Return Home
HealthSearch
Health Guide

Allergies, asthma, and molds

Description

In people who have sensitive airways, allergy and asthma symptoms can be triggered by breathing in substances called allergens, or triggers. It is important to know your triggers because avoiding them is your first step toward feeling better. Mold is a common trigger.

Alternative Names

Reactive airway - mold; Bronchial asthma - mold; Triggers - mold; Allergic rhinitis - pollen

Molds

When your asthma or allergies become worse due to mold, you are said to have a mold allergy.

There are many types of mold. They all need water or moisture to grow.

Controlling Mold Indoors

Fabrics, carpets, stuffed animals, books, and wallpaper can contain mold spores if they are in damp places. Outdoors, mold lives in the soil, on compost, and on plants that are damp. Keeping your house and yard drier will help control mold growth.

Central heating and air-conditioning systems can help control mold.

In the bathroom:

Keep indoor air dry. Mold thrives in moist air.

In the basement:

In the rest of the house:

Outdoors:

References

American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology website. Home allergy management. acaai.org/resource/home-allergy-management/. Updated June 28, 2023. Accessed April 12, 2024.

Matsui E, Platts-Mills TAE. Indoor allergens. In: Burks AW, Holgate ST, O'Hehir RE, et al, eds. Middleton's Allergy: Principles and Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 28.


Review Date: 4/1/2024
Reviewed By: Charles I. Schwartz, MD, FAAP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, General Pediatrician at PennCare for Kids, Phoenixville, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.