Candida: Symptoms

What are the symptoms of Candida?

Symptoms of Candida depend on the site of infection. Cutaneous Candida infections, on the skin surface, tend to appear as red, weepy, scaly areas. Candida infections can also cause pus-filled bumps. In the mouth and throat, the infection often forms thick, white patches. Genital Candida infections often produce a thick, white vaginal discharge. Some diaper rashes are caused by Candida.

Systemic Candida infections produce nonspecific symptoms such as fever and chills. Other symptoms can occur and tend to be related to the organs involved.

Common symptoms of cutaneous Candida

Cutaneous (skin) Candida infections have some characteristic features including:

• Feeling of warmth in the affected area
• Itchy skin
• Lesions in moist areas such as under skin folds
• Lesions that cluster and run together
• Pus-filled bumps
• Red, inflamed, weepy skin
• Scalloped borders around the skin lesions
• Scaly areas over the reddened skin

Common symptoms of thrush

Candida can cause infection and inflammation in the mouth, nasal passages, and throat, which is known as thrush, or oropharyngeal candidiasis. Symptoms of thrush include:

• Burning feeling or painful sensation in the mouth or on the tongue
• Difficulty swallowing
• Redness
• Splitting or cracking of the corners of the mouth (angular cheilitis)
• Thickened white patches visible inside the mouth and on the tongue

Common symptoms of genital Candida

Although it is more common in women, genital candidiasis also occurs in men. Symptoms of genital Candida infection include:

• Burning feeling or feeling of warmth in the affected area
• Itching feeling
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Pain with urination
• Red, inflamed, weepy skin
• Scalloped borders around the skin lesions
• Scaly areas over the reddened skin
• Swelling
• Thick, white vaginal discharge with a texture similar to cottage cheese

Common symptoms of systemic Candida

Systemic Candida infections do not always causes symptoms. When they do, the symptoms may be nonspecific unless a particular organ is involved. Symptoms of systemic Candida infections include:

• Fever and chills
• Headache
• Muscle or joint pain
• Neck stiffness
• Rash

Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition

In some cases, Candida can cause life-threatening infections. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of these life-threatening symptoms including:

• Change in level of consciousness or alertness, such as passing out or unresponsiveness
• Change in mental status or sudden behavior change, such as confusion, delirium, lethargy, hallucinations and delusions
• Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure, palpitations
• Decreased urine output
• High fever (higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Severe abdominal pain
• Severe dizziness or sudden loss of balance
• Severe headache
• Unusual irritability or poor feeding in a child
• Unusual neck stiffness or pain