Infection: Common Symptoms
You may have an acute infection if you are experiencing any of these symptoms:
- Cough
- Acute diarrhea
- Discharge from any part of the body, such as eyes, nose, throat, genitalia
- Sudden, overwhelming fatigue
- Fever (either high or low-grade)
- Sudden muscle or joint pain, possibly accompanied by swelling, or stiffness
- Nausea and/or vomiting (from mild to severe)
- Sinus congestion and nasal discharge
- Skin rashes
- Sore throat
- Swollen lymph nodes, which may indicate the body is trying to fight infection
You may have a chronic infection if you are experiencing symptoms that tend to persist:
- Chronic fatigue
- Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Abnormal, recurring vaginal discharge (women)
- Recurring indigestion, bloating, gas, or heartburn
- Alternating constipation, diarrhea, or mucus in the stool
- Chronic depression, anxiety, mood swings, lack of concentration, memory loss
- Chronic muscle and/or joint pain and swelling
- Low-grade fever that persists
- Chronic respiratory problems such as Asthma and Bronchitis
Diagnosis
Infections fall into four categories: bacterial, parasitic, fungal, and viral. In making a diagnosis, it’s important to find out the main culprit that is causing the infection in order to treat it effectively. For instance, broad-spectrum antibiotics will help a bacterial infection, but not a parasitic, fungal, or viral infection—only bacterial.
The following tests and procedures may help you find out what type of infection you have, and the nutrient deficiencies that the infection may have caused:
- Online Self-assessments – Self-assessments, such as the Candidiasis Self-assessment and the Magnesium Assessment, can help you determine some of the root cause(s) of your chronic conditions. Learn more about Self-assessments.
- Blood tests – On the recommendation of a healthcare professional, these indicate the amount and type of antibodies in the blood, as well as white blood cell counts, which help diagnose the source of the infection.
- Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis (CDSA) – An analysis of the stool can help determine if your infection is related to specific parasites or bacteria.
- Testing for specific known culprits – Based on a healthcare professional’s evaluation, specific tests may be ordered according to the type of infection that is suspected in causing symptoms. For instance, a test for H. pylori (suspected in causing peptic ulcers and gastrointestinal complaints) may include an H. pylori antigen/antibody test, breath test, and in some cases, biopsy of the stomach lining.2
Additional Information about Infection
- Infection Overview
- Common causes of infection
- Help me choose a natural and alternative treatment for infection
- Dietary and lifestyle recommendations that may help in the treatment of infection
- Conventional or prescription medications used in the treatment of infection
- Cited Sources and Additional Reading for infection
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