specialist such as the Mold Damage Team if you think you may be exposed to mold.