Candidiasis causes systemic illnesses that produce a wide variety of symptoms. This makes candidiasis difficult to accurately diagnose, since it shares symptoms with so many other conditions. Leon Chaitow, N.D., D.O., of London, England, notes that when symptoms are chronic rather than acute or sudden, he generally suspects a yeast infection. Another clue is if specific symptoms have been previously treated without success, then the diagnosis usually suggests candidiasis. Some physicians rely on laboratory test results to diagnose the condition. However, while these tests are helpful, it is important not to depend on them exclusively. For example, blood tests can be used to pinpoint Candida antibodies. But since most people normally have <I>Candida<I> organisms in their systems, the tests may show antibodies even if the patient is not suffering from candidiasis. The truth is there is no single diagnostic test. Stephen Langer, M.D., indicates that “the clincher to any diagnosis is not so much what is happening in the laboratory as what is happening in the patient.” The combination of an individual’s complete medical history and examination, the patient’s response to treatment, and information culled from laboratory tests is the key to a correct diagnosis.
Dr. Chaitow describes the likely candidate for <I>Candida<I> overgrowth as someone whose medical history includes steroid hormone medications (cortisone or corticosteroids, often prescribed for skin conditions such as rashes, eczema, or psoriasis), prolonged or repeated use of antibiotics, medications for treating ulcers, or oral contraceptives. Certain illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer, and AIDS, can also increase susceptibility to Candida overgrowth.
“All too often more than one influence is operating,” says Dr. Chaitow. “Over a few years, a patient may have had antibiotics for a variety of conditions, while using steroids as well, perhaps in the form of the contraceptive pill. If the patient also happens to be living on a diet rich in sugars, then the Candidais very likely to have spread beyond its usual borders into new territory.”
A qualified practitioner should take your complete medical history to determine if you have a Candida infection, but here are a few questions to ask yourself to see if you are at risk (the more questions that you answer affirmatively, the greater your risk):
• Have you taken repeated courses of antibiotics or steroids (e.g., cortisone)?
• Have you used birth-control pills?
• Have you had repeated fungal infections (“jock itch,” athlete’s foot, ringworm)?
• Do you regularly have any of these symptoms—bloating, headaches, depression, fatigue, memory problems, impotence or lack of interest in sex, muscle aches with no apparent cause, brain fogginess?
• Do you experience symptoms of PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome)?
• Do you have cravings for sweets, products containing white flour, or alcoholic beverages?
• Do you repeatedly experience any of these health difficulties—inappropriate drowsiness, mood swings, rashes, bad breath, dry mouth, post-nasal drip or nasal congestion, heartburn, urinary frequency or urgency?
