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Treating Mold Illness in the Aftermath of Hurricanes

By |2024-10-23T20:14:33-04:00October 23rd, 2024|Categories: Mold|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season caused tremendous destruction along Florida’s Gulf Coast, as well as in the mountains of western North Carolina and at multiple points in between, and it may not be over — hurricane season doesn’t officially end until November 30.

Adding to these miseries? Among the most serious health threats for people living in these areas disrupted by surging tides and floodwaters is mold.

Structural damage to homes, schools, and businesses combined with trillions of gallons of water cannot help but to increase exposure to mold toxins, which are universally known to negatively impact health.

If you’ve been spending any amount of time in a water-damaged building (home, school, or workplace), and you’re experiencing any symptoms of exposure to toxic mold, please read on.

Photo for Treating mold illness after a hurricane

Mold Toxicity Symptoms

Let’s start with a list of some of the conditions and symptoms that we commonly see in patients who are suffering from exposure to mold toxins:

  • Brain fog (impaired focus and attention). For more information, read “The Brain Fog Mycotoxin Connection” here on our blog.
  • Fatigue, which may be indicative of chronic fatigue syndrome-myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS-ME), depending on its severity (for more information, please read “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – Healing Your Frustrations!” here on the PROVOKE Health blog)
  • Esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus, which can cause a sore throat and chest pain)
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Irritable bowel syndrome-mixed (IBS-M), characterized by alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea (for more information, read “IBS Diagnosis and Treatment Calls for an Understanding of SIBO and SIFO” here on the blog)
  • Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth-small intestinal fungal overgrowth (SIBO-SIFO) or candida yeast overgrowth (a type of SIFO). For more information, read “What Is SIBO and What Can I Do About It?” here on our blog.
  • Dementia
  • Sinusitis (with allergy-like symptoms — sneezing, runny nose, congestion, post-nasal drip)
  • Migraines or less severe but recurring or persistent headaches
  • Multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Vertigo
  • Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). For more information, please read “What is Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome – or POTS?” here on the PROVOKE Health blog.
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), which causes allergy-like symptoms (for more information, read “Diagnosing and Treating Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)” here on our blog.
  • Lichen sclerosus — a condition that causes patchy, discolored, thin skin, usually in the genital or anal area (for more information, please read “Personalized Treatment for Lichen Sclerosus,”)
  • Dermatitis, swelling of the skin (rashes)
  • Chronic food sensitivities
  • Loss of resilience (increased susceptibility to chronic colds, bronchitis, pneumonia, and other infections)

The list of conditions and symptoms is extensive, partly because mold-related illnesses often go unnoticed by traditional healthcare providers. As a result, those of us who specialize in testing for and treating mold-related illnesses have come to understand its scope in ways that few others do. And here at PROVOKE Health, we don’t guess, we test!

First Steps: Getting an Accurate and Thorough Diagnosis

If you’re experiencing any of the conditions or symptoms described in the previous section, or suffer other unexplained symptoms, you have a choice between two starting points. Begin by having your home inspected, as well as other buildings where you spend time. If toxic mold is suspected, you’ll need to get both your home and yourself tested and treated. If tests come back positive, you’ll want to treat your residence first.

However, if you and your home both test negative, the results will direct our attention to some other cause of your ailments.

At PROVOKE Health, we always start with a thorough evaluation — a physical exam plus an examination of your health history, family history, lifestyle, medications, living environment, and more. This initial examination often reveals factors that we need to take a closer look at by ordering targeted lab tests. Our objective is to keep peeling back “layers of the onion” until we identify the root cause(s) of the symptoms or condition.

For example, a patient may have a vitamin B12 deficiency caused by Continue reading…

Florida is No. 1 in The Nation for Mold — Here’s How to Protect Your Family

By |2024-04-09T21:26:30-04:00April 9th, 2024|Categories: Mold|Tags: , , , , |0 Comments

Florida leads the nation in a number of things, including being the most favored destination for people who are retiring. It’s also the most popular state for new business formations —outside of Delaware, which is a business formation mill. And the Sunshine State is also No. 1 for something called Education Freedom, which enables students and parents a choice of educational options that best meet their needs.

We could go on and on with these “best in the nation” accolades, but this post deals with what we consider one of Florida’s least laudable attributes: mold. Hands down, Florida is No. 1 in nation in mold.

Mold problem in the state of Florida

According to a March 2024 study, Florida scored 38.76 out of a possible 40 on the FDP Mold Index. Mississippi ran a close second at 38.66 and Louisiana came in third with 38.52. FDP’s mold index is based on four key metrics that can be attributed to higher chances of mold growing inside and outside the home:

  • Average rainfall
  • Average temperature
  • Average humidity
  • Average age of homes

Each metric accounts for 10 of the total 40 points.

These scores are no surprise to our medical team here at PROVOKE Health. Many of our patients live in Tampa and other areas in South Central Florida, and their initial visit to our clinic or via a virtual appointment is often because they’re seeking relief from symptoms commonly related to mold exposure. These patients typically have already consulted with conventional medical practices without receiving much, if any, relief. Some of these medical practices don’t even offer a clear diagnosis.

At PROVOKE Health, we provide relief through a highly personalized protocol that addresses everything from in-home testing and mold remediation to blood draws, detoxing, and treating any mold/fungal infection. We calm the inflammatory response and restore health and function to the body’s nervous system, which is often impacted by mold exposure. And while we don’t test homes or perform mold remediation ourselves, we have a list of trusted companies that do as part of our treatment protocol.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Toxic Mold Exposure

Mold exposure can cause infections, especially sinus infections, as well as overwhelm the body’s natural detox mechanisms. Infections and toxins can cause chronic inflammation, which produce symptoms that are vague and difficult to trace back to a clear underlying cause unless you’re a trained medical professional who knows what to look for. Symptoms of mold exposure include, but are not limited to, the following: Continue reading…

Assessing Your Home For Root Causes of Chronic Fatigue & Inflammation

If you have been experiencing chronic health problems that seem to be unexplained it’s possible you stumbled upon my blog in an effort to find solutions.If you are a current patient in my Tampa holistic medicine practice, I may have asked you to read this blog to help better understand some next steps in your treatment plan. In this post I am going to share with you the importance of checking your home to be sure you are breathing clean air. I will also share resources so that you may start to improve your health immediately. 

Some tells. If you play poker you probably heard of a “tell”. This is a signal made by another player that essentially foreshadows her hand. Over twenty years of practice I have picked up on some tells that often suggest there is an indoor environmental issue at home. A few appear obvious, while for some symptoms the connection may be harder to comprehend, and you’ll see from a review of the list below:  Continue reading…