What are the symptoms of parasites?
A parasite lives and feeds off other organisms. Intestinal parasites are generally worms that feed off the material in your body. Hookworms, tapeworms, and roundworms are amongst the most common. Symptoms of parasites vary with the type of parasite.
Some intestinal parasites consume your food, leaving you hungry after every meal. Others cause anaemia by feeding off your red blood cells. Some lay eggs that can cause itching and irritability.
Common gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation might be linked to parasitic infections.
Some of the most common symptoms or parasitic infection include:
Giardia
Diarrhoea, abdominal cramping, bloating, gas, nausea, fatigue, and weight loss are often sign of giardia. They can also manifest themselves quite quickly.
Tapeworms
Similarly symptoms of tapeworms may begin only about 8 weeks after the tapeworms have developed in the intestine. The symptoms include nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, and abdominal pain. Although these can be mild symptoms only. Untreated tapeworms can live for years, and can lead to malnutrition, headaches, blindness, and seizures.
Chronic symptoms of parasites
Chronic signs and symptoms of parasites include loose or fatty stools, IBS or gastritis. A 10 to 20 percent loss in weight, malabsorption of nutrients, fatigue, and depression may come and go over many months if the condition is not treated. Joint pain and allergic reactions, or decreased immune functions are also long term symptoms.
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Irregular bowel movements
- Gastritis or indigestion
- Skin disorders
- Joint pain
- Allergic reaction
- Decreased immune function