Candida is a yeast infection and can occur anywhere in the body. Sometimes it invades the gastrointestinal tract and can lead to multiple symptoms that can be difficult to live with. Gastrointestinal candida can affect adults, children and infants. It is more common in people who have taken antibiotics or have a weakened immune system, such as AIDS or cancer patients.
Difficulty Swallowing
If you have gastrointestinal candida, you may have a great deal of difficulty swallowing. According to The Mayo Clinic swallowing can be extremely painful and food can become caught in the esophagus, which can cause additional pain and pressure. The esophagus can become ulcerated from the infection and make it difficult to even swallow liquids. The pain from food that is caught in the esophagus will sometimes even mimic pain from a heart attack. This can be extremely frightening for a person to experience. Infants, who suffer from gastrointestinal candida, may not thrive and may lose weight and lack proper nutrition.
Nausea and Vomiting
Having an infection of the gastrointestinal tract that is caused by candida can lead to nausea and vomiting. The stomach may be upset and you may suffer from pains in your stomach. You may also feel bloated in your abdomen. This bloating can come from candida yeast multiplying in your stomachs and letting off gases. Eating food can make this worse. Therefore, you may not feel like eating and may begin to lose weight.
Diarrhea
If you have candida of the gastrointestinal system you may suffer from severe bouts of diarrhea. According to The University of Adelaide you may also have a high count of yeast in your your because your stomach and intestinal secretions have been colonized by yeast. If the infection worsens, food will not be absorbed properly and this can lead to malnutrition and dehydration. This can be especially dangerous for people that are already ill, children or infants.
