Can Your Home Make You Sick? 10 Common Culprits | B+M (2023)

FAQs

Is it possible my house is making me sick? ›

Is your house making you sick? Don't be surprised if the answer is yes. Toxins, pesticides, gases, mites, and molds are everywhere, and the more you're exposed to them, the greater your risk for developing the health problems they can cause.

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.

An environmental illness can occur when you are exposed to toxins or substances in the environment that make you sick. These health hazards may be found where you live, work, or play. Maybe you have headaches that only occur on weekends.

Toxic house syndrome is described as a condition where a physical building (such as your residential home), has such poor air quality within, that it can effectively make people in the household unwell or have sickness symptoms.

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.

There is no specific medical test to diagnose sick building syndrome. Physicians usually treat the symptoms individually, but the real identification of a "sick building" is subjective.

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.

Sometimes physical symptoms can be a sign our emotional environment is toxic. People in unhealthy relationships may experience pains, anxiety, and memory and speech problems.

What diseases can you get from environmental issues? ›

Environmental pollutants can cause health problems like respiratory diseases, heart disease, and some types of cancer. People with low incomes are more likely to live in polluted areas and have unsafe drinking water. And children and pregnant women are at higher risk of health problems related to pollution.

Environmental factors (e.g. overcrowding, diet, climate, stress) and exposures (e.g. from air, food, drink, surfaces) play a part in causing and/or aggravating disease and ill health, both directly and via parents.

Signs of a toxic household environment can include fear, guilt, and helplessness. Other signs, such as verbal or physical abuse, manipulative behavior, and extreme criticism, are also common in toxic households.

Occupants of homes with poor indoor air quality may complain of symptoms such as headache, eye irritation, fatigue, dry throat, sinus congestion, dizziness, and nausea. Because many illnesses can cause these symptoms, diagnosing sick building syndrome is difficult.

dizziness, headache, difficulty breathing, coughing, potentially more phlegm, and even nausea in some people.

About Sick Building Syndrome

The most common problems blamed on the office environment include headaches, eye, nose or throat irritation, cough, dizziness, difficulty concentrating and fatigue.

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.

Workers Compensation Claim

If the effects of the elements in your workplace are so bad that they keep you out of work, you may be able to file in for permanent or temporary disability.

Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys atra), the main fungus associated with stachybotryotoxicosis and sick building syndrome, is a black mold.

What are some indoor air pollutants? ›

Don't think you're safe just because you're inside. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that the air in homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air. Indoor air pollution can cause big health problems.

It may cause headache, sweating, blurred vision, stomach aches and diarrhea. It is common for even mild symptoms from a harmful chemical to make people feel anxious. Once exposure is stopped, mild symptoms usually go away quickly.

Toxic family dynamics can create complex forms of PTSD that warrant family trauma therapy. In many cases family members will resort to making a scapegoat of another family member to avoid dealing with their own trauma and emotional turmoil.

If you find yourself sleeping all day when you're sick — especially during the first few days of your illness — don't worry. As long as you wake up to drink water and eat some nourishing food from time to time, let your body get all the rest it needs.

Although not super exciting, very plain and bland foods can help ease symptoms. Try pasta, dry cereals, oatmeal, bread and crackers. But bland doesn't mean you can't add protein or veggies into the mix if you're feeling up for it! Try eating rice and baked chicken breast or cheese and crackers.

What are 5 environmental factors that cause ill health? ›

A number of specific environmental issues can impede human health and wellness. These issues include chemical pollution, air pollution, climate change, disease-causing microbes, lack of access to health care, poor infrastructure, and poor water quality.

Air pollution is now considered to be the world's largest environmental health threat, accounting for 7 million deaths around the world every year.

Greenhouse Gases

These greenhouse gas emissions have increased the greenhouse effect and caused the earth's surface temperature to rise. Burning fossil fuels changes the climate more than any other human activity.

Bad air can trigger coughing, chest tightness, sore throat, watery or itchy eyes, shortness of breath, and even a full-blown asthma attack. “If you live in a home with chronically poor air quality, you can experience frequent headaches, long lasting colds, and bronchitis as well as chronic asthma,” says E.

Exposure to air pollution can affect everyone's health. When we breathe in air pollutants, they can enter our bloodstream and contribute to coughing or itchy eyes and cause or worsen many breathing and lung diseases, leading to hospitalizations, cancer, or even premature death.

When you relocate, your surroundings change—that's unavoidable. You'll face exposure to new places, people and microbes; this is often a huge reason for getting sick after moving into a new house. New air, new dust, new everything. Your body will take time to adjust to the changed environment.

The most common indoor allergens include dust, cockroaches, mold, and cats and dogs. These allergens often lead to postnasal drip, runny nose, nasal congestion, headache, sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, itchy skin, fatigue, and for some people, even difficulty breathing as well as wheezing.

Why everytime I clean my house I get sick? ›

Bleach, ammonia or quaternary ammonium compounds (a type of disinfectant), phthalates, and many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in typical cleaning products have all been linked to respiratory illnesses, including asthma, according to Allen Rathey, principal of The Healthy Facilities Institute.

You are out of your regular environment and you come in contact with different bacteria and viruses from those you are exposed to back home. You touch many surfaces covered in bacteria and viruses, come in contact with hundreds of people, try new things, get stressed more which ultimately takes a toll on your body.

Ideally, the person who's sick should stay in a separate room and use a separate bathroom, when possible. You should also avoid sharing everyday items, including towels, bedding and dishes. Lastly (and this is important), the person who is sick should not be the one cooking meals for the rest of the healthy household.

Ensure that both the kitchen and washroom have maximum distance from each other to keep negative energy away. Keep the head towards South or East because these directions are considered auspicious. The elderly or main owner of the house must occupy the SouthWest zone of the house for good health.

Air purifiers can help to relieve nasal congestion by removing dust, pollen, and other allergens from the air. This can help to clear out the nasal passages and improve breathing. The best option for congestion relief depends on your specific needs and preferences.

Mold allergy can cause an allergic reaction right away. But in some cases, it may cause delayed symptoms. This can cause a stuffy nose or asthma symptoms that get worse over time. If your symptoms often get worse in a damp, humid, or moldy room like a basement, this may mean you have a mold allergy.

Overview. Dust mite allergy is an allergic reaction to tiny bugs that commonly live in house dust. Signs of dust mite allergy include those common to hay fever, such as sneezing and runny nose. Many people with dust mite allergy also experience signs of asthma, such as wheezing and difficulty breathing.

Spills and trash get taken care of on an as-needed basis every day or two. Vacuuming and mopping should happen at least once a week. Clean carpets every three to six months. Living rooms and bedrooms should be attacked at least once a week.

Long-term exposure to dust allergens can cause sinus infections and asthma. Those prone to repeated sinus infections should consider the possibility of a dust allergy.

If you don't dust or vacuum, your home will turn into an allergy festival. Pollen will gather in all the nooks in your home, pet hair will lie in wait, and dust mites will come out in force. All the things that make your eyes water and your nose run will be sitting around your home making your allergies worse.

Why do I feel sick all the time? ›

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.

There are different reasons why you might be always sick. It could be related to a vitamin deficiency, dehydration, problems with your immune system, or inadequate hygiene, among other possibilities. There isn't anyone who hasn't gotten a cold or virus just days before a big event.