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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS)?

Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS)is a collection of symptoms that are also sometimes referred to as biotoxin illness or mold illness. It is caused primarily by exposure to mold, but some research has identified other causes such as bacteria or fungus.

I have been to so many doctors who tell me there's nothing wrong with me, am I crazy?

We want you to know you are not alone. You are not crazy. And this illness is not all in your head.

It is a real illness that has destroyed lives. But, there is hope!

The first step is finding out what the problem is. And you have come to the right place for that. The best part is, once you or your doctor determine what is going on in your body by getting the right laboratory testing, investigating the relevant patient history, and understanding symptoms experienced, there is a proven treatment method that has worked for so many.

People get their lives back and are armed with the knowledge they need to know to keep their bodies safe.

Do not give up, and know that there is help available for you.

Can Dr. McMahon help my symptoms? I've been to so many Doctors already.

There is a vast amount of misdiagnosed and catch-all ailments that physicians assign to patients for whom they cannot offer any real treatment. The same is true of CIRS patients.  

By uncovering the real science behind these illnesses and attacking the problem with clinical studies and sound research techniques, Dr. McMahon will help identify the true cause of these afflictions, and when exposed, will help cure those whom the medical community deemed incurable.

Do I literally have to clean everything in my house (i.e. plastic storage containers, books, toiletries, candles, knickknacks, canned food, etc.) or just the major things like clothing and furniture?

The answer is yes. You should clean everything in your home.

Is it likely that I have cross contaminated my car seeing as I drive in it, in my moldy clothes and with other items from my home on a daily basis? If that is the case, do I need to sell my car as well or can it be cleaned?

There are many chemically sensitive people who have to get new cars, but for most people the car isn’t the problem. You should be careful about the antifreeze system in a car as that system’s glycol ethers cause problems for some patients.  

Can leather furniture be cleaned since it is not porous like cloth?

Use quaternary cleaners on leather. Vacuum the nooks and crannies of the piece of furniture and then clean it again. I know some people will say throw away the leather, but I have seen good results if the leather has a finished (not rough) surface with cleaning and vacuuming.

Do I need to use a new cloth for every item that I clean (one clean cloth per moldy item) or can I use the same cloth for several items?

A rag can be reused.  You will vacuum, wipe with a rag and then vacuum each item again.

What about books, journal? How do you clean them? Or do they have to be thrown out?

Books are difficult. If the books are on a shelf and not opened, HEPA vacuum each one. Opened books should be put in the trash.

Do pictures and documents have to be scanned/copied or can the originals be kept?

Photos can be washed. Porous frames are trash. Documents need to be copied.

Is it possible to clean electronic devices that may have mold spores inside of them, seeing as I have no way to clean the inside of these devices (i.e., DVD players, computers)? Is it good enough to simply clean the outside of them?

You should clean outside and vacuum the openings.