Mold Allergy: Therapy

Mold allergy: therapy

The most important measure is to avoid contact with the allergen as much as possible. This is also called allergen avoidance. Antiallergic and anti-inflammatory drugs are available to alleviate acute symptoms. A causal treatment through specific immunotherapy is only possible in isolated cases in the case of a mold allergy.

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• Avoidance of allergen contact
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• How are the costs going to be covered?

Avoidance of allergen contact

For allergy sufferers, it is important to reduce the allergen exposure through suitable measures. However, this is only possible with the rarer allergies to interior mold:

• Cleaning: A number of chemicals for killing molds are available on the market. However, they usually contain chlorine, nitrogen, sulfur or tin compounds, all of which pollute the room air and are harmful to health. Better suited are: hydrogen peroxide, soda lye or high-percentage ethyl alcohol - use them to carefully wipe off the mold. Use a respirator with an allergen filter, protective goggles and gloves! Do not suck away, as this will blow out the spores and distribute them in the air you breathe (unless you are using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter). Then ventilate the room well.
• Drying damp areas: Drying and dehumidifying devices can be rented from building materials stores. They are not suitable when the wall dampness rises, because the strong drying of the indoor air draws even more moisture into the wall.
• Stopping: Spray solutions that are harmless to humans cover the treated surface and prevent further mold growth. They are available from medical retailers.
• Sustainable combating of the causes of masonry: The combating of mold must always be combating the causes, otherwise mold will return. If the infected wall is larger than 50 square centimeters, a professional from the construction industry should be consulted. You can remove minor damage yourself. It usually makes sense to knock off the affected part of the wall down to the bricks, dry it out, treat it and clean it up again. Thermal insulation makes sense if the outer walls are poorly insulated or there are massive cold bridges.

Medical therapy

Acute allergic complaints (symptomatic therapy) can be alleviated with anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory drugs. A causal therapy against the allergy - a kind of vaccination, which is referred to with the technical terms "allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT)" or "desensitization" ("making insensitive") - is only possible in the case of a mold allergy with selected molds (e.g. Alternaria).

Symptomatic therapy

In cases in which allergen avoidance is not or not sufficiently possible, antiallergic and anti-inflammatory drugs help to alleviate the symptoms. Antihistamines block the allergic processes in the body and thereby primarily prevent itching, sneezing and runny nose. These are offered in the form of nasal sprays, (eye) drops, juice and tablets. If the symptoms are stronger, corticoids (cortisone) are used for local application to the nose. In allergic asthma, corticosteroids are inhaled in combination with betamimetics. These medications are usually able to relieve the symptoms of the allergy, but the underlying condition does not improve.

Desensitization therapy

With the so-called allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT), the immune system is trained until it has learned that the allergens are not dangerous. For this purpose, the allergy sufferer is given "his / her" trigger in increasing doses. The aim of the AIT is to bring the immune system back into its natural balance. Since there are many different types of mold and it is technically almost impossible to develop standardized vaccines from mold spores, AIT against this form of allergy is only possible for a few selected allergens (e.g. Alternaria).

Whom can I ask?

The diagnosis and therapy of a mold spore allergy is carried out by a specialist doctor trained in allergology (for children, ENT, skin or lung diseases) as well as in special facilities such as an allergy ambulatory.

How are the costs going to be covered?

All necessary and appropriate examinations and therapies are covered by the health insurance providers. Basically, your doctor or the outpatient clinic will settle accounts directly with your health insurance provider. With certain health insurance providers, however, you may have to pay a deductible (BVAEB, SVS, SVS, BVAEB). However, you can also use a doctor of your choice (ie doctor without a health insurance contract) or a private outpatient clinic. For more information, see Costs and Deductibles.