People of any age can face the problem of worm infection. 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 tormented 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 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 disguise themselves 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 shown 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 reproduce in various organs and body systems.
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. Most often, worms occur in people with weakened immune systems. Parasites live for a 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 pinworm eggs. Fruiting plants are in constant contact with the soil. Vegetables, fruits and vegetables, when harvesting, come into contact with the hands of workers, with dusty shelves of vegetable stores and trucks. Under such conditions, the products are very likely to become contaminated with parasite eggs. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the vegetable products under running water, and then pour boiling water over them. You should be especially vigilant in rural areas, where pets walk through the yard and then enter 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 the entry of parasites into the human body. Therefore, it is necessary to wash your hands well, 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 dream state, scratches the place where the eggs are laid, since itching begins there. Thousands of eggs fall on the clothes, on the bed, and in the morning on the door handles and on everything that the restless little one touches in the morning, even before washing his hands and washing himself. As a result, the entire family is at risk of infection.
- Through contact with water. Open bodies of water contain a large number of types of worms. Accidental bathing and swallowing water is a serious risk of infection.
Children are much more likely than adults to be infested with worms. This is due to the fact that the child's body is poorly protected (only protective mechanisms are being formed), and the child is in active contact with the external environment. Parents must make incredible efforts to accustom him to the elementary rules of personal hygiene. A baby under 6 years of age is at high risk of infection. According to statistics, about 95% of children under 4-5 years old are infected with worms. Therefore, special attention should 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 for 6-8 weeks, roundworms - up to 1 year. The number of parasites in the body increases only with the entry of new eggs from the outside.
The treatment allows you to get rid of the 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 rows of adults in the children's body.
By what signs to recognize the helminthic invasion?
The signs of the appearance of worms in humans are both obvious and hidden. The obvious ones include "unreasonable" weight loss, pale appearance (anemia of the skin), chronic fatigue, nocturnal itching in the anal area. These manifestations are well known and indicate infection. Often there are cases of helminthic invasion, in which diseases of internal organs are exacerbated, diseases occur that have not previously manifested themselves. These are considered hidden signs.
A person is taken to treatment for many diseases, and the cause is left unattended. In this case, therapy does not give results. Here are examples of such cases:
Infectious diseases as a result of reduced immunity.
Parasites, while in the human body, consume a large number of nutrients, they release toxic substances. Such circumstances significantly reduce the patient's immunity. Exacerbation of chronic diseases, various inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx can begin. Parasites, while in the human body, consume a large number of nutrients, they release toxic substances. Such circumstances significantly reduce the patient's immunity.
Treatment of sinusitis or stomatitis in the standard way does not make sense. 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 treatment for parasites. But this information is not confirmed by medical science.
General malaise as a result of intoxication of the body.
The more severe the helminthic invasion of the patient, the more harmful substances the parasites secrete. This has a detrimental effect on the well-being and the 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, nervous system disorders are accompanied by irritability, apathy, aggressiveness. If your child began to sleep poorly, talk in his sleep, see nightmares, slip in his studies, then it's time to start preventing helminthiasis.
Allergic reactions, skin pathologies.
The waste products of worms are perceived as allergen triggers. 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 the helminthic invasion is accompanied by brittleness and loss of hair, cracking of the skin on the heels, and foliation of the nails.
Gastrointestinal disorders
Depending on the severity of the infestation, symptoms can range from mild to severe. From nausea and mild diarrhea to chronic flatulence, constipation, vomiting, pain in the navel and hypochondrium. The 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, formation of compacted foci);
- constipation or diarrhea;
- cough;
- nervousness and sleep disorders;
- teeth grinding;
- cold sweat and loss of strength;
- heartache 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. In the fur of animals there are eggs of worms (Ascaris and Toxocara), Giardia, and through the moist 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 lead to the appearance of "harmful inhabitants", which, in turn, create a nutrient deficiency in the child, inhibiting its growth. and development.
Symptoms of worms according to 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 the parasite infection, the general condition of the patient before the infection. The following table analyzes the main symptoms of the presence of worms in humans according to their variety.
| Type of parasite (disease) | infection method | Symptoms | Timing of symptoms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intestinal worms (Enterobiosis) | With plant-based foods. | Nocturnal itching around the anus, presence of parasites in the stool, short-term sharp pain in the navel. | 2-3 days after infection |
| Vlasoglav (trichocephalosis) | With contaminated food cooked in unhygienic conditions. | Symptoms are expressed only with severe invasion: diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, inflammation of the appendix. In children, the growth of the body may be delayed and even a prolapse of the rectum may occur. | Few weeks |
| Broad 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) | Walking barefoot on loaded ground. | Swollen itching 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 are powerless. | A few days |
| roundworm (ascariasis) | With plant-based foods. | 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 attacks of heartburn, diarrhea. | 2 days |
| Liver and giant fluke (Fasciolosis) | Food and water for plants. | Fever, dry cough, loss of appetite, abdominal pain. | 2-4 weeks |
In which organs can parasites live?
Parasitic worms fall into two categories, corresponding to the site of activity in the donor body.
- 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 prepared to receive roundworms, antilost, broad 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 a person was simultaneously infected with several types of parasites.
- Tissue: worms located 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 attach themselves randomly to any organ. If many eggs are introduced, the whole organism can be infected.
The consequences of parasitosis for the human body.
By fighting the 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 disturbances, parasites:
- Damage organs and tissues.
- Deplete the immune system.
- Disrupt metabolism.
- They poison the body with toxins.
- Violate the blood supply to the organs and lymphatic 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, worm eggs 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
First of all, pharmacological treatment, which is very effective and is based on the use of synthetic drugs. However, taking these drugs not only destroys parasites, but also damages bone marrow, blood cells, the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, liver, and nerve cells. After such treatment, restorative measures are usually required.
Second, alternative treatment: drink herbal teas 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 attack, and finally the restoration of the intestinal microflora.
Treatment of helminth infections
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 parasitosis treatment:
- removal of parasites and all forms of their existence (cysts, eggs, larvae, etc. ),
- normalization of disturbed work of all organs and systems,
- body recovery.
The selection of a course of treatment is made individually, based on:
- severity of parasitic invasion,
- the presence of complications of 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 summarize the positive effects of various media.
How to get rid of parasites
Self-medication is not recommended. About 60 types of worms are widespread in our country, and for each it is necessary to select the appropriate preparations. Doctors usually use 10 types of drugs and their analogues according to the type of helminths. These medications have a mild detoxifying effect on the patient's body.
parasite prevention
Parasites "live" in the organs of almost any person. Unfortunately, even babies still in the womb cannot protect themselves from single-celled protozoan 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 switching to a raw food diet or following a plant-based diet for a while.
The number of parasites in the human body is increasing and increasing. There are many of them, as a result of which diseases and disorders of the organs are born. If you really want to perform deworming, then a single cleaning procedure will not suffice.
This issue should be addressed comprehensively, preferably under the supervision of a specialist. And so that the "worms" don't start multiplying again, you need to change your diet, ideally switching to a raw food diet or following a plant-based diet for a while.