Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSBS OverviewRisk FactorsSymptomsDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
SBS Overview
Risk Factors
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Sick building syndrome (SBS) happens when people feel unwell in a specific building, usually due to factors like poor air quality or inadequate ventilation. Common symptoms include headaches, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and difficulty concentrating. The symptoms often improve when the person leaves the building, but the exact trigger can’t always be pinpointed.
Several factors contribute to SBS, including lack of windows, exposure to mold and chemicals, andworkplace stress. To reduce SBS, it’s important to ensure good ventilation, maintain a comfortable temperature, and manage humidity levels. Addressing any physical or psychological factors that could affect one’s well-being is also important.
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What Is Sick Building Syndrome?
Sick building syndrome (SBS), also called building-related symptoms, is a condition in which people experience health issues related to time spent in certain buildings. When a person has SBS, their symptoms cannot be linked to any other specific disease, and no single cause of their symptoms can be identified.
SBS is typically seen in enclosed buildings, where air quality and ventilation is often compromised. People who spend long periods in these buildings are more likely to experience SBS. The symptoms usually improve when the person leaves the building, indicating a connection to the environment.
Factors Associated with SBS
Several factors within a building can contribute to the development of sick building syndrome, including:
Evidence suggests cisgender women may be three times more likely than cisgender men to experience SBS. Contributing risk factors include greater chemical sensitivity, lower cold tolerance, and hormonal differences. Social roles may also expose them to more SBS triggers, such as increased exposure to cleaning products.
What Mold Causes Sick Building Syndrome?A group of molds calledFusariumproduce toxins that can be harmful to health and are closely linked to SBS. Fusarium molds vary in color but can be pink, red, white, or yellow. These molds grow in water-damaged and poorly ventilated buildings.
What Mold Causes Sick Building Syndrome?
A group of molds calledFusariumproduce toxins that can be harmful to health and are closely linked to SBS. Fusarium molds vary in color but can be pink, red, white, or yellow. These molds grow in water-damaged and poorly ventilated buildings.
What Are Building-Related Symptoms?
Building-related symptoms can include:
In most cases, building-related symptoms get better shortly after leaving the building. However, the effects of toxicity, particularly to fumes and chemicals, may linger for some time after.
How Is SBS Diagnosed?
Diagnosing sick building syndrome can be challenging because its symptoms are nonspecific and may overlap with other health conditions.
There is no specific test for SBS. Diagnosis is based on eliminating other conditions and confirming that symptoms occur only in certain environments, such as your home or workplace.
Your provider will conduct tests to rule out other possible causes, such as allergies, before considering building-related factors. Since symptoms typically develop in a specific building, tracking when symptoms appear can help identify a potential link.
How to Get Rid of Sick Building Syndrome
There are no medical treatments for building-related symptoms. Therapies focus on reducing exposure to the building that causes symptoms and alleviating symptoms through various methods, including:
The overall outlook for building-related symptoms is good if steps are taken to improve the environment in the building in question or if you are no longer occupying that space.
In some cases of severe building-related symptoms, you may need to make different work arrangements, such asworking from home, full- or part-time, to avoid prolonged periods of exposure.
If the issue lies with air quality or other fixable issues within the building, having the building manager or landlord take care of those problems can also eliminate symptoms for employees that develop building-related symptoms.
Finding a SolutionIf you have been diagnosed with building-related symptoms, speak to your supervisor and the building owner or manager to determine what may be done to improve the workplace environment. If that doesn’t work, you can contact your local health authority for advice on how to deal with SBS in the workplace.
Finding a Solution
If you have been diagnosed with building-related symptoms, speak to your supervisor and the building owner or manager to determine what may be done to improve the workplace environment. If that doesn’t work, you can contact your local health authority for advice on how to deal with SBS in the workplace.
Summary
Sick building syndrome, also known as building-related symptoms, is a phenomenon that develops in some people when they are in certain buildings. Building-related symptoms can be similar to allergic symptoms, such as dry eyes, dry and itchy throat and skin, coughing, and headaches. Some people may also experience shortness of breath, difficulty concentrating, and malaise.
If you experience building-related symptoms but are unsure of what’s causing them, see a healthcare provider. They may be able to identify the cause of your symptoms, give you a proper diagnosis, and help you determine how to cope with and eliminate symptoms.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sayan HE, Dülger S.Evaluation of the relationship between sick building syndrome complaints among hospital employees and indoor environmental quality.Med Lav.2021 Apr 20;112(2):153-161. doi:10.23749/mdl.v112i2.11012Yussuf S, Dahir G, Salad A, Hayir M, Hassan S, Gele A.Sick building syndrome and its associated factors among adult people living in Hodan district Moqadishu Somalia.Front Built Environ. 2023 Sep;9(1):2023. doi:10.3389/fbuil.2023.1218659Kasi V, Elango N, Ananth S, Vembhu B, Poornima JG.Occupational exposure to photocopiers and their toners cause genotoxicity.Human Experiment Tox. 2017 Feb;1(1). doi:10.1177/0960327117693068Nab P.Sick building syndrome and other building-related illnesses.Office Build. 2018 Aug;1(1):53-103. doi:10.1007/978-981-13-2577-9_3
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sayan HE, Dülger S.Evaluation of the relationship between sick building syndrome complaints among hospital employees and indoor environmental quality.Med Lav.2021 Apr 20;112(2):153-161. doi:10.23749/mdl.v112i2.11012Yussuf S, Dahir G, Salad A, Hayir M, Hassan S, Gele A.Sick building syndrome and its associated factors among adult people living in Hodan district Moqadishu Somalia.Front Built Environ. 2023 Sep;9(1):2023. doi:10.3389/fbuil.2023.1218659Kasi V, Elango N, Ananth S, Vembhu B, Poornima JG.Occupational exposure to photocopiers and their toners cause genotoxicity.Human Experiment Tox. 2017 Feb;1(1). doi:10.1177/0960327117693068Nab P.Sick building syndrome and other building-related illnesses.Office Build. 2018 Aug;1(1):53-103. doi:10.1007/978-981-13-2577-9_3
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Sayan HE, Dülger S.Evaluation of the relationship between sick building syndrome complaints among hospital employees and indoor environmental quality.Med Lav.2021 Apr 20;112(2):153-161. doi:10.23749/mdl.v112i2.11012Yussuf S, Dahir G, Salad A, Hayir M, Hassan S, Gele A.Sick building syndrome and its associated factors among adult people living in Hodan district Moqadishu Somalia.Front Built Environ. 2023 Sep;9(1):2023. doi:10.3389/fbuil.2023.1218659Kasi V, Elango N, Ananth S, Vembhu B, Poornima JG.Occupational exposure to photocopiers and their toners cause genotoxicity.Human Experiment Tox. 2017 Feb;1(1). doi:10.1177/0960327117693068Nab P.Sick building syndrome and other building-related illnesses.Office Build. 2018 Aug;1(1):53-103. doi:10.1007/978-981-13-2577-9_3
Sayan HE, Dülger S.Evaluation of the relationship between sick building syndrome complaints among hospital employees and indoor environmental quality.Med Lav.2021 Apr 20;112(2):153-161. doi:10.23749/mdl.v112i2.11012
Yussuf S, Dahir G, Salad A, Hayir M, Hassan S, Gele A.Sick building syndrome and its associated factors among adult people living in Hodan district Moqadishu Somalia.Front Built Environ. 2023 Sep;9(1):2023. doi:10.3389/fbuil.2023.1218659
Kasi V, Elango N, Ananth S, Vembhu B, Poornima JG.Occupational exposure to photocopiers and their toners cause genotoxicity.Human Experiment Tox. 2017 Feb;1(1). doi:10.1177/0960327117693068
Nab P.Sick building syndrome and other building-related illnesses.Office Build. 2018 Aug;1(1):53-103. doi:10.1007/978-981-13-2577-9_3
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