Essentially Toxic Building Syndrome is where the air quality in your home or office is so bad that it can affect the health of those inside. You see you might think you're breathing clean air, but in fact the air inside your home can have more than 900 harmful chemicals and organisms in it, which you simply cannot see.
Building occupants complain of symptoms associated with acute discomfort, e.g., headache; eye, nose, or throat irritation; dry cough; dry or itchy skin; dizziness and nausea; difficulty in concentrating; fatigue; and sensitivity to odors.
Common Symptoms:
Respiratory Symptoms – congestion, aggravated asthma or allergies, sinus infections. Cognitive Issues – foggy thinking, sleep disturbance, frequent headaches. Emotional Changes – feeling agitated or depressed. Physical Symptoms – stomach discomfort, muscle aches, fatigue, rashes, sore throat.
If you are regularly experiencing cold or flu symptoms, seemingly only when you're at home, it could be from sick building syndrome. Sick building syndrome is when mold, water damage, poor indoor air quality or other issues in your home are constantly making you sick.
Headache, dizziness, nausea, eye, nose or throat irritation, dry cough, dry or itching skin, difficulty in concentration, fatigue, sensitivity to odours, hoarseness of voice, allergies, cold, flu-like symptoms, increased incidence of asthma attacks and personality changes.
The most frequent constellation of building-associated complaints is called sick building syndrome. It consists of mucous membrane irritation of eyes, nose, and throat; headache; unusual tiredness or fatigue; and, less frequently, dry or itchy skin.
Carbon monoxide
It blocks the movement of oxygen in the body. Depending on how much is breathed in, CO can have many effects. It can affect coordination, make heart conditions worse, and cause extreme tiredness, headache, confusion, nausea, and dizziness.
What causes Toxic Home Syndrome? A damp house is a breeding ground for bacteria and harmful organic matter, which can wreak havoc with your respiratory system and is simply a haven for infections and illness.
Vacuum often and make sure your vacuum has a clear filter. Use a HEPA filter in your HVAC system to minimize the spread of dust. Don't wear shoes in the house, and wipe off paws before animals enter. Wash bedding, drapes, and stuffed animals often.
Surveys from early 2022 point to around 60 percent of American adults constantly feeling tired, particularly at home. Hectic work schedules, excess screen time, sleep deprivation, and stress contribute to this trend. And, we can add one more common cause: Mold exposure.
The immune system may be weakened
Loneliness and the psychological stress of being indoors a lot are two feelings that can reach all-time highs when a person is not out of the house for long periods of time. Both can weaken the immune system, making the body more susceptible to bacterial infections.
A lack of sleep, poor diet, anxiety, or stress can often cause a person to feel sick. These factors can make a person more susceptible to infection and illness. However, always feeling sick can also signify pregnancy or chronic illness. When sick, a person may experience stomach discomfort and vomiting.
If you wake up feeling more tired than you did when you went to bed, your bedroom might be to blame. According to studies conducted on allergens, a large percentage of American homes usually test positive for indoor allergens. These allergens include dust, mold, or pet dander, with the most common being dust mites.
There are VOC inspections that can be performed by a professional in your home. They're not as common as mold or radon inspectors, but there are professionals out there. They might be called a home inspector, industrial hygienist, or some other term. A VOC home test can measure for hundreds of chemicals in the air.
Toxic Offender: Candles, commercial air fresheners and other aerosols. Culprit: Candle wicks may contain lead, which may be linked to behavioral disorders. When burned, paraffin wax releases known human carcinogen benzene and “reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogen” toluene.
These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable. Sometimes the treatment is simply eliminating the person's exposure to the source of the pollution, if it can be identified.
Stale or stuffy air and humidity are also good indicators your air isn't moving through your home. Broken or dirty HVAC systems don't function at their highest capacity and won't do your air quality any favors. Also, new carpet, furniture, and renovations can trigger coughing.
A new study finds people who feel they aren't supported by their extended family are more likely to suffer chronic illness than those who aren't happy with their spouse or partner.
Breathing in high levels of carbon monoxide gas can cause more severe symptoms. These may include: impaired mental state and personality changes (intoxication) vertigo – the feeling that you or the environment around you is spinning.
Exposure to mVOCs from molds can irritate the eyes and respiratory system and has been linked to symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nasal irritation and nausea.
Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys atra), the main fungus associated with stachybotryotoxicosis and sick building syndrome, is a black mold.