After the Northern Rivers floods, many locals noticed more mould at home and work. Some people moved into homes that were poorly renovated or had mould growing without being seen. For sensitive people it can flare noses, eyes and skin, and trigger asthma. In clinic, we support your recovery with acupuncture and, if appropriate, individualized Chinese herbal medicine to address patterns like Damp-Heat (fatigue, brain fog, sinus congestion, poor sleep, irritability). We’ll also help with stress and sleep so your body has the best chance to settle.

If symptoms are severe or persistent, please see your GP promptly.

What Mould & Mycotoxins Does to People

Many patients have visited their GP and other specialists and all their labs are “Normal” and given many diagnosis or none at all. Nothing seems to help and they feel hopeless.

Mould and Mycotoxins (secondary metabolites produced by mould capable of causing disease) can cause a wide variety of symptoms which can include some or all of the following:

Cognitive & Neurological Issues

• Fatigue
• Brain Fog
• Trouble finding words
• Poor Memory
• Mood Symptoms
• Depression/Anxiety
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Existential Dread “ I feel like I’m dying!”
• POTS, Dysautonomia
• Withdrawn
• Personality Changes
• Tics
• Hypersensitivity

Respiratory Issues

• Sinus Problems
• Congestion, pain
• ‘Recurrent Sinusitis’

Cardiovascular and Nervous System Issues

• Shortness of Breath/Asthma/Cough
• Palpitations, Heart Arrhythmia
• Headaches (Any type)
• Sore Throat
• Metallic Taste

Gastrointestinal Issues

• Diarrhea
• Bloating, Nausea
• Constipation
• Unusual Pain
• Sharp, shooting
• Random, stabbing, ‘Ice-Pick’
• Weight Changes (Unusual Gain/Unable to Lose)

Water Metabolism & Temperature Regulation Issues

• Frequent urination
• Often at night
• Excess thirst
• Night Sweats
• Unusual smelling sweat
• Unusual Loss/Unable to Gain

Hormonal Issues

• Hormonal changes
• Menstrual irregularities
• Hypersensitivity: Light, Chemical, Sound, Touch
• Low libido, ED
• Temperature dysregulation

Dermatological Symptoms

• Skin rashes
  • Often come and go
  • Red, itching, sensitivity

How You May Be Exposed to Mould and Mycotoxins?

Quick building check

• Any leaks or past water damage (roof/gutters, pipes, bathroom, laundry)?
• Musty or “damp/old gym bag” smell—especially after rain or when the AC runs?
• Wet carpets, swollen skirting boards, dark spots on gyprock/plasterboard, under-sink damp?
• Stuffy rooms with poor ventilation or “sick building” complaints at work?
• New builds/renos count too—mould can start within 24–48 hours on damp materials
• Ignorant or dishonest landlords can paint over mold, but mold can keep growing underneath paint

Pattern clues from your body

• You feel worse at home/work and better when you’re away.
• Symptoms spike in a specific room (often the bedroom) or in the morning.
• Nose/sinuses: ongoing rhinitis, congestion, post-nasal drip.
• Chest: cough, tightness, wheeze (monitor closely if you have asthma).
• Neuro/cognitive: headaches, brain fog, tingling/numbness, fatigue.
• Gut: bloating, constipation or diarrhoea.

“Amplifiers” that can make you feel worse

• Hot, humid climate or recent flooding.
• Poor ventilation or irregular AC/filters maintenance.
• Repeated antibiotic courses (recent months).
• Very high-carb/ultra-processed diet or strong sugar cravings.
• Sensitivity to smells (mould, cleaning products, fragrances) that trigger symptoms like headache, nausea, fatigue, tingling.

If you tick several boxes, consider an environmental check and remediation as the first step. In clinic we can support symptom relief (sinus, sleep, stress) with acupuncture and, if appropriate, individualised Chinese herbal medicine alongside your GP’s advice.

Mould from a Chinese-medicine perspective

Mould and mycotoxins tend to create Dampness, Phlegm and Heat in the body. Usually there is also other underlying or exisiting imbalances that pre-exist before mould exposure.

Just like the environment mould thrives in, Dampness and Phlegm (which can be considered a more advanced form of dampness) patterns slow things down and can create confusion. Its helpful to think about it like a thick sticky substance that affects and confuses your brain, nervous system, lungs, or digestion system.

This confusion can be seen as foggy brain, confusion, bad memory. Or confusion of nervous system such as hyper sensitivity, chest tightness, palpitations. Also dampness and phlegm can wreak havoc on the digestion and inability to absorbed nutrients leading to fatigue and overall low body function.

Acupuncture for Mould

Acupuncture works quickly on the symptoms you are experiencing, while also helping restore any underlying imbalances that may be keeping your body from healing quicker.

Some helpful generic acupuncture points you can press to help alleviate your symptoms are:

• ST-40 (Fenglong)
• 88.12 (Ming Huang)
• SP-9 (Yinlingquan)
• SP-6 (Sanyinjiao)

Acupuncture you should experience immediate improvement of some of your symptoms. I usually suggest people to come at least once or twice a week, until the symptoms start improving and relief lasts longer between treatments.

Chinese Herbs for Mould

You don’t treat mould in Chinese medicine, but you treat the underlying pattern of disharmony, which will then improve the body’s ability to heal and reduce your symptoms.

There are formulas that target mould if its located more in your respiratory system such as: Cang Er San, Bi Yan Pian.

There are formulas that target mould if its located more in gasterintestine system such as: Huang Lian Jie Du Tang or Long Dan Xie Gan Tang

There are also single herbs that are known to be anti fungals such as: Lian Qiao, Jin Yin Hua, Bai Zhu, Wu Wei Zi, Pu Gong Ying, Huang Lian, Huang Qin, Da Suan

The last one, Da Suan, is just garlic, which can be used by yourself. Take one clove of garlic, crush it or chop it up and wait 10 minutes for the anti-fungal and anti-bacterial compound allicin to form. Then swallow with water once a day.

You shouldn’t self medicate with Chinese herbs unless you speak to a qualified Chinese medicine practitioner to help personalise your treatment. We don’t treat the disease, we treat the person who has the disease.

Dietary and Lifestyle Advice for Mould

Our article on Dietary and Lifestyle advice for Mould is coming soon.

Looking for Help with Mould Symptoms?

First step with anyone experiencing symptoms from mould or mycotoxins is to remove yourself from the mould and if you need to stay in that environment to remove and kill all the mould.

Make a booking and we can discuss your health symptoms and then provide acupuncture and/or herbs to help you with this very exhausting illness.