Did you know that your body is also a storehouse for parasites; millions of living organisms live within and feed off you? While the idea can be repulsive you cannot ignore that parasitic worms are a part and parcel of your daily life and living. The most common parasites residing in you are thorny-headed worms, roundworms, and flatworms among many other species. The risks of infection caused by these parasites are prevalent everywhere. Undoubtedly, the risk levels are higher in developing and rural regions. Therefore, places with poor sanitation facilities and contaminated drinking water or food are to be avoided as they are likely to cause parasitic infections.
Here, we intend to provide our readers with a closer look at parasites that reside in humans and why it is important to take care to avoid infections.
Infection Causing Parasites
Roundworms and flatworms are among the most notorious of all parasites when it comes to causing infections. Extremely minute in size, they require a microscope to spot them. This is the main reason why they go unnoticed and are successful in causing infections in humans. Unfortunately, these parasites are extremely hardy and are capable of surviving in virtually all kinds of habitats. Laymen are likely to lack knowledge about these harmful critters that can cause different types of illnesses. In extreme cases, these diseases are likely to get complex and may cause more problems than expected.
An important thing to note about parasites is that ignoring them will not make them non-existent. The increasing levels of toxicity in the environment, especially that caused by different types of pollution, is not helping the cause either. The problems caused by parasites are on the rise and worsening with each passing day. According to the information given in the article Parasites: Types, Symptoms, Tests, and Treatment, the toxins transmitted by parasites to the human body are instrumental in weakening the defenses of your body and altering the different types of parasitic activities. Parasites are known to be the cause of varying health issues and are best kept under control. For instance, in some cases, parasitic infections are the reason behind the incidence of some autoimmune diseases and chronic ailments like irritable bowel syndrome in humans.
What are Parasites?
Parasites are pathogens living inside or on humans or other organisms. These pathogens can survive only by living off their hosts and can cause a lot of harm to them. Most parasites are dependent on their hosts for all types of nourishment. The disease-causing critters are of varying sizes. Some parasites are microscopic like Giardia and Toxoplasma gondii. Then, there are parasites like an adult tapeworm that can be easily seen through the naked eye. An adult tapeworm may be more than 49 feet tall!
Where do Parasites Live?
Some microscopic parasites reside in the fat or red blood cells of humans. On the other hand, the larger-sized critters, such as parasitic worms, have a stronger likelihood of residing in the areas present in between the human cells. Parasites can be very harmful and may invade your brain, gut, lungs, muscles, lymph, liver, as well as other tissues and organs to cause multiple health-related issues. In some cases, they may cause disruptions in your body functions and organs. For instance, parasites are likely to cause blockages in the valves present in the intestines and create clogs in the bile ducts. They may also cause disruptions in the digestive systems or manipulate the functions of your immune system. If you wish to eliminate parasites from your system to regain your health then it’s important to know the signs and symptoms of infections caused by parasites.
How to Recognize Parasitic Infections?
As per health experts and those adept in handling infections caused by parasites, several tell-tale signs can help in recognizing these critters. The most commonly found symptoms of parasitic infections are diarrhea, gas, constipation, or other signs of IBS. Usually, these signs of infection are unexplained and create physical stress in patients. If you are finding it difficult to fall asleep easily or are waking up intermittently across the night, then you may be suffering from a parasitic infection. The other symptoms include unexplained rash, hives, skin irritations, rosacea, eczema, and so forth. Unexplained aches and pains in your muscles or joints, grinding of teeth while sleeping, exhaustion, depression, fatigue, or any frequent feelings of apathy may also signal infections caused by parasites.
Besides, if you have been diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia then get yourself tested for parasites among other things. The feeling of being dissatisfied and hungry after meals is also a cause for concern. An important sign of having contacted parasitic infection relates to having travelled abroad and getting traveler’s diarrhea. Any incidence of food poisoning in the past can be linked to an infection caused by parasites. As you may have figured out by now, the signs and symptoms depicted by parasites are diverse and are often unexplained or unrelated.
Skin irritations, trouble in sleeping, mood changes, muscle pain, etc. can be attributed to the release of toxins into the bloodstream by parasites. At most times, these toxins may be the cause of anxiety manifested in diverse ways. When these toxins trigger off reactions in the blood cells or neurotransmitters, they are likely to bring about skin bloating, irritations and mood swings. Parasites may cause infections in the gut, thereby leading to diverse digestive symptoms. In reality, different parasites can create gut distress. Therefore, it is very important to understand the symptoms and keep a close eye on them.
Other Symptoms of Parasitic Infection
The other important signs associated with parasite infections are allergies, anemia, anxiety, bed wetting in kids, air hunger, arthritis, bloating, constipation, fever, eye inflammation, flu-like symptoms, chronic fatigue, gallbladder, bile duct diseases, food sensitivities, etc. The other common causes of parasitic infections include gassiness, food sensitivities, headaches, insomnia, leaky gut, low blood sugar, itches around the anal region, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, seizures, nutritional deficiencies, and so forth; they also signal parasitic infections.
The parasites are generally more active during the night. Given this, certain symptoms tend to spike while you’re sleeping or in bed at night. Most symptoms may not surface immediately. For instance, some new infections may lead to digestive upsets within a single day. Others take a few weeks, months, or longer periods to come to the fore.
How Can Parasites be Diagnosed?
Parasites are not easy to detect or diagnose despite several tests being in place for checking the presence of parasites. However, most of them are not accurate and require more advanced testing. You may be advised the standard blood and stool tests along with the recommended tests for your gut. Once the results are in hand, your health practitioner can help in tackling the parasitic infections while reducing the risks of further attacks. Imaging tests like MRI scans, X-rays, and CAT scans are also capable of identifying the parasites in your body tissues.
As most parasites related tests may not give reliable results, its best to consult your preferred health practitioner to chalk the way forward. Early detection of parasites can help in cutting down on the time needed for diagnosis and treatment to act accordingly. You may want to research more about the symptoms, treatment, tests and types of parasites to figure out the problems that can come your way. Start the process right away.