Undiagnosed infections are something I find all the time in my patients. They come in the form of viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi. One of the most common is candida, a type of fungus. Candida is a natural part of the gut flora, but in a large majority of the population it has overgrown to the point of compromised health.
Untreated candida is now a known contributor to cancer. A direct quote from an article published in Microorganisms in 2023 states that:
“Studies have shown chronic inflammation, which can be caused by a C(candida). albicans overgrowth is a key factor in the formation of many cancers, including oral cancer.”
It goes on to say:
“In addition, interactions between Candida and other groups of oral microorganisms may contribute to the development of specific oral diseases. For example, Candida has been found to interact with bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans, which is related to dental caries and Porphyromonas gingivalis, which is related to periodontal disease.”
To simplify, because candida is a known cause of inflammation – and inflammation is the known cause of chronic disease, an untreated overgrowth of candida can play a large role in the development of many diseases. Many people are knowingly walking around with an overgrowth of candida, letting it go untreated.
Gingivitis, often caused by an infection, is known to be associated with the development of heart disease and breast cancer. Oral bacteria has been found in cardiovascular plaques and breast cancer tumors. Gingivitis can go untreated for years.
Because infections contribute to a challenged immune system, they are a big cause of chronic fatigue. The lack of energy production is actually a way for the body to protect itself from being damaged even more. Being tired stops you from over extending yourself when you are “sick”. So while we are pumping our bodies with energy drinks, caffeine and sugar to overcome fatigue, we are ignoring the very reason that fatigue is there in the first place. And sadly, we have no way of knowing this.
Last April, a patient came to me asking for help with a condition called trigeminal neuralgia. I was a last resort, as she had tried everything Kaiser had to offer. She was told that there was no cure for this and it would be a lifelong battle. After regular shots of botox in her head, different medications and the idea of surgery (she was told that this may not fix it so it wasn’t worth it) and seven years of suffering, she was referred to me.
Fatigue was one of her many presenting symptoms, along with these episodes of excruciating nerve pain that would go from the top of her head down the side of her face. It turned out that the cause was a past shingles infection. The pain started where she’d had the shingles. Once I figured this out, I was able to treat it effectively. And she has been free of this pain since last June. She now has the energy that she wants.
If you have had fatigue for a long time or even a short time – and your solutions are not working – you need a medical detective to see if you have an underlying infection.