Giardia Treatment: Giardia Symptoms And Causes Of Infections

What Giardia Infection

Giardia is a protozoan parasite that can infect the small intestine, causing a condition known as giardiasis. This condition affects a wide range of mammals, and affects millions of people every year. The parasite is usually transmitted through water, food, and soil that have been contaminated by feces. After a person ingests the parasite, there is typically an incubation period of up to two weeks. Usually however, symptoms begin to appear within the space of a week. The main symptoms include diarrhea and abdominal cramps. The person may also suffer from considerable abdominal gas, and may experience nausea and vomiting too. Fever may also develop for a few days during the initial stages, after which it will subside on its own. Acidity, halitosis, and abdominal bloating may also accompany the diarrhea. Many patients also suffer from rather rapid weight loss, accompanied by fatigue. As with many such intestinal infections, one of the main dangers is that of dehydration due to loss of fluids.

Natural Treatment For Giardia

Giardiasis is often self limiting, but it can last for quite a long time. The infection typically lasts for at least two weeks, but could persist for over a month. It is therefore always advisable to consult a doctor if the symptoms described earlier last for more than a couple of days. Mild intestinal upsets usually clear up within a few days, provided basic precautions and home remedies are taken. If in spite of this the symptoms continue, you may be suffering from a giardia infection. If your doctor suspects that this is the case, he or she may ask for a stool test in order to come up with a certain diagnosis. Once it has been confirmed that you are suffering from giardiasis, your doctor will prescribe the required medication. This will usually reduce the severity of symptoms, and will also reduce the duration of the infection. It is however important that you follow the doctor’s instructions properly with regard to dosage and any other practices, such as abstaining from alcohol, coffee, and certain foods. If you are pregnant or lactating, your doctor will prescribe suitable medication, taking this into account.

As with most such infections, prevention is extremely important. Therefore avoid going to places known to have a high incidence of this disease. You should regularly wash your hands, and also thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables if you are going to eat them raw. Preferably only eat food that has been well cooked and prepared recently, and drink only boiled water.