The term “mold illness” encompasses the experience of people who report feeling sick after being in homes, workplaces, or schools where there has been water damage or musty smells or visible mold. The number of possible ways that someone could be experiencing a problem makes many people feel misunderstood and stuck. Innovative Health approaches mold illness through the lens of personalized medicine and treating the cause of the symptom, not the symptom itself using a one size fits all pill for the ill model.
Common Causes and Triggers
While environmental exposures usually start the process leading to mold-related illnesses, numerous factors can influence how the body reacts to them. As a result, a personalized approach to addressing mold illness is necessary since two individuals can be in the exact same environment and react very differently.
Factors that contribute to mold illness symptoms include (but are not limited to): chronic water damage; hidden leaks; inadequate ventilation; damp basements; contaminated HVAC systems; and repeated exposure in the workplace, classroom or gym. Individuals also report that mold illness symptoms worsen with increased stress; lack of quality sleep; poor digestion due to an imbalance of bacteria in the gut; or concurrent infections.
A major difference with Innovative Health is that the individual’s specific factors will be identified, and not simply placed into a generic algorithm to determine the cause(s) of their mold illness symptoms.
Symptoms Related to Mold Illness
Since the body systems affected by mold illness can vary among individuals, the symptoms associated with this condition can also vary significantly from person to person.
Common symptoms include:
- Fatigue/low energy/reduced exercise capacity
- Brain fog/concentration/poor attention/memory changes
- Headaches/Migraines/Dizziness/Balance Issues
- Sinus Irritation/Throat Irritation/Cough/Breathing Discomfort
- Skin symptoms (itching/rash/eczema/unexpected skin irritation)
- Digestive symptoms (bloating/abdominal discomfort/gas/diarrhea/constipation/food sensitivities)
- Joint Stiffness/Body Aches/Unintended Inflammation
- Changes in mood/Irritability/Anxiety/Stress Sensitivity
- Sleep disturbance/Trouble Sleeping/Waking Unrestored
- Numbness/Tingling/Neuropathy/Unexpected Sensations
When symptoms appear in a wide range of locations or seem to have no consistent explanation, this can sometimes provide important clues about the overall pattern of the symptoms rather than a dead-end.
Support for Mold Illness Through Innovative Health
Practitioners at Innovative Health follow a step-by-step approach to develop a treatment plan tailored specifically to the individual’s needs and tolerances. Support may include developing a detailed history of the individual’s symptoms over time and identifying potential exposure sources. Practitioners may also use testing as a tool to provide further clarity when needed, however, testing is never viewed as a replacement for professional clinical reasoning.
Treatment plans at Innovative Health are typically developed in conjunction with basic life-style interventions (e.g., improving sleep quality, providing support to the nervous system and nutritional support), and targeting specific therapeutic modalities designed to restore balance and promote recovery to the individual’s immune system. Additional support may also be provided to the client via Natural IV Therapy/Nutrient IVs/Ozone IVs when deemed appropriate. Some clients may also elect to pursue additional support through peptide therapy or regenerative options such as biologics/HCTP/ MSCs/exosomes per current standards of practice. When joint pain or mobility impairments accompany mold symptoms, practitioners may recommend natural joint injections/ozone joint injections as part of the overall treatment plan based upon the total picture of the individual.
Schedule a visit with an Innovative Health Provider
Many people find that mold illness can be difficult and frustrating, especially when the symptoms seem unrelated or too vague to understand or prove. At Innovative Health, we utilize a personalized medicine model of care to treat the underlying cause of the symptoms, and create a customized treatment plan rather than utilizing a generic pill for the ill protocol. If you would like to discuss your symptoms and possible next steps in obtaining relief, please schedule an appointment with an Innovative Health provider through our clinic contact page.