People of any age can face the problem of infection with worms. As you know, parasites can live asymptomatically in your body for a long time, so it is important to take preventive measures to cleanse the body from time to time. Signs of the presence of parasites in the human body are reflected in the general well-being of a person, often he is haunted by chronic fatigue, headache, digestive disorders, sleep and appetite disorders. Today we will talk about how to recognize worms in the body. In the following article, you will learn about the features of the symptoms and treatment of parasitic infections.
What are parasites
Parasites are creatures that can live in the human body and feed on it. There are many different types of parasites that can cause various symptoms and ailments. They can also masquerade as various diseases. Parasitic infections can very often develop in children, as well as in adults, especially if pets are kept at home - animals. Parasites are creatures that can live in the human body and feed on it.
Science has proven that there are more than two hundred and fifty different types of parasites. And medical statistics show that 95% of people are infected with parasites. In the human body, parasites live in clover and breed in various organs and systems of the body.
They live in the intestines, as well as in the liver, they can live in the lungs, in the heart and even in the brain, blood and lymph. Very often, worms occur in people with weakened immune systems. Parasites live for a very long time and constantly multiply exponentially.
The main mechanisms for the spread of worms
- Soil, sand and other types of soil are the most fertile habitat for worm eggs. Fruiting plants are in constant contact with the ground. Greens, fruits and vegetables, when harvesting, come into contact with the hands of workers, with dusty shelves of vegetable stores, and trucks. In such conditions, contamination of products with eggs of parasites is highly likely. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly wash plant products under running water, and then pour boiling water over them. You should be especially vigilant in rural areas, where pets walk around the yard and then go into the house. It is not difficult to imagine what kind of sewage a cat or dog can bring into the house after a night walk. Flies and cockroaches are also carriers of helminth eggs. By sitting on food, insects can infect your food. Any contact with soil and sand can lead to parasites entering the human body. Therefore, it is necessary to wash your hands thoroughly, especially under the nails. In particular, this applies to children.
- From person to person. This infection mechanism is highly efficient. For example, pinworms lay their eggs at night in the area around the anus. The child, in a state of sleep, scratches the place where the eggs are laid, as itching begins there. Thousands of eggs fall on clothes, on the bed, and in the morning on door handles and on everything that the little fidget touches in the morning even before washing hands and washing. As a result, the entire family is at risk of infection.
- Through contact with water. Open water bodies contain a huge number of types of worms. Bathing and accidentally swallowing water is a serious risk of infection
Children are much more likely than adults to be worm infested. This is due to the fact that the child's body is poorly protected (protective mechanisms are only being formed), and the child is actively in contact with the external environment. Parents should make incredible efforts to accustom him to the elementary rules of personal hygiene. A baby under 6 years old is at high risk of infection. According to statistics, about 95% of children under 4-5 years old become infected with worms. Therefore, special attention must be paid to prevention.
Most types of worms are inside the body, only there they lay eggs, and after a certain period of time they die. For example, pinworms live 6-8 weeks, roundworms - up to 1 year. The number of parasites in the body increases only with the ingress of new eggs from the outside.
Treatment allows you to get rid of worms much faster and stop laying eggs in the intestines. It is almost impossible for children with helminthic invasion to recover without medication. New eggs will constantly enter the oral cavity, replenishing the ranks of adults in the children's body.
By what signs to recognize helminthic invasion
Signs of the appearance of worms in humans are obvious and hidden. The obvious ones include "unreasonable" weight loss, pale appearance (anemia of the skin), chronic fatigue, nighttime itching in the anal area. These manifestations are well known and indicate infection. Often there are cases of helminthic invasion, in which diseases of the internal organs are exacerbated, diseases that have not previously manifested occur. These are considered hidden signs.
A person is taken to the treatment of many diseases, and the cause is left without attention. In this case, the therapy does not bring results. Here are examples of such cases:
Infectious diseases as a result of reduced immunity
Parasites, while in the human body, consume a lot of nutrients, release toxic substances. Such circumstances significantly reduce the immunity of the patient. Exacerbation of chronic diseases, various inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx may begin. Parasites, while in the human body, consume a lot of nutrients, release toxic substances. Such circumstances significantly reduce the immunity of the patient.
Treatment of sinusitis or stomatitis in the standard way is pointless. It is important to rule out the cause. In girls and women, inflammatory processes of the uterine appendages, vulvovaginitis, vaginosis of various origins can often begin.
Folk signs say: if a person snores or grinds his teeth in a dream, it means that he needs to be treated for parasites. But this information is unconfirmed by medical science.
General malaise as a result of intoxication of the body
The more serious the helminthic invasion of the patient, the more harmful substances the parasites secrete. This has a detrimental effect on the well-being and nervous system of adults and children.
An example of this is migraine, dizziness, joint pain. Overcoming nausea, a person takes painkillers, but the pain returns after a short time: the cause of the ailment was left without attention.
In children, disorders of the nervous system are accompanied by irritability, apathy, aggressiveness. If your child began to sleep poorly, talk in his sleep, see nightmares, slipped in his studies, then it's time to start preventing helminthiasis.
Allergic reactions, skin pathologies
Waste products of worms are perceived as triggers of allergens. Skin reactions (rash, itching, rashes, peeling of the skin) - this is the minimum of symptoms that can occur when an allergy begins. Skin reactions (rash, itching, rashes, peeling of the skin) - this is the minimum of symptoms that can occur when an allergy begins.
There is a possibility of general reactions of the body: exacerbation of asthma, rhinitis, cough. Sometimes helminthic invasion is accompanied by brittleness and hair loss, cracking of the skin on the heels, and foliation of nails.
Gastrointestinal disorders
Depending on the severity of the infestation, symptoms can range from mild to severe disorders. From mild nausea and diarrhea to chronic flatulence, constipation, vomiting, pain in the navel and hypochondrium. Worms in the tissues do not affect the gastrointestinal tract as much as intestinal parasites.
Signs and symptoms of parasites in the body
- allergic reactions (edema on the mucous membranes, the formation of compacted foci);
- constipation or diarrhea;
- cough;
- nervousness and sleep disturbance;
- grinding of teeth;
- cold sweat and loss of strength;
- heart pain and more.
The main sources of parasitic infections in the summer are: raw fish, dirty hands, unwashed vegetables and fruits, water (protozoa survive in chlorinated water in cysts) and, of course, pets. On the fur of animals there are eggs of worms (Ascaris and Toxocara), Giardia, and through the wet breath of a dog, the eggs of parasites are dispersed up to 5 meters.
The summer period is a high risk of infection with parasites. This problem is especially true for children. According to statistics, 8 out of 10 schoolchildren have parasitic infections: outdoor games, dirty hands and close contact with animals often provoke the appearance of "harmful inhabitants", which, in turn, create a deficiency of nutrients in the child, inhibiting his growth and development.
Symptoms of worms depending on the type of parasites
For different types of worms in humans, the symptoms will be different. It is also worth considering the duration and strength of infection with parasites, the general condition of the patient before infection. The table below analyzes the main symptoms of the presence of worms in humans according to their variety.
| Type of parasite (disease) | Method of infection | Symptoms | Timing of symptoms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinworms (Enterobiosis) | With food of vegetable origin. | Night itching around the anus, the presence of parasites in the feces, sharp short-term pain in the navel. | 2-3 days after infection |
| Vlasoglav (trichocephalosis) | With contaminated food cooked in unsanitary conditions. | Symptoms are expressed only with severe invasion: diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, inflammation of the appendix. In children, body growth may be delayed and even rectal prolapse may occur. | Few weeks |
| Wide tapeworm (diphyllobothriasis) | By eating infected river fish. | This parasite can live up to 25 years inside the patient. Mechanical damage to the intestines, beriberi, intestinal obstruction, intoxication of the body, allergies. | Few weeks |
| Roundworm (hookworm) | When walking barefoot on charged soil. | Itching swelling of the feet and legs at the sites of penetration of the parasite. Cough, sputum, damage to the bronchi and lungs. Weakness, dizziness. The menstrual cycle in women is disturbed. Men have impotence. | A few days |
| roundworm (ascariasis) | With food of vegetable origin. | Pain in the intestines, peritonitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, diseases of the liver, pancreas. They can cause suffocation by crawling from the gastrointestinal tract into the esophagus or respiratory tract. | About 3 months |
| Trichinella (Trichinosis) | Poorly processed meat, fat. | Nausea and heartburn attacks, diarrhea. | 2 days |
| Liver and giant fluke (Fasciolosis) | Plant food and water. | Fever, dry cough, loss of appetite, abdominal pain. | 2-4 weeks |
In what organs can parasites live?
Worm parasites are divided into two categories, which correspond to the site of activity in the body of the donor.
- Cavitary - worms that live in various parts of the digestive tract. There are about 100 varieties of intestinal parasites, and for each section of the intestine there are a couple of dozen species. The small intestine is ready to receive ascaris, antilost, wide tapeworms and other less common "brothers". The small intestine will "share its living space" with pinworms, tapeworms and the rest. In the medical literature, cases are described when one person was infected simultaneously with several types of parasites.
- Tissue - worms localized in organs, tissues and even in the blood. Modern medicine successfully copes with paragonimiasis (lungs), cysticercosis (brain), echinococcosis (liver) and filariasis (lymphatic vessels). Some worm larvae move through the body through the circulatory system and randomly attach to any organ. If a lot of eggs are introduced, then the whole organism can be infected.
The consequences of parasitosis for the human body
Fighting foreign antibodies, the body's immune system is depleted. In humans, the reserves of potassium, copper, manganese, selenium, zinc, magnesium and silicon are reduced. In addition to impaired hematopoiesis and hormonal disruptions, parasites:
- Injure organs and tissues.
- Deplete the immune system.
- Disrupt metabolism.
- They poison the body with toxins.
- Violate the blood supply to organs and lymph circulation.
- Inhibit the microflora of the skin, intestines.
- Inhibit the growth and development of children, etc.
It is worth noting that the human body has defense mechanisms that can neutralize parasites. A properly functioning intestine also produces special substances to destroy parasites.
For example, eggs of worms can die in saliva, they can be stopped by the acidic environment of the stomach. A properly functioning intestine also produces special substances to destroy parasites. However, few people can boast of perfect health.
Ways to deal with parasites
Firstly, drug treatment, which is highly effective and based on the use of synthetic drugs. However, taking these drugs not only destroys parasites, but also damages the bone marrow, blood cells, the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, liver, and nerve cells. After such treatment, restorative measures are usually required.
Secondly, folk treatment - taking herbal infusions to cleanse the body. This method does not cause complications and has practically no contraindications. The most common recipes against parasitosis include garlic, wormwood tincture, ground ginger, herbal decoctions and other natural ingredients. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of this method is not always proven, and the exact dosages have not been fully established.
Biologically active additives and complexes on a natural basis have a multilateral complex effect on the body. At the first stage, the body is cleansed, then - an active antiparasitic strike, and finally - the restoration of the intestinal microflora.
Treatment of helminthiases
Treatment of parasitic diseases is a major problem. It is important to know not only how to get rid of the parasite, but also to present the goals of the treatment of parasitosis:
- elimination of parasites and all forms of their existence (cysts, eggs, larvae, etc. ),
- normalization of the disturbed work of all organs and systems,
- body recovery.
The selection of a course of treatment is carried out individually, based on:
- severity of parasitic invasion,
- the presence of complications from a particular organ,
- the severity of concomitant diseases in humans, etc.
The advantages of drugs in the treatment of parasitic diseases are:
- efficiency,
- security,
- the ability to sum up the positive effects of several means.
How to get rid of parasites
It is not recommended to start self-medication. About 60 types of worms are widespread in our country, and for each it is necessary to select the appropriate preparations. Usually, doctors use 10 types of drugs and their analogues in accordance with the type of helminths. These drugs have a mild detoxifying effect on the patient's body.
Parasite Prevention
Parasites "live" in the organs of almost any person. Unfortunately, even babies who are still in the womb cannot be protected from being affected by protozoan unicellular parasites. To destroy them, of course, you can not resort to pills, radiation and other actions. To prevent the "worms" from starting to multiply again, you need to change your diet, ideally switch to a raw food diet or sit on a plant-based diet for a while
The number of parasites in the human body is increasing and increasing. There are a lot of them, as a result of which diseases and disorders of the organs are born. If you really want to carry out anti-parasitic cleansing, then one cleaning procedure alone will not be enough.
This issue should be approached comprehensively, preferably under the supervision of a specialist. And so that the "worms" do not begin to multiply again, you need to change your diet, ideally switch to a raw food diet or sit on a plant-based diet for a while.