Horror X-ray shows mould growing on woman’s lungs

A woman said she is lucky to be alive after a shocking X-ray revealed an unexpected substance had been growing on her lungs for weeks.

A woman was left shocked after an X-ray uncovered the horrifying reason for the intense chest pains she had been experiencing.

Canberra woman, Caitlin Ross, said she knew something was “really, really wrong” when she began experiencing ongoing intense pain in her lungs.

“I’d been through three different courses of antibiotics and nothing had worked,” she told Nine News.

It wasn’t until doctors took an X-ray of her chest that they were able to discover the truth.

“Basically I had a fungal infection or mould growing in my lungs,” Ms Ross said.

“I was pretty lucky at that point to still even be alive.”

Ms Ross said she was “disgusted” by the discovery, noting that mould is something that is considered “gross” and to have something like that growing inside her was unsettling.

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The X-ray showed mould spores growing on the woman’s lungs. Picture: Nine News/Channel 9

She is unsure of where exactly she was exposed to the mould spores but said she is still suffering the impacts two years on.

“I have permanent scarring in my lungs. If I breathe too hard or exercise too hard that will pull on the scarring and cause a lot of pain,” she said.

“It’s never going to go away, and I’m never going to be able to live life without that pain and it’s so much worse in the winter, because you have less elasticity in your lungs when you’re breathing, and that just exacerbates all that pain.”

This horrifying warning comes amid record rain across NSW and Queensland, with the perpetual wet weather meaning thousands of Australians are dealing with mould issues in their homes.

Caitlin Ross said she was horrified by the discovery. Picture: Nine News/Channel 9

Devices to help reduce the damp, such as dehumidifiers, are sold out in store and online, with desperate residents paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a solution to their mould issues.

People exposed to mould can experience a host of painful symptoms including coughing, post-nasal drip, sneezing, dry, scaly skin, itchy eyes, nose, or throat, and nasal congestion. For asthma sufferers, mould could trigger an attack in the form of wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing or chest tightness.

Respiratory specialist Professor John Blakey told Nine News that people with asthma or other respiratory issues are most at risk of developing mould-related health issues.

“It’s not just the mould you can see. We are all breathing in lots of mould spores every day,” he said.

“In the most extreme circumstances, people with depleted immune systems can get a pure infection and that can be very serious.”

Thousands of Australians have been battling ongoing mould issues due to the wet weather. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Professor Blakey said there was no need for people to panic, but encouraged Australians to “take action” and get on top of any mould issues in their home.

Many families have turned to online forums in desperate attempts to find a solution to their mould problems.

Frustrated parents in one Facebook group said they had taken a variety of measures to try to fix their problem, but sadly their attempts had been in vain.

“I personally have already had my home professionally cleaned by a mould cleaning company, used many a chemicals including Exit Mould. I have even tried the white vinegar trick and have about 20 of the moisture absorbers throughout the house with also circulating fresh air each day,” the mum, based in Newcastle, wrote.

Dozens of Byron Bay residents have expressed similar concerns, with many saying the problem had got out of hand and made them sick.

Continued exposure to mould can cause a range of health issues.

“I am desperately looking for a mould specialist to assess the current situation in our house. My son has a terrible cough for weeks now and I have really bad allergy can’t even sleep at night,” a distraught mum said.

Another said the issue in her home had become so severe that she “can’t keep on top of it myself anymore” and was hoping for some professional help.

“It can be everywhere, mostly in invisible places. Please be careful. It made me very sick,” someone else in the area claimed.

Families have been similarly affected in Queensland, with homes also becoming inundated with black mould – a particularly dangerous fungi that can have serious health implications.

“Who is responsible? There is black mould developing around the walls and ceiling in our bathroom. It is poorly ventilated. There is only a small window which is always open. We requested a exhaust fan when we moved in and they said no,” one woman shared in a group.

Black mould breeds when humidity is at or over 70 per cent, with access to an adequate food source like drywall, oxygen, and temperature between 4-39C.

Originally published as Horror X-ray shows mould growing on woman’s lungs