Can Mold Cause a Sinus Infection? (From Someone Who Had 4 Sinus Surgeries)

Can mold cause a sinus infection?  According to the 1999 Mayo Clinic “bombshell” report, almost all sinus infections also have a fungal component as well as bacteria.  In fact, my Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor who specializes in fungal sinusitis taught me that bacteria is only a symptom of the real problem.  That bacteria is just an opportunist organism arriving on the scene secondary to fungus.  This made complete sense to me as after twenty years of antibiotics and four sinus surgeries, the needle hadn’t moved.  I was worse off than before treatment.  This was an eye opener and the first step in my recovery.  After-all, if antibiotics are mold metabolites, wasn’t I just adding fuel to the fire if I indeed had a fungal infection as well?  The answer is Yes! So what now?

We breathe in 2,904 gallons of air per day and if that air is contaminated; it goes straight to sinuses where it can potentially cause infection.  Sinus infections from mold exposure are more common than previously thought.  Chronic sinusitis can be complicated to eradicate because well-meaning Ear, Nose, and Throat physicians typically culture the sinuses looking only for bacteria.  Most people who have chronic sinusitis also have fungal sinusitis and therefore are in need of antifungal treatment as well.  

Read on and I’ll share how chronic sinusitis develops, my own experience with sinus infections from mold, as well as a solid treatment plan put together by a renowned ENT.  Please often ask if mold causes fungal sinusitis and this post will answer all of your questions.

My Personal Experience With Chronic Sinus Infections from Mold

Below is my television interview with Doug Kaufmann of Know the Cause.  Before I truly understood the cause of my chronic infections, I would remain on the hamster wheel of antibiotics, sinus surgeries, and nasal steroids.

How Chronic Sinusitis Begins

Below is information from Dr. Donald Dennis MD.  He says this is the cycle of chronic sinusitis and how it begins.  I suggest visiting Sinusitis Wellness for an in-depth look at this topic.

• “You breathe airborne particles (mainly mold spores), which cause an allergic reaction.  T-cells which are supposed to get rid of antigens in your system actually OVER react and rupture, releasing their major basic protein that is like a caustic acid.”
• This ‘acid’ destroys nasal cilia and causes small pits to form in the lining membranes of the sinuses.
• These pits trap mucous so that the mucous cannot drain.
• Bacteria is also trapped and grow in these pits causing infection.
• The stagnant mucous gets infected which causes nasal polyps and thickening of the lining, which obstructs the outflow of mucous.
• The polyps cause more infection.
• The infection causes more polyps.
• You KEEP breathing in mold spores….
• This causes a vicious cycle that is self-perpetuating.”

In order to stop this cycle you must cut down the mold spores in the air, therefore preventing it from colonizing in your nose because yes, mold can cause sinus infection.

How Do I Remove Mold Spores From My Home and Nose?

Check your home for any leaks and fix them.  Use inexpensive mold plates to test the air and your furniture and clothing.  This will give you a good indicator as to whether mold is an issue in your home.  I have a video on How To Check Your Home For Mold.  If find some of your clothes have more than 4 colonies (dots) on your mold plate, you can move on to my article titled How to Get Mold Out of Clothes.  I can walk you through the process.

A company called Micro Balance Health Products has natural botanical solutions for cutting mold spores in the air.  I use their EC3 Mold Solution in a mold fogger monthly.  I show you how to use it in my video I suggested above regarding how to check your home for mold.  If you can’t afford the mold fogger for distribution, you can always use the EC3 mold spray in a bottle which is only about 20 dollars.  As far as treating the nose, I use CitriDrops nasal spray.  I place 8 drops of CitriDrops in a NeilMed nasal irrigator with 8 ounces of saline.  I also use Sinus Defense, which is “designed to enhance immune intelligence for a broad array of molds, allergens, and viruses.”  In other words, it’s used to teach the body to identify these pathogens and eliminate them.

Support for Your Body

Many people who have chronic sinus infections have other symptoms as well.  This is because mold exposure can cause a myriad of health problems including autoimmune disease.  In my case I also had Hashimoto’s (I say “had” because it’s been in remission for years.  I wrote an article titled The Link Between AutoImmune Disease and Mold Exposure if  you would like to read more about that.  If you have health issues that have not responded to convention medicine, even the CDC has suggested you and your doctor should “think Fungus.”

Ways To Support Your Whole Body

• Keep your nose and home free of excessive mold spores and especially toxic mold
• Speak to your doctor about supplements such as glutathione to push the detox process along
• Chitosan is something you can buy over the counter that some ENT’s use to shrink polyps
• Eat a diet low in sugar and carbs as this is fuel for fungus.  I follow Doug Kaufmann’d diet, called the Kaufmann Diet
• Speak to your doctor about the use of binders to get the mycotoxins out of your body
• Support your liver as it’s our bodies main detoxification system
• HEPA air filters help remove mold spores from the air in your home.  I keep one in my bedroom close to my bed.

A Word on Biofilms and Sinus Infections from Mold

Bio films are a protective film around bacteria (or fungus) which makes it more difficult for them to be reached by medications such as antibiotics and antifungals.  We touch on this below in my interview with Doug Kaufmann on Know the Cause.  When you have sinus infections from mold, a different treatment plan must be in place.

If you think you are dealing with a sinus infection from mold exposure, make sure you visit with an Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor who specialized in allergic fungal sinusitis.  There is also something called Beg nasal spray.  Many who have sinusitis due to mold or allergic fungal sinusitis, they also carry MARCONS, which is where Beg nasal spray comes in.  I wrote about BEG nasal spray it in detail in my article titled Treating Sinus Infections and Biofilms.

The second edition of Eat Pray Get Well – A Journey from Chronic Illness & Brokenness to Wholeness & Healing has been released.  If you suffer from Chronic Fatigue, Sinus Infections, Fibromyalgia, Food Allergies, Auto Immune Disease, Acid Reflux, Candida, Depression – then this book is an eye opener.

Forward written by Doug Kaufmann – TV Host of Know the Cause 

Disclosure – I am not a doctor, please consult with your physician before starting any new diet or supplements.

This post contains affiliate links.

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