Can mold cause sinus problem

My apartment is in a basement, it's very easy to get mold. I always have to put Bleach on it. My place is not dirty just humid. Since I've been living there I've been having sinus pain on and off everyday. Can it affect the sinus?

[scarlet37]

Yes it can affect your sinuses, in fact you could become extremely ill if the mold does not go away. Always wear a mask and gloves when cleaning mold. You're doing great by cleaning it with a bleach solution. In order to help keep excess moisture from staying in your apt. I would recommend getting a dehumidifier. The dehumidifier will remove the excess moisture in a bucket that will have to be emptied every 1-2 days.

Good luck

[tmv]

Absolutely, I agree with the above poster. If there is an aparent sign of water seeping in, it should be fixed. Otherwise, a dehumidifier should help out.  Also, a dr can prescribe zyrtec or some other allergy med if needed or claritin otc??mold/mildew allergy. You may talk to a pharmacist.

[Deeds]

There are so many types of "mold"... there's toxic mold that can settle into your lungs and kill you (research, toxic mold in homes in Texas) One of the main reasons State Farm Insurance almost went under in Texas!!  We have "white mold" where I live (drier climate) it comes accross as a white residue. It's still extremely weakening to your system!  I do have a friend that had to sell their home and move because he became SO ill from it during a renovation of his home. I guess stucco siding is a HUGE issues for harboring mold spores.  I would move personally, after seeing what my friends gone and going thru so extreme - it even caused memory loss!  If you cannot move, I'd buy a great room HEPA filter air purifier.  We have one from Honeywell in our family room and it DOES work as I have horrendous allergies!  Best of Luck to you and seriously, search mold toxicity on the internet - will open your eyes!

[Levi212]

I agree with Deeds and Scarlet, especially for a basement apartment. Mold is very dangerous at best, and can severely compromise your health. Unfortunately it's something that you can't simply mask, but must deal with directly. Mold thrives on moisture so your biggest challenge is making sure the walls stay dry so that mold doesn't "put down roots" so to speak. Your second problem is getting rid of the mold spores that are already in your air.

As far as the HEPA filter goes, it is a good idea, except that they can be pricey. Although I'm not sure if you can get a better alternative with you being in an apartment complex. If you do have a very large problem with mold, I would first get a ozone machine (but only if you have a very large problem as these too can be pricey), have it running while you LEAVE THE APARTMENT for a few hours. What this will do is it will take care of the odor as well as destroy the mold cells and its ability to reproduce.
Doing all this together should make you quite fit as far as mold problems go.

I hope that this has helped.

[mywiddlenose]

Let's see - the mafia, the IRS, or mold.  Like the cockroach surviving nuclear war, if I had to put my money on the three - I would say mold could wipe out both the mafia and the IRS.  All of the above helps are excellent.  As for Honeywell, all I can say is my allergist has an amazing air filter in his office, which is not the round Honeywell, and costs a lot of money, but you can feel the air difference.  I have not ran an air filter in my apartment in years, and am planning on purchasing the best I can afford.  Basically, I was extremely ill with asthmatic bronchitis, sinusitis for 4 months last year into this year.  Am allergic to most antibiotics.  Just mid september, something started up again.  We treated with low dose prednasone, asthmacort, xopenex, and I really like AYR saline wash kit and an occasional salt water steam treatment.  Sooo ... I was getting better .. and then it rained over the weekend, and dripped through our cieling.  The smell was unbelievable, and incredibly toxic, and suddenly my sinuses were infected as though I had flu.  The diagnosis, at least of the smell, today, is mold/mildew, and I was reading online at how defensive and toxic molds and fungus can be.  I saw something online about a texas family that tore down their house rather than try to get rid of mold.  Anyway, today, I had to go back on asthmacort daily, xopenex, etc., and I really felt short of breath.  I'm noticing ... that the nasal symptoms are responding to saline irrigation and nasalcrom.  Nasalcrom was advised as my doctor as both an antiallergic and potential antiviral.  I'm also using singulair and duratuss.   I think what got me to turn the corner today was the nasalcrom and sinus irrigations, together with saline steam.  Hope this helps.

[bohnertjeffery59]

Although it may seem obvious, thorough cleaning is arguably the most effective method of mildew and mold removal. Use a washcloth, sponge or scrub brush in conjunction with a commercial mildew and mold cleaner to administer a vigorous cleaning to any mildew or mold-laden areas. If you're not a fan of the potent chemicals found in many commercial cleaners, vinegar has proven quite effective in both purging mildew and mold and deodorizing infected areas. In addition, a  mixture of standard chlorine bleach and water is a great way to remove mildew and mold on a budget

[bohnertjeffery59]

Try to keep your nose and nasal cavities as moist as possible. You can carry a saline spray and spray throughout the day. Let me caution you about sprays. I would never put anything up my nose that was not a saline solution - that is salt and water. There are numerous products out there that claim to cure sinusitis and want you to put a foreign substance up your nose like the capsaicin in capsaicin spray. This may create other problems. You don't know what is absorbed into the bloodstream, etc.

[Dr Rajput]

Hi, your symptoms are suggestive of rhinosinusitis (ARS) which is a symptomatic inflammation of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Allergy is a strong possibility. There may be a viral infection associated with the allergy. Mold can be a possible allergen.

Firstly you need to undergo thorough physical examination; the blind swab or Endoscopic or sinus aspirate can be cultured to rule out secondary bacterial infection. Plain sinus films and sinus CT may show sinus fluid levels if present.

Usual treatment lining consists of following steps and mentioned drugs should only be taken after consultation from physician.
- Analgesics such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories and acetaminophen are recommended for inflammation relief.
- Mechanical irrigation with buffered, hypertonic saline nasal spay.
- Topical glucocorticoids (corticosteroids) or nasal spray.
- Antihistamines will cause a drying effect and helps to relieve symptoms.
- Antibiotics if bacterial infection suspected.

I suggest you to consult ENT specialist for further evaluation. Take care and regards.

[bohnertjeffery59]

I think Dr. Rajput is right. You should consult a physician.
Thanks.