1/ Nerve pain:

QUESTION: I have been dealing with severe nerve pain in both hands. I suspect that I may have CIRS. ER prescribed a 6-day steroid taper pack. Would steroid injections be considered the safer option for CIRS patients?

ANSWER: Sounds like you have carpal tunnel but I cannot diagnose with the information provided. Steroid injections are one of the last things you do for carpal tunnel. Family physicians treat this problem every day. 

If you have CIRS, and you might, it has nothing to do with carpal tunnel. CIRS is a multi-symptom, multi-system illness. Common symptoms can include, but are not limited to, nerve pain. CIRS symptoms include headaches, fatigue, diarrhea, night sweats, brain fog, ice prick sensations, joint pain, and more.

For more information on common CIRS symptoms, diagnosis, and the Shoemaker Protocol™, you can download our free guide, “Got Mold?”

Or get started now… Surviving Mold’s online VCS test & tracking system checks your symptoms and is the first diagnostic step on the Shoemaker Protocol™ pathway.

2/ NeuroQuant:

QUESTION: I just completed the Surviving Mold NeuroQuant Analysis and I have a mold score of 4. What is the range and does that mean I have brain atrophy from mold?

ANSWER: A mold score of 4 on the NeuroQuant Analysis means there is evidence of CIRS in the brain. Appropriate treatment will reverse this score in a significant majority of patients.

Working with a Shoemaker Protocol™ practitioner or partner is recommended. There are also practitioner resources to help guide and inform your attending physician on the Surviving Mold site.

3/ OCD:

QUESTION: My functional doctor believes my intrusive, obsessive thoughts could be caused by high levels of fungus. Is mold exposure a risk factor for OCD?

ANSWER: OCD can be associated with enlarged amygdala although the data is not solid. While brain fog, forgetfulness, and depression are the more common CIRS symptoms, there can be other effects. 

Getting a NeuroQuant brain screening would be useful in evaluation and diagnosing. The Surviving Mold NeuroQuant Analysis, located on this site, will analyze your NeuroQuant report further, looking for specific mold or lyme related “points” necessary for proper diagnosis.

4/ Strep throat:

QUESTION: My daughter began developing strep throat while living in a damp apartment. Could mold cause this condition?

ANSWER: If your throat cultures have been positive for step, as your question suggests, the problem is not CIRS. In case of mold allergy there may be a case of excessive mucus in the upper airway providing a habitat for strep germs to grow in the back of the throat.

See question #1 for more information on common CIRS/mold illness symptoms and the Shoemaker Protocol™.

5/ Toothbrush:

QUESTION: Do you think mold illness could be coming from my Oral B toothbrush and if so, where can I get it tested?

ANSWER: It is possible that you picked up MARCoNS in the toothbrush however, I doubt it.

A culture of your toothbrush would answer the question though the cost of approximately $100 US would make me pause. You can reach out to Microbiologydx, found on the web and ask for a kit to culture your toothbrush.

The more likely cause of mold illness/CIRS is inhabiting a home or frequenting a location with a water-damaged environment. Begin by looking for water damage signs in your home and the environments you frequent. If you see or suspect water damage, test the location with an ERMI or HERSTMI-2 testing kit. 

6/ Treatment:

QUESTION: Should medications be taken before mold issue or during remediation?

ANSWER: The Shoemaker Protocol™ medications should be taken when a mold issue is discovered and diagnosed, not waiting for remediation to be finalized.

If remediation is needed, it’s recommended that the patient moves to a safe environment during the remediation process. If that’s not possible, begin the CSM treatment, although it will not be as effective while in the toxic environment. Effective air filtration units, such as the iAdapt Air from Air Oasis may also help in the interim.