Parasites aren’t just creepy crawlies from horror movies. They’re very real and can sometimes have disastrous effects on the body if they’re not taken care of.
Do you know the potential signs of parasites in your body?
If you’ve been feeling slightly off, or you just binge-watched Monsters Inside Me and you’re getting nervous about your own internal ecosystem, don’t worry, we can help you out.
Keep reading to learn 5 signs that you might have a parasite.
- Stomach Cramps and Dehydration
If your stomach is feeling all wrong with no discernible cause, it’s possible that you’re dealing with some kind of intestinal parasite.
While a sour stomach can be attributed to plenty of things, these symptoms lasting longer than the duration of food poisoning or the stomach flu might be a sign of something more.
If you’ve spent time in or near questionable water, you may have to go get checked for cryptosporidiosis, a parasite that travels through fecal matter to contaminate food or water.
- Joint Pain
Parasites are known for causing stomachaches, but they can also cause inflammation and pain in your joints and muscles.
Joint pain has several causes, so this isn’t an immediate cause for alarm. If you have pervasive pain without a history of joint issues, though, this might be time to get checked out.
- An Itchy Rash
Not all parasites are incredibly harmful. Some are more irritating than anything else. Some types of worm parasites work their way into your body through the skin (unpleasant to think about, we know) but often show no other symptoms.
You can experience itchiness around the site of the intrusion which is often on the soles of the feet. These worms get into your body through whatever body part is touching the ground.
- Intimate Itching
If you know anything about parasites, this is likely one that you’ve had some anxiety about in the past.
Pinworms are disgusting little creatures that find their way to you through infected fecal matter. You might have no symptoms at all, but commonly you can feel itching late at night around your anus or genitals. You might also find dead worms in your clothing in the morning (in which case you know what the problem is).
- Fatigue
If you’ve been dealing with fatigue after a trip, you might just think you’re jet-lagged. It might be something more serious.
Fatigue is an indicator of many parasites, depending on where it’s coming from. Parasites can cause anemia and malnutrition. They’re literally feeding off of you (and in some cases, almost stealing your food).
Your body can only go for so long without noticing that something is sapping the energy from it.
What to Do?
If you’re dealing with parasite symptoms, you might want to seek out a doctor. You can also try an at-home treatment or cleanse if you don’t think that the issue is that serious.
When parasites die off, they’ll leave some uncomfortable side-effects and you’ll have to learn how to fight them, but the side-effects are better than the parasites themselves.
Signs of Parasites: Takeaways
Many parasite symptoms are similar to other common illnesses. If you notice signs of parasites after international travel, or your symptoms last longer than you’re used to, you might have a parasite.
Parasites can be dealt with, but you want to manage them in the early stages. If you worry that you have a parasite, it’s best to act quickly.
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