Mold Illness and Lyme Disease, Finally Connected
If you're exhausted, foggy and achy and keep hearing that your labs are normal, mold exposure or Lyme disease could be part of the picture. They're two of the most commonly missed reasons people feel sick for years. Dr. Spiegel and Jennifer look at where you live, where you've been and what your body is telling them, then build a plan to clear the cause and help you recover.
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What Are Mold Illness and Lyme Disease?
Mold exposure from water-damaged buildings and Lyme disease from tick bites can both cause fatigue, brain fog, joint and muscle pain, headaches, poor sleep and mood changes, which is why they're often missed or mixed up. Lyme disease is the most commonly reported tick-borne disease in Maryland, with more than 3,000 cases reported in 2024. At the Osteopathic Center for Healing in Rockville, MD, Dr. Neil Spiegel, DO, MBA and Jennifer Gularson, PA-C, IFMCP treat mold illness and Lyme disease by finding the exposure or infection, removing it, supporting the body's detox pathways, treating infections with antibiotics when present, and rebuilding energy, gut health and sleep. Recovery usually takes months.
Why Are Mold Illness and Lyme Disease So Often Missed?
The shared symptoms are where most people live. Fatigue, brain fog, aches and poor sleep can come from mold, from Lyme, from both, or from something else entirely. Basic labs often come back normal, and many people see several doctors before anyone connects the dots.
Dr. Spiegel and Jennifer start with a detailed history, including your home, your work, your travel and your time outdoors, because the timeline is often the biggest clue.
Where Does Mold Hide?
You don't have to see mold for it to affect you. Any building that has had water damage can grow it inside walls, floors and ducts.
- Past leaks, floods or roof damage
- Basements and crawl spaces
- Heating and air conditioning systems and ducts
- Under sinks, around tubs and behind appliances
- Windows that collect condensation
- A musty smell or old water stains
The CDC links damp, moldy buildings to breathing problems, asthma, allergies and irritation. Some people also report fatigue, brain fog and pain after exposure, and research on those effects is still growing.
How Common Is Lyme Disease in Maryland?
Not everyone gets the bullseye rash, and many people never see the tick. Ticks can also carry other infections like babesiosis, anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis, which can make symptoms harder to sort out.
What Are the Steps to Getting Better?
- 1
Find the Source
A detailed history of your home, work, travel and symptoms, plus lab testing for infections, inflammation and exposure when it makes sense.
- 2
Remove the Exposure
It's hard to heal in the building that's making you sick. We'll talk through getting a professional inspection and fixing the water source.
- 3
Support Detox
Help your liver, gut and other natural detox pathways clear what's built up, at a pace your body can handle.
- 4
Treat Infections
When Lyme or a co-infection is present, we treat it with antibiotics, plus supportive care to help your body recover and handle treatment.
- 5
Calm and Rebuild
Lower inflammation and rebuild gut health, sleep and energy, with support like IV therapy when it fits.
How Long Does Recovery Take?
We'll be straight with you. Mold illness and long-lasting Lyme symptoms don't clear up in a couple of weeks. Most people improve in stages, and some have flare-ups along the way. Knowing that up front makes the ups and downs easier.
Find the source, remove the exposure and start your plan
Sleep and energy are often the first things to improve
Brain fog, pain and other symptoms ease as inflammation comes down
Protect Yourself From Ticks
- Use an EPA-registered repellent on skin, and treat clothing and gear with permethrin.
- Stay in the middle of trails and out of tall grass and leaf piles.
- Shower and check your whole body for ticks within 2 hours of coming inside.
- Check kids and pets too.
- Remove a tick with fine-tipped tweezers, pulling straight up.
Get Seen Right Away If
After a tick bite, you notice an expanding rash, fever, a drooping face, a racing or skipping heartbeat or severe headache. Early Lyme responds best to prompt treatment. If symptoms are severe, go to urgent care or the ER.
Who Is on Your Care Team?
Dr. Neil Spiegel, DO, MBA is an osteopathic physician who looks at how your whole body works together. Jennifer Gularson, PA-C, IFMCP is certified in functional medicine and works with gut health, hormones and energy every day. With mold and Lyme, they take the time to hear your full story, look past normal basic labs and stay with you through a recovery that takes patience.
What Do People Ask About Mold and Lyme?
Can Mold in My Home Make Me Sick?
Yes. Damp, moldy buildings are linked to breathing problems, asthma, allergies and irritation. Some people also develop fatigue, brain fog and pain after exposure, especially when it's ongoing.
What Are the Signs of Mold Illness?
Common signs include sinus congestion, cough, fatigue, brain fog, headaches, joint pain and symptoms that get worse in a certain building and better when you're away.
Can You Have Lyme Disease Without the Bullseye Rash?
Yes. Not everyone gets the rash, and many people never remember a tick bite.
Can Lyme Symptoms Last After Treatment?
Yes. Most people recover with antibiotics, but about 5 to 10 percent have lingering fatigue, pain or brain fog afterward.
How Do You Test for Mold Illness and Lyme?
We start with a detailed history, then use lab testing for infections, inflammation and exposure when it makes sense for your symptoms.
Do You Treat Lyme With Antibiotics?
Yes. When Lyme or a tick-borne co-infection is found, we treat it with antibiotics, along with support for inflammation, gut health and recovery.
Do I Have to Move Out of a Moldy Home?
Not always. The goal is to find and fix the water source and have the mold professionally removed. We'll help you think through what makes sense while that happens.
Request an Appointment
Tell us about your symptoms and any possible mold or tick exposure, and our team will reach out to schedule your visit.
Let's Find What's Making You Sick
Book a visit with Dr. Spiegel and Jennifer in Rockville, MD.
Not ready to book? Start with a free 15-minute call