According to dry statistics, half of the world's population is a carrier of parasitic worms. Currently, scientists have more than 200 species. A person lives for many years, does not pay attention to symptoms, and does not know about the presence of uninvited "guests. "But more often than not, the opposite happens: an organism weakened by the presence of parasites becomes an easy "catch" of a wide variety of diseases, to oncology. Some of the worms are removed medically, but there are also some that are only released with surgery.
Types of parasites and methods of infection
To fight successfully, you need to know the enemy by sight. What are the parasites in the human body and exactly where to look for them?
- Roundwormsare the most common group. These include pinworms, roundworms, toxocara, whipworms, scrapers. People live in the digestive system. Infection occurs when unwashed vegetables, fruits, vegetables are consumed. At the same time, you need to wash all the products, even from your own garden. It is also the case that by consuming salty fish, bacon and poorly roasted meat we get helminths. Those in danger are those who have pets - cats and dogs. Some parasites do not reproduce in animals, but the latter are their active carriers.
- Ribbon- porcine and bovine tapeworms, echinococcus, broad tapeworm. These are the largest representatives of worms - the tapeworm, for example, reaches 25 meters. They are uniquely able to nourish the entire body. In addition, they can move throughout the human body, including the brain and spinal cord. Worms in this class become infected by eating poorly cooked meat and fish - a sick person can be a source of delicious food. Products that have undergone strict veterinary inspections must be purchased.
- Subcutaneous- dirofilaria, filamentous nematode, rishta. They reproduce in the subcutaneous tissue of the host. The most common parasites of this type are found in tropical countries - India, Iraq, Africa. The infection is spread by blood-sucking insects - mosquitoes, flies, bugs. Its main symptom is a small formation that moves when pressed against it.
- Trematodes (flukes)- fasciola (hepatic fluke), schistosome, fascilopsis. They live in the liver, bile ducts, pancreas, intestines. The infection is caused by half-fried, poorly salted or undercooked fish. Drinking spring-free water also contributes to the acquisition of parasites.
- Tissue- trypanosomes, Finns live in the brain and spinal cord, sarcosporidia - in striated muscles and microsporidia - in connective tissues. This class lives in different tissues of the body. Basically, the carriers are wild and domestic animals and birds - horses, sheep, pigs, chickens, ducks, dogs, cats. Through poorly cooked meat, parasites enter the human body.
Symptoms of infection
It is not always realistic to easily determine if “guests” are established in the body. An infected person may not know of his presence for several years. Very often, the signs of the presence of parasites are very similar to the symptoms of certain diseases. There is a complete list of signals that the body gives in case of danger:
- anemia - excessive amounts of protozoa cause large blood loss, which is the cause of iron deficiency;
- nausea, abdominal pain - worms irritate and damage the walls of internal organs, resulting in wounds, microcracks and inflammation;
- Alternation of constipation and diarrhea - the first symptom is due to the large number or size of parasites in the body, which helps to block the lumen of the gut. The appearance of diarrhea is provoked by special substances secreted by protozoa, which can destroy chlorides and sodium;
- bloating (increased gas production) and bloating are the result of inflammation in the digestive system damaged by worms. Because of this, there is no absorption of fat in the small intestine, which immediately enters the colon;
- Bruxism (gnashing of teeth) is a clear sign of infection. The nervous system thus responds to a certain stimulus;
- skin problems - peeling, acne, boils, eczema, papillomas, warts, changes in the structure of the hair and nails, allergic manifestations. These symptoms are due to the fact that protozoa secrete many toxins that the liver cannot cope with elimination. Accordingly, they all accumulate inside a person. The body tries in every way to get rid of this contamination, including its removal through the skin;
- a sharp decrease or increase in weight - due to the absorption of nutrients by worms, the human body experiences a lack of them, leading to weight loss; weight gain occurs due to a decrease in blood sugar levels, which increases the feeling of hunger that the patient must continually satisfy;
- Joint and muscle pain is due to the movement of parasites throughout the body and their establishment in the muscles and synovial fluid. This symptom speaks of tissue inflammation;
- is a deterioration in immunity that causes diseases that are constantly difficult to diagnose. This is due to the human immune system fighting worms. With this symptom, the amount of immunoglobulin decreases and the body becomes helpless against attacks by viruses and infections;
- Frequent coughing, profuse sputum formation, runny nose, fever occur as a result of worms entering the respiratory system during the migration process. Parasites can provoke the development of asthma and pneumonia in the body;
- increased fatigue, nervousness, irritability is caused by the fact that worms consume nutrients necessary for humans, which the body does not receive - magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron;
- when infected with pinworms, severe itching of the anus is associated with the listed symptoms of the presence of parasites. This is due to the fact that female pinworms crawl out at night to lay eggs, which sometimes causes an unbearable burning sensation.
Medical Visit
If at least 3-4 of the above symptoms occur in one person, you should see a doctor and treat them as soon as possible.
In these cases, contact the following specialists:
- parasitologist;
- helminthologist;
- infectious disease specialist;
- pediatrician;
- therapist.
The specialist will definitely give a reference to the tests and select the optimal therapy based on their results. Depending on the symptoms, the treatment should be appropriate. Research alone is unlikely to provide a definitive response to the presence or absence of parasites. Some types of worms are tested 7-8 times.
Another important nuance:if the infection is confirmed, all family members will be treated and prevented from parasites. Most protozoa have spread rapidly in everyday life: through pots, household items.
The reason for seeing a doctor is this:
- recent return from a trip abroad, especially from African or Asian countries;
- presence of various contaminants in the stool - mucus, blood;
- sudden weight loss;
- itching at the anus;
- prolonged diarrhea or intermittent constipation with diarrhea;
- common cold or other illness.
Helminthiasis is associated with a number of symptoms. Few realize that banal fatigue may be a consequence of helminthic invasions. An infant infected with parasites immediately begins to lose his appetite and doesn’t even want to eat his favorite foods, but sweets. There are pains and cramps in the abdomen, nausea (especially in the morning), diarrhea. Often the child will be capricious, irritable, sleep disturbed, teeth grinding can be observed in the dream (although scientists today argue that grinding is a sign of helminthiasis), bladder emptying, cough (without signs of rhinitis). Worms delay the physical and mental development of children, in the case of helminthiasis puberty occurs later, they notice memory and thinking disorders.
There are lovers of dried and semi-raw meat, uncooked minced meat, fresh fish. These include children of pre-school and primary school age, animal keepers, employees of veterinary clinics, and those who often work with the land in the course of their professional or other activities. For example, summer residents.
To prevent infection with parasitic worms, you need to follow a few rules:
- Wash your hands more often, especially after children and adults come into contact with animals;
- kills domestic insects - flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches;
- Wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly, preferably with warm, boiled water.
Medication
A wide variety of drugs are available to control parasites. Those who want to achieve a good result in the fight against the internal enemy must know who the war is going against. This is only found out after a visit to a doctor and passing tests.
Of course, there are drugs that can successfully cure multiple worms at once. However, they kill not only parasites but also the useful microflora of humans. They take restorative therapy after taking it.
Under no circumstances should you heal yourself. All antiglust is a synthetic drug that can have toxic effects on the liver, blood cells, and immune system. Therefore, do not use them without the need and advice of a doctor. For prevention, it is better to use folk recipes to treat human worms.
Folk remedies
Even if there are no symptoms of parasites, prevention is done semi-annually or annually. It has long been known that worms cannot tolerate the smell of herbs and plants: onions, garlic, tansy, wormwood. The oldest known cure for helminths is pumpkin seeds. It is enough if you buy a package of this product at any pharmacy or store, peel it carefully (but so as not to remove the green peel) and eat.
There are several popular methods for getting rid of helminths. Here are the simplest:
- eat several sorrel leaves on an empty stomach in spring and summer;
- In winter it is very good to bathe with an anise infusion. This substance easily enters the body through the pores of the skin. And because it has a sharp smell, parasites can’t stand it;
- is a drug that absolutely everyone can afford, even pregnant and lactating women - pumpkin seeds;
- two hundred ml pour 2 tbsp. l. oak bark. Stick to a closed thermos - so the water is more saturated with phytoncides;
- is an art. l. tansy flowers are poured into a glass of boiling water and then stick under the lid for 4 hours. Then strain and drink 1 tbsp. l. 4 times a day half an hour before meals;
- mix 150 ml of alcohol and 1 tbsp. l. wormwood. The mixture is infused for 2 weeks and then 20 drops 3 times a day, 30 minutes before meals.
You don’t have to be shy and let the problem of helminth infection go on. If you see a specialist at the first signs of the disease and go through a course, you can avoid many diseases. Once rid of parasites, basic hygiene rules are followed - and worms never reappear in the body. After all, it is easier to prevent the disease than to cure it for a long time and painfully.