Why do parasites cause bloating

A toxoplasmosis test toxoplasma test determines if the Toxoplasma gondii parasite has infected you. Learn about testing during pregnancy and more. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. What Are Intestinal Worms? Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D. Symptoms Causes Risk factors Diagnosis Treatment Complications Prevention Overview Intestinal worms, also known as parasitic worms, are one of the main types of intestinal parasites.

Common types of intestinal worms include: flatworms, which include tapeworms and flukes roundworms, which cause ascariasis, pinworm, and hookworm infections Read on to learn more about intestinal worms. Risk factors. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Angelica Balingit, MD.

Hookworm Infections. Medically reviewed by Daniel Murrell, M. Abdominal Pain and Unintentional Weight Loss. Medically reviewed by Graham Rogers, M. Stool Ova and Parasites Test. Medically reviewed by Modern Weng, DO. Parasitic Infections. Medically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M. Medically reviewed by Suzanne Falck, MD. Medically reviewed by Jill Seladi-Schulman, Ph. Toxoplasmosis Test. Effects of vitamin A supplementation on intestinal barrier function, growth, total parasitic, and specific Giardia spp infections in Brazilian children: a prospective randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. Systemic impact of intestinal helminth infections. Mucosal Immunol. Effectiveness of dried Carica papaya seeds against human intestinal parasitosis: a pilot study. J Med Food. Protection against diarrhea associated with Giardia intestinalis Is lost with multi-nutrient supplementation: a study in Tanzanian children.

Efficacy of Lactobacillus GG in aboriginal children with acute diarrhoeal disease: a randomised clinical trial. Intestinal parasites in HIV-seropositive patients in the Continental region of Equatorial Guinea: its relation with socio-demographic, health and immune system factors.

Predicting frequency distribution and influence of sociodemographic and behavioral risk factors of Schistosoma mansoni infection and analysis of co-infection with intestinal parasites.

Geospat Health. Intestinal parasites Parasitic infection - intestinal. Signs and Symptoms Parasites can live in the intestines for years without causing symptoms. When they do, symptoms include the following: Abdominal pain Diarrhea Nausea or vomiting Gas or bloating Dysentery loose stools containing blood and mucus Rash or itching around the rectum or vulva Stomach pain or tenderness Feeling tired Weight loss Passing a worm in your stool.

What Causes It? These things raise your risk for getting intestinal parasites: Living in or visiting an area known to have parasites International travel Poor sanitation for both food and water Poor hygiene Age. Children and the elderly are more likely to get infected.

What to Expect at Your Doctor's Office Your doctor will ask if you have traveled out of the country recently and whether you have recently lost weight. If your doctor thinks you have an intestinal parasite, you will probably have one or more of the following tests: Fecal testing examination of your stool can identify both helminths and protozoa. Stool samples must be collected before you take any anti-diarrhea drugs or antibiotics, or before x-rays with barium are taken.

Several stool samples may be needed to find the parasite. The "Scotch tape" test identifies pinworms by touching tape to the anus several times, then looking at the tape under a microscope for eggs. Your doctor may use x-rays with barium to diagnose more serious problems caused by parasites, although this test is usually not required. Treatment Options Drug Therapies Your doctor will choose the drug that is most effective against your intestinal parasite.

Complementary and Alternative Therapies Conventional medical treatments can get rid parasites more quickly and with fewer side effects than most alternative treatments. Nutrition and Supplements Avoid simple carbohydrates, such as those found in refined foods, fruits, juices, dairy products, and all sugars, except honey. Eat more raw garlic, pumpkin seeds, pomegranates, beets, and carrots, all of which have been used traditionally to kill parasites. In one study, researchers found that a mixture of honey and papaya seeds cleared stools of parasites in 23 out of 30 subjects.

Drink a lot of water to help flush out your system. Eat more fiber, which may help get rid of worms. Tapeworm : Symptoms of tapeworm may not be noticed right away, beginning only about 8 weeks after the tapeworms have developed in the intestine. The symptoms may be mild and non-specific, including nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain. Untreated tapeworms can live for years, and can lead to malnutrition.

Long-term complications could include headaches, blindness, and seizures. The treatment for parasitic infections depends on the type of infection and how far the infection has progressed. Blood tests can show the presence of parasites such as those that cause Chagas disease and samples of stool from bowel movements can show the presence of parasites that infect the intestines.

Giardia infections: The infection usually clears up on its own within a few weeks. If the infection is severe or does not clear up, your doctor may prescribe a medication like metronidazole Flagyl , tinidazole Tindamax or nitazoxanide Alinia. Chagas disease : Antiparasitic medications benznidazole and nifurtimox will kill the parasites, but other treatments to manage the complications like heart irregularities may be needed. Tapeworm : The most commonly used medications to kill tapeworms are praziquantel Biltricide , albendazole Albenza , and nitazoxanide Alinia.

However, if the infection has progressed and become more invasive, you may need treatment with anti-inflammatory medications, anti-seizure medications, a shunt to drain fluid from your brain, or surgery to remove cysts caused by the tapeworm. Roundworm : There are several types of roundworm so treatment varies according to the infection. The most commonly used medications for roundworm include medendazole Vermox , albdendazole Albenza and ivermectin Stromectol. Surgery could be required to remove the worm if there is a bowel obstruction.

Most parasitic infections enter the body through your mouth, either in food or drink, or by contamination — touching your face with contaminated hands. Would you like to share your story about sepsis or read about others who have had sepsis? Please visit Faces of Sepsis , where you will find hundreds of stories from survivors and tributes to those who died from sepsis.

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