Is black mold causing our cough and runny nose?« Back to Previous Page

It is very possible the mold is causing or aggravating those symptoms. The combination of a persistent cough and runny nose that worsens at night, coinciding with the discovery of a significant mold patch, is a strong indicator of a reaction to mold spores. In Dubai's climate, AC units are a common source of condensation leaks that lead to this exact problem, especially behind furniture where dampness goes unnoticed.

While not all black mold is the notorious Stachybotrys, prolonged exposure to any mold type can cause chronic allergic reactions and respiratory irritation. For individuals with pre-existing conditions like asthma, it can be more severe. You should indeed see a doctor to address the symptoms; they can determine if an allergy test or specific treatment is needed.

Do not clean this yourselves. A large patch indicates a sustained moisture issue, and disturbing it will aerosolize a massive amount of spores, potentially making the health issues much worse and contaminating other parts of the home. This requires professional remediation. The process involves containing the area, using HEPA filtration to capture spores, safely removing the contaminated materials, and most critically, identifying and fixing the underlying moisture source (likely the AC condensate drain or insulation).

For verification, a reputable inspector can take air and surface samples for lab analysis to identify the mold species and the spore count in your bedroom's air, providing concrete data on your exposure level.