Complex Chronic Disease · Mold Toxicity Treatment
Real Solutions for Mold Toxicity
Get relief from mold-related illness by working with an expert who treats the whole picture — not just a lab panel.
"Mold exposure is devastating — and too many patients have been hurt by getting the diagnosis wrong."
I combine conventional testing with a history-first diagnostic approach, then treat the whole picture — gut, sinuses, and environment — instead of layering on supplements without a clear plan.
Joseph Mather MD, MPH
Board-Certified Family Medicine
- ✓Over a decade of experience treating mold toxicity with a functional approach
- ✓World class medicine — works with patients across the globe
- ✓Wrote the foreword to Toxic, the leading patient guide to mold and environmental illness
- ✓Educator and mentor offering CME education for physicians
Functional Medicine Expert — Treats the Cause of Disease
Board-Certified American Board of Family Medicine
Tulane School of Medicine & Tulane University School of Public Health
Watch: Ariel's Story — A 19-Year Battle with Mold Exposure
Ariel spent 19 years battling chronic illness caused by mold exposure and tick-borne disease before finding the right diagnosis and treatment plan. In this video, she shares her journey — years of misdiagnoses and ineffective treatments, how a low-histamine diet and the medication cromolyn helped her turn a corner, and what recovery looks like when you finally get the right care.
Does this sound like you?
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Crushing fatigue that doesn’t improve no matter how much you rest
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Brain fog, memory lapses, or trouble finding words
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Anxiety, depression, or mood swings that came on suddenly
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Chronic sinus congestion or infections that won’t clear
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Tingling, numbness, tremors, or balance problems your doctor can’t explain
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Symptoms that improve when you’re away from a specific building, then return
What is Mold Toxicity?
Mold toxicity — sometimes called mold-related illness or Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) — happens when exposure to water-damaged buildings and the mycotoxins mold produces triggers a persistent, whole-body inflammatory response. The World Health Organization first recognized "Sick Building Syndrome" back in 1983, acknowledging that people in water-damaged buildings can develop real, measurable illness — not just allergies.
Mold exposure is one of the most missed and misunderstood diagnoses I see. Patients are often told their labs are normal and there’s nothing more that can be done, when the real problem is that mold wasn’t tested for — or was tested for the wrong way. My approach draws on published medical evidence and over a decade of clinical experience to help patients get an accurate diagnosis and a clear path to healing.
How my medical office is different
Three ways I’ve built this practice differently than a typical doctor’s office — or a typical functional medicine office.
01
Time to listen, think, and research
I run an independent private practice, free of hospital and insurance demands, so that I have the time to listen, think, and research your case properly.
I take a lot of pride in the fact that I am one of the few doctors who has been able to build my knowledge and skills day after day to make sure you get the best care possible.
My goal is for you to leave my office thinking:
“That was the best doctor’s visit I ever had.”
02
Treating the cause — without overdoing it
I treat the cause of your symptoms with natural and conventional medicine. But unlike other functional medicine offices, I don’t require thousands of dollars of labs or ask you to take hundreds of pills to get better. My goal is to get you well as quickly as possible — with the fewest supplements, the broadest diet that keeps you healthy, and a treatment plan that’s practical and down to earth.
03
Functional medicine you can afford
Paying out of pocket for medical care can be daunting. Because I want to help as many patients as possible, I’ve done all that I can to make care affordable:
- ✓I charge less than other experts in the field, despite getting better outcomes for my patients
- ✓I never profit from any testing I recommend
- ✓30% off supplements from Moss Nutrition
- ✓Discounted wholesale cash lab pricing through Clinical Pathology Labs for New Orleans patients
- ✓No subscriptions or memberships — ever
Recommended Reading
Toxic: Heal Your Bodyby Neil Nathan, MD — foreword by Dr. Joe Mather
I’m proud to have authored the foreword to Dr. Nathan’s updated book, Toxic. This is the book I recommend to patients who’ve been told there’s nothing more anyone can do for them, or who feel completely lost. It covers the same ground Dr. Nathan and I walk through in our roundtable conversation, in far more depth: mold, Lyme and its co-infections, heavy metals, mast cell activation, and the environmental exposures most doctors never think to test for.
My approach to treating Mold Toxicity
The framework I’ve refined over a decade of treating mold-toxic patients — and shared with physicians around the world.
1
Get the diagnosis right — before anything else
Mold illness is one of the most commonly missed and misdiagnosed conditions I see. Rather than relying on a single test or a rigid diagnostic checklist, I start with a detailed history, then confirm with the right combination of antibody and mycotoxin testing. I’ve seen many patients who were hurt by an overly complex, one-size-fits-all diagnostic approach before finding my clinic.
2
Confirm exposure and address the source
Treatment can’t outpace ongoing exposure. I help patients figure out what’s reasonable — testing, remediation, or in some cases relocating — so the body has a real chance to heal instead of fighting a losing battle.
We want to get the mold exposure as low as possible, but it’s important to remember that this doesn’t mean zero exposure! Most patients routinely heal even if they still have some ongoing, low-level exposure.
3
Start with probiotics — before binders or antifungals
Rather than starting with binders or antifungals, I begin most patients on an early, intensive course of targeted probiotics. In my experience — and that of colleagues I collaborate with internationally — this sequencing leads to meaningfully faster, more comfortable recovery than jumping straight to binding agents.
4
Evaluate need for further treatments
For most patients this means adding binders to lower the toxin load of the body, followed by sinus treatment. Chronic sinus colonization is a major, underappreciated driver of ongoing mold illness. I commonly recommend a combination of nasal sprays for clearing fungal colonization — and sometimes that means patients don’t need oral antifungal treatments at all. However, a small number of patients don’t feel their best until they’re given oral antifungal drugs.
Mold Illness Is Real. Here’s the Science.
A few of the published studies behind this approach.
What patients say
Ariel’s story above is one example — but she’s far from the only patient who’s found real, lasting relief from mold-related illness. Read more real patient stories and reviews on the testimonials page.
What a visit costs
I run an independent, cash-pay practice — no insurance billing, no pressure to fit your visit into a 10-minute slot. You can request reimbursement from your insurer using a superbill I provide after each visit.
Initial Visit
$700
45 minutes
Focused on your history, current exposure, and a plan for what to test and treat first.
Extended Initial
$950
2 hours
Ideal if you’re traveling to establish care, have a complex history, or want more time to go deep.
Follow-Up
$350
45 minutes
Most patients follow up every 4 weeks as we work through each part of the plan.
Not sure if I'm a fit?
Book a free 15-minute discovery call to ask questions before you commit to a visit.
Mold toxicity questions, answered
How do you test for mold toxicity?
I don't rely on any single test. I start with a detailed history, then use a combination of antibody and mycotoxin testing chosen for your specific situation — not a rigid, one-size-fits-all panel.
Do I need to test or remediate my home before starting treatment?
Ideally, yes. Treatment works best once ongoing exposure is addressed — I'll help you figure out what's reasonable, whether that means testing, remediation, or relocating.
Do you treat CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome)?
I treat mold-related illness, but I don't follow a single rigid framework like the traditional Shoemaker CIRS protocol. In my experience, an overly complex, one-size-fits-all approach can do more harm than good — I tailor testing and treatment to you.
What if I'm very sensitive and reactive to treatment?
Highly sensitive patients need a different pace and order of treatment. I adjust the sequencing so we're not pushing your system harder than it can tolerate.
How long does treatment take?
It varies significantly depending on how long you've been exposed, how sensitive you are, and whether ongoing exposure has been addressed. Some patients improve within weeks of the right sequencing; others need many months.
Do you accept insurance?
I don't bill insurance directly, but I provide a superbill after each visit that you can submit for out-of-network reimbursement. Working this way gives me the time and freedom to treat you as an individual, not a diagnosis code.
Have a broader question about my practice? Visit the full FAQ page.
Ready to get an accurate diagnosis and a real plan to heal?
Let’s Get Started
A doctor who cares about science
Working as an independent physician gives me time to study and keep learning new ways to help my patients. I’m proud to have contributed to our understanding of the gut–thyroid axis in a paper published in 2022.
I graduated from Tulane University School of Medicine and School of Public Health in 2011 and completed my Family Practice training in 2014. I treat many conditions, with particular expertise in GI health and mold and heavy-metal toxicity. When I’m not with patients, you’ll find me playing with my three kids, exercising, meditating, or playing the drums.
