{"id":3934,"date":"2019-02-14T07:08:08","date_gmt":"2019-02-14T07:08:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=3934"},"modified":"2021-05-03T18:46:06","modified_gmt":"2021-05-03T18:46:06","slug":"14-most-typical-tapeworm-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-most-typical-tapeworm-symptoms\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Most Typical Tapeworm Symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Tapeworms <\/a>are one of the most common types of parasitic infections that are known to infect humans, and a tapeworm infection is most commonly contracted through either direct contact with the parasite itself, or direct contact with an existing carrier of the tapeworm \u2013 and humans most commonly get it through consuming meat that has been infected with the parasite, although there are some other ways in which the parasite can reach the body.
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What makes a tapeworm infection more dangerous is the fact that you can experience symptoms for years while a tapeworm infection rages in your body and you might not even know about it; the tapeworm is a parasite that has the ability to survive within the body for years, and symptoms can occur in bouts months apart.
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Here are the 8 most typical symptoms of a tapeworm infection that you should know about if it ever happens to you.
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1. A constant feeling of hunger.<\/strong>
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Tapeworms seat themselves in the digestive system<\/a>, and it remains one of their favorite places to breed within the body \u2013 and if you have a tapeworm infection, this is one of the first and most common ways in which you will feel the infection in your body.
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Because of the energy requirements of the tapeworm, if you have a tapeworm infection you might constantly feel hungry \u2013 or you might lose your appetite entirely on the other end of the scale. Tapeworm infections will more commonly cause the feeling of constant hunger, which means that any rumors about tapeworms as a potential diet aide have long since debunked.
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In many cases, they can lead to weight gain<\/em> and the constant feeling of hunger instead of the opposite. If this is the case with you, then you should ideally make an appointment to see your doctor sooner rather than later for diagnosis and treatment.
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2. A partial or complete loss of appetite.<\/strong>
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A complete or partial loss of appetite <\/a>is one of the most common symptoms that you\u2019ll experience if you\u2019ve been diagnosed with tapeworm, and although it\u2019s one of the most common symptoms, it also happens to be one of the most common symptoms that people miss \u2013 and this is just because of the fact that it can turn out to be a few other things, and most people think that it\u2019s just life\u2019s usual stress that\u2019s making them lose their appetite.
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This usually isn\u2019t the case, and if the loss of appetite can be combined with any of the symptoms on this list, then it\u2019s likely that you might have a tapeworm infection \u2013 and it might even be a long-term one if you\u2019ve been showing the same symptoms for a while. In the case of tapeworm infection, it might even have been breeding for years.
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If you suspect that this might be the case, make an appointment with your doctor.
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3.  Recurring or constant abdominal discomfort and swelling.<\/strong>
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Recurring and\/or constant abdominal discomfort and swelling<\/a> should always be treated as one of the more serious symptoms when it comes to your health, and any sign of the above should be treated with seriousness \u2013 and warrants an immediate appointment with your doctor even if the cause of the abdominal cramping and swelling that you\u2019ve been experiencing doesn\u2019t turn out to be a tapeworm.
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You should consider yourself at an increased risk of tapeworm if you have been exposed to any of the factors or elements that might serve as a breeding ground for the parasite; although this isn\u2019t always necessary, because the possibility exists of picking up tapeworm from any<\/em> carrier under any circumstances, and you might not have noticed this to tell your doctor as the possibility of exposure.
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Thus, the only way to really be sure is to have the proper tests done \u2013 and there\u2019s no way around seeing your doctor.
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4. Signs of vitamin deficiencies.<\/strong>
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Tapeworm infection <\/a>is one of the few types of infections that you can live with for years without being able to spot the symptoms for what they are, and during this period the infection can make its way throughout your entire body, popping out with a range of different symptoms that just aren\u2019t great for your health.
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One of the symptoms that can go along with a tapeworm infection is constant vitamin deficiencies and the associated symptoms that go along with them, although there\u2019s usually no cause for it \u2013 and changes to the diet will make little to no difference to the condition.
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This happens because of the effect the tapeworm has on the inside of the body, and the fact that it can literally stop your body from absorbing any of the most essential nutrients that it needs to live a healthy life. Treat the infection before the symptom.
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5. The constant feeling of weakness.<\/strong>
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Constantly feeling weak is never a good thing, although it is true that there are thousand-and-one different things that can cause it. If you feel weak aftershock or exercise, it could be your heart, although it could also refer to your lungs \u2013 and you might be having an asthma attack; you could also be having a panic attack. It could also be a lack of nutrients, or it could be a spike (either up or down) in your blood sugar or pressure.
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The feeling of weakness <\/a>can be several different things, but all of them warrant making an appointment with your doctor so that the cause can be tracked down. Make a few lifestyle changes to see if the feeling of weakness gets any better, but if not, it\u2019s best to make another appointment with your doctor \u2013 especially if you show several of the symptoms on this list together.
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6. Diarrhea that doesn\u2019t get better, or occurs in waves.<\/strong>
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Diarrhea <\/a>should always be treated as one of the most serious medical symptoms that you can experience, and it should always be treated with medical attention if it recurs for more than a few hours at a time \u2013 or if it seems to come back in regular waves, even if these waves appear to be months apart.
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Severe and repeated stomach upsets like these can be a common sign of tapeworm infection, and it\u2019s often one of the most common symptoms experienced by most people who are infected by anyone of the three tapeworm parasites that can affect humans.
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See your doctor if diarrhea occurs, whether it stays the same for several hours or not: It can dehydrate the body at a dangerous speed, and it could easily be one of the fatal symptoms. Diarrhea isn\u2019t just something that should be symptomatically treated but should be taken as a disorder on its own.
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7. Bouts of nausea that keep recurring.<\/strong>
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Nausea <\/a>is most often a sign of a stomach upset or digestive issue, although this isn\u2019t always the case, and there are many different health issues that can cause bouts of nausea; for many people, nausea just feels like it\u2019s part of their lives when they puke every time they see something disgusting, but most people don\u2019t<\/em> experience nausea in this way, and any recurring bouts of nausea should always be seen as a serious medical symptom.
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The presence of tapeworm infection in your system can wreak havoc on the rest of your body, and nausea and vomiting that keeps coming back is never a good sign: It could even be fatal to your health if you lose vital fluids through constant vomiting.
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The best thing to do is treat it symptomatically as it occurs, whether through over-the-counter means or natural ones; but always see your doctor if the symptoms come back.
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8. Weight loss without cause.<\/strong>
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Weight loss<\/a> can be a good thing, but only when you are in the middle of a planned diet and you\u2019re losing exactly the amount of weight that you expect to. If you\u2019re losing weight at any other point, it\u2019s not so great \u2013 and it might be pointing to something seriously wrong with your health.
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Any weight loss that you can\u2019t find the cause for means that your body is struggling to process, struggling to absorb or struggling to get any nutrients out of the food \u2013 and it almost always points to some sort of disorder that causes interference with these processes.
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If you can combine several symptoms on this list with one another, it\u2019s likely that a tapeworm infection might be the cause, and you should make an appointment with your doctor sooner rather than later so that the cause of the infection can be treated and you can get back to your life without parasites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Brittle Hair and Nails<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We have already\ndiscussed that tapeworm can lead to nutritional deficiencies, but what can this\nlook like? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, nutritional deficiencies can take on many forms depending on which <\/em>nutrients, in particular, are lacking. For instance, a lack of vitamin C might cause you to become frequently ill, while a lack of calcium may cause brittle bones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While many of these symptoms may be relatively low key and therefore easy to miss, the general deterioration of your hair, skin, and nails <\/a>can conversely often be a warning sign that something is not right. Things like calcium, magnesium, vitamin E, omega 3, collagen, etc. all help to contribute to the normal formation of these parts of the body. If these nutrients are being consumed by a tapeworm, then you may notice that your nails are more prone to breaking and that your skin looks dried out and\/or angry and inflamed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another thing to\nconsider is a condition called \u2018pica\u2019. This is characterized by cravings that\nseem very unusual \u2013 sufferers have been known to eat grout and other unusual\nsubstances. The reason for this is that they are trying to consume those\nmissing minerals and vitamins any way they can, and don\u2019t feel satiated unless\nthey do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Vomiting<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Vomiting <\/a>can be a common symptom associated with a wide range of different conditions. In almost all cases though, this is the body\u2019s way of trying to expel any invading toxins or bacteria\/viruses. The idea is that something in the body is causing you to be ill, and so you are trying to empty your stomach and hopefully thereby remove the substance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the case of\ntapeworm, your body knows there is something large and unusual inside your\nstomach and is doing its best to try and eliminate it. This combined with the\ngeneral feelings of nausea, sickness, and nutritional deficiency can leave you\nfeeling unwell and being sick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vomiting can potentially lead to more complications such as dehydration, which can, in turn, be serious in some cases. Make sure that if you are vomiting often, that you also drink plenty of water to compensate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Exhaustion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Exhaustion is a\ncommon symptom of tapeworm, which is the result of carrying something large and\nheavy around inside your stomach, as well as the loss of nutrients that should\nnormally help with key functions such as producing energy, regulating metabolism,\nand absorbing sugar as energy from the blood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other symptoms such as anemia <\/a>\u2013 caused by low iron which in turn leaves less oxygen available to travel around the body \u2013 can leave you feeling exhausted also. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Inflammation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Inflammation <\/a>is your body\u2019s response to all kinds of illnesses and injuries and is how it sends blood, oxygen, and antibodies to the affected area to try and aid recovery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the case of\ntapeworm, the intestines can become inflamed which may cause visible swelling\non the exterior of the lower abdomen, or which may cause pain and sensitivity\nwhen touching the area. This can also exacerbate stomach pain and make bowel\nmovements less regular and more difficult. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. CDC<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

CDC is a term for Cysticercosis, which is, in turn, a parasitic tissue infection caused by the cysts of the tapeworm. These can infect the brain, the muscles, or other tissues<\/a>. They are among the most common causes of seizures in adults, especially in low-income areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cysticercosis occurs when an individual swallows eggs that are found in feces of a person with intestinal tapeworm. If you are wondering how this could happen to someone, then consider the example of a fly: if a fly should sit on manure and then sit on your food, it may then transfer the larval cysts to your food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why it is most common in low-income countries where sanitation is not as good. Likewise, if you should scratch and then put your hand near your face, then the same thing can happen. This same thing can happen when preparing food for others. You cannot get cysticercosis by consuming uncooked meat \u2013 that will only lead to intestinal tapeworm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you or someone you know should begin getting seizures, and you know of tapeworm infection in your home, then this might point to cysticercosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Death<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While it\u2019s uncommon, in extreme cases tapeworm can lead to death. This happens when the tapeworm becomes extremely large and thereby ends up consuming too much of the body\u2019s nutrients and calories <\/a>\u2013 effectively starving the patient and causing them to become extremely unwell. At the same time, the size of the tapeworm can sometimes place physical strain on the body, placing pressure on the organs and leading to more issues this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For all these\nreasons, it\u2019s very important to investigate all the symptoms mentioned so far\nas early as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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