Symptoms of Parasites

If you haven’t heard yet, you have parasites. Yes it’s gross, and if you haven’t yet, check out this original article that discusses why we have parasites and why it’s a huge problem. But let’s talk about the common symptoms of parasites just to be sure.

Now that you’ve probably come to terms with the thought you might have parasites. It’s time to find out if you actually do.

We previously discussed that there really is no effective test or method to scientifically decide if you have parasites or not. The most common method is to check for a pulse, if you have a pulse then you have parasites.

All jokes aside, there are quite a few symptoms to parasitic infections that should help you narrow down whether this is an issue for you. As always, this article is not mean to diagnose anyone or prescribe any methods of treatment.

Should you suspect you have parasites or an infection, please consult your healthcare provider before beginning any cleanses or supplement regimes.

And before we run through the huge gamut of symptoms these nasty bugs bring with them, it is important to note the lunar cycle. Yes, the full moon impacts the life cycle and activity levels of parasites in your body.

They reproduce during the full moon and therefore are more active at this time. You will notice a significant uptick in symptoms the two days before and after the full moon.

This can be helpful in deciding whether the symptoms you’re experiencing could be caused by parasites.

Gastrointestinal Symptoms

The most common symptoms of a parasitic infection are gastrointestinal issues, irregularity, or discomfort. Most of the parasites live in our intestinal tract (not all, we’ll discuss later, but most). They find this the most hospitable area, with a full buffet, lots of room to stretch out.

It is in this area that they can wreak utter havoc on our bodies. First off they can cause cramping, bloating, pain, constipation, diarrhea (or both), poor nutritional uptake, increased hunger, weight gain, and the most common of all, anal itching.

Basically they are stealing your food, making you extra hungry because you’re not getting any nutrients. On top of that they take up room, irritate your intestinal lining, and generally cause issues.

Another common symptom, one I actually experience myself, is a creepy crawly feeling in your abdomen. It feels itchy almost, like you want to itch your insides, but can’t.

This is one of the worst and most challenging symptom for me mentally because I know what it is.

Mood and Cognitive Symptoms

I’ll be honest, this one caught me by surprise. But the more I learn about the body, the more I learn the deep connection between body and mind. Our bodies, especially our stomachs effect our mind in a huge way. In fact, there is even a name for it: the mind-gut axis.

Needless to say, if we’ve got intruders in our gut, they will be affecting our brain. Parasites can cause huge cognitive symptoms including depression, mood swings, anger, rage, frustration, and brain fog. That last one is huge.

So many people suffer from brain fog, and it tends to get worse as we age. The environmental toxins we are exposed to can usually be to blame, but for many, parasites could be contributing to the forgetfulness, distraction, and general brain fog many feel.

Itches & Twitches

This may go along with the rash and allergy symptoms, but ichtiness, tingling, crawling, and twitches can all be caused by parasites. As you start to bring them out and kill them off, you’ll notice a huge increase in overall itchies and twitchies.

But this is also a big symptom to watch for around the full moon. As they are active, you’ll notice more movement, especially at night. Watch for twitches, itchiness around the abdomen or anus, and even restless leg syndrome. One last big symptom for me, actually the one that really tipped me off, was grinding my teeth.

I woke up one morning unable to open my jaw due to paid. I just assumed I had bit something wrong, but after several days of pretty terrible pain I called my dentist to find out I had been grinding my teeth.

I was told this is normal, usually caused by stress, and also starts getting worse around 30 (I had just had my birthday). So I wrote off the symptom and took some ibuprofen.

Several months later I saw a post on Instagram by one of my favorite holistic health practitioners, claiming that teeth grinding was caused by parasites.

Bingo! I found my root cause, and off I went. I can now say that the grinding has gone down dramatically since beginning my protocol. You’d be surprised how many random issues could be caused by the presence of parasites. I encourage you to consider whether you may have symptoms of a stealth parasites.