The Complexity of Mold
A combination of a passion for environmental medicine and an uptick in mold-related illness at the Stram Center prompted me to seek further medical training on the latest advances in treating mold-related conditions; a continuing medical education course taught by a Naturopathic Doctor specializing in mold sickness, Dr. Jill Crista. This blog is intended to bring attention to this chronic, often misdiagnosed, complex condition that is the root cause of a lot of “mystery” symptoms and syndromes - think chronic fatigue syndrome, mast cell activation syndrome, mitochondrial dysfunction, dysautonomia, chronic sinusitis, interstitial cystitis, nephritis, tinnitus, neuropathy, immunodeficiency, cognitive impairment, unspecified gastrointestinal symptoms, food sensitivity, among many others.
It is well recognized in conventional medicine that mold can cause allergic rhinitis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, asthma (both IgE and non-IgE mediated), and aspergillosis. This is limited to medical conditions caused by mold spores, and does not include the most toxic of mold related conditions, mycotoxin sickness. Mycotoxins are the most toxic components of mold that are released by mold when it is threatened. Mycotoxins, unlike spores, can be absorbed into circulation and cause systemic illness. They can enter human bodies through routes of inhalation, ingestion and/or absorption through skin. Their lipophilic nature allows them to enter cells, causing disruption in cellular processes. They have no scent, so are often undetected by exposed individuals. It is not new knowledge that mycotoxins are dangerous - militaries around the world make bioweapons out of them. Unfortunately, mycotoxin illness is not yet well represented in conventional medical models.
It is important to note that mold is everywhere in our environment. A lot of the mold we are exposed to does not cause us to be sick. We are mostly concerned with exposure to water damaged buildings, and thus mycotoxins. Exposure to mold from water damaged buildings at any point in your lifetime can be making you sick NOW. Exposure does not have to be recent. Think - potential past exposure at school, work place, campus housing, camping, hotels, basements, etc. Mold is not just an “old building” issue - once buildings have been exposed to water, mold can grow quickly, in just 24-48 hours. Large areas of water do not need to be present - humidity levels of >50% indoors can support mold growth. Since toxic components of mold often are not visible to the eye or detected via smell, it is possible you were exposed and never knew it or are currently being exposed and don’t know it. Toxic mold can hide under flooring, behind drywall, in HVAC systems, CPAP machines, humidifiers, etc - easily left undetected.
A big principle of environmental medicine is avoidance of the environmental trigger. This applies for treating mycotoxin illness as well, and in fact is the most important first step in treatment. From experience, patients will not reach full treatment potential and/or will have relapses in symptoms if they do not get out of the moldy environment permanently. It may be advised to get your current living environment assessed, and if needed, professionally remediated for mold. DIY testing is highly discouraged, as mold can be easily missed by the untrained. DIY remediation is also highly discouraged, as when mold dies, it releases more toxins. Leave it to the professionals - you don’t want to make yourself sicker!
How Integrative Medicine can help: if you are suffering from chronic symptoms of no known etiology, and/or if you suspect mold-related illness, it is important to have a full “biologic terrain” assessed to determine root cause. Treatment plans are highly individualized and that also goes for mycotoxin illness. Treating mycotoxin illness requires chronic intranasal and systemic therapy, and is done in several phases. The extent of illness is related to our environmental and genetic predisposition, duration, and amount of exposure. Your genetic diversity, type of mycotoxins exposed to, and comorbidities also play a big role in the types of symptoms, severity of illness, and treatment strategies implemented. Each treatment phase is individualized to your specific needs.
We have the ability to implement specialized IV therapies at our clinic to support your body’s needs.
Please contact the Stram Center if you are interested in making a medical appointment for evaluation.
A special thanks to the resource of this article, Dr. Jill Crista. Check out her patient-friendly book “How to Break the Mold” for more in depth, easy to read information.
About Kaitlin Surber,, PA-CRelated Blog Posts
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