Helminths, which people usually call worms, are able to penetrate the body of animals and people. A disease caused by worms is called helminthiasis. In the modern world, doctors count several hundred different types of worms. Some species do not cause much harm to the human body, while others can lead to various diseases, sometimes fatal. The infection goes unnoticed and many do not even realize that the parasites and their larvae are the cause of constant illness and deterioration of health.
What are the causes of worm infestation?
Worms in the human body can appear for several reasons:
- eating vegetables and fruits that have not been heat-treated or washed before consumption;
- when preparing food, a person does not comply with the rules of hygiene.
- improper heat treatment of meat and fish products;
- frequent contact with animals infested with worms;
- care for pets that often walk outside.
- complete lack of hygiene rules after visiting the toilet, before eating, after walking outside.
- eating raw fish;
- symbiosis, communication with a person suffering from helminthiasis.
- water processes in river, lake.
- in rare cases with insect bites.
Most often, children between the ages of 3 and 10 are exposed to pinworms due to poor hygiene. Human worms are highly contagious and can be transmitted by animals or another person. Many young children ignore the rules of personal hygiene, so they are more likely to be infected with worms than adults. Parents must instill in their children the concepts of personal hygiene from childhood, because often in kindergarten the teacher cannot monitor everyone and infection can occur. Basic good hand washing skills and not touching the mouth after playing in the sandbox can protect a child from infection.
People who work with various animals, those who constantly cut meat and fish, are at great risk of infection. Simply touching the mouth after direct contact with infected fish or meat is a direct cause of parasitic infection.
Some types of worms can enter the human body through food, others through contact with an infected person or animal, and others live in water, which is often used for cooking or water procedures.
Symptoms of worms in humans
Some types of parasites can be easily detected, others are carefully hidden in the human body. Symptoms of worms in a person infected with roundworms and tapeworms are severe itching in the anus, bloating and disturbances in bowel movements. These worms live in the intestines and when they go to the toilet they can leave the body with the feces. The symptoms appear due to the vital activity of the parasite, they release strong allergens in the intestinal microflora, causing damage to the intestinal walls, after which inflammatory processes in the stomach begin.
It should be noted that not every parasite can live in the stomach. Echinococcus most often affects the lungs and liver. A small worm penetrates deep into the organ and creates a protective shell around it. Upon examination, experts may mistake the parasite's protective capsule for a tumor.
If a person has worms, what symptoms may appear:
- Chronic headache.
- Weakness.
- Motion sickness.
- Digestive disorders.
All of these symptoms may indicate some type of parasitic infection. Signs of the presence of worms in a person are increased allergic reactions; special attention should be paid to this symptom by people who were not previously prone to allergies. In this case, such a reaction is one of the signs of the presence of worms and their active activity in the body.
Signs of the disease
Signs of worms in humans can vary, depending on the type of parasite the patient is infected with and where they are. The first signs of worms.
- Inflammation of the lymph nodes.
- Allergic skin damage.
- Diarrhea.
- Constipation.
- Excessive gas formation.
- Abdominal pain.
- Motion sickness.
- Enlarged spleen, liver.
- Dry cough.
- General weakness.
- Excessive itching - on the skin, genitals, rectal area.
- Weight loss.
- Increased body temperature.
- Constant headaches.
Worms in humans may not cause symptoms for a long time. Echinococcus most commonly affects the liver and can manifest six months or more after entering the body. The worm begins to manifest itself at the moment when the protective capsule grows to such a size that it compresses the internal organs, the structure of connective tissues, which is why there is pain on the right side, a yellowish tint on the skin, nausea and indigestion.
In rare cases, the lungworm, Echinococcus, can parasitize the brain or muscle tissue. They usually live in the liver and lungs, so a chronic dry cough and shortness of breath can occur. Any of the parasites that enter the human body causes intoxication - general weakness, muscle pain, headache, increased body temperature. Symptoms may not occur simultaneously, but separately and at different times. Ignoring the symptoms that appear for a long time will only worsen the situation, the body's defenses will be greatly weakened, and the person will constantly suffer from viral or other diseases. Internal organs will also be subject to long-term negative effects and will take a long time to recover.
Symptoms and treatment of worms
Today, there are many ways to get rid of worms, offered by traditional folk medicine. It should be noted that worms, symptoms and treatment in adults left unattended will negatively affect well-being and the parasite will continue to develop. Worms cause inflammatory processes in the body, suppress the immune system and worsen overall well-being and health.
The method of ridding the body of worms is called deworming, which is carried out using specific drugs. Before prescribing the drug, the specialist conducts a complete diagnosis to determine which type of worm is parasitic in the body and whether the patient has an allergic reaction to individual components of the drug.
During treatment with anthelmintic drugs, the doctor can additionally prescribe antihistamines that will help reduce or eliminate an allergic reaction to the components of the main drug.
Also, to get rid of worms, you can resort to traditional medicine, which has been proven in the fight against parasites. However, we must remember that before you start taking folk remedies, it is better to consult your doctor. Self-medication should be avoided, especially considering the severity of the disease. After completing the course of prescribed treatment, as a rule, the specialist prescribes drugs that restore the normal functioning of all internal systems and organs. If necessary, a person is prescribed sorbents.
Traditional means of combating worms
The symptoms of worm infection will help a specialist to choose the right drugs to remove worms from the body.
A drug that helps to naturally remove worms from the body has a paralytic effect on parasites and is suitable for both adults and children over two years of age.
In cases where medication does not help in the fight against worms, experts prescribe surgery. Doctors must remove the parasitic worm and the area of the organ it is in.
Precautionary measures
At first, it is not the worm itself that enters the body, but only the eggs of the worms, which after some time develop into adult parasites. To avoid the penetration of certain types of parasites into the body, you should observe certain hygiene rules:
- After walking outside, when you return home, you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
- Before preparing or eating vegetables and fruits, they must be washed well.
- Meat and fish must undergo complete, appropriate heat treatment before consumption.
- Kitchen tools used for cutting meat and fish should be thoroughly washed and disinfected.
- If you have a pet, it is a good idea to monitor its health. Visit a veterinarian at least once a quarter for preventive purposes.
- If you suspect the presence of worms, be sure to go to the hospital for examination and prompt medical attention.
Traditional medicine in the fight against worms
Mixture. Mix tansy, wormwood and cloves in equal proportions. Grind each material. Mix until they are homogeneous. When you wake up in the morning, take 1 tsp. dry mixes. After consumption, you can drink a glass of water to eliminate the bitter taste. The admission period is 1 month.
Garlic for pinworms. Grind the garlic until it becomes a paste. Mix 1 tsp. porridge with 200 ml of hot boiled water. Leave for 1 hour. 2 hours before bedtime, take an enema with this infusion. To get rid of the parasite completely, you should do the procedure every night for a week.
In folk medicine, there are a large number of recipes for the elimination of worms. However, it should be remembered that self-medication can worsen an already existing condition, and folk remedies are best used as additional treatment. It is best to discuss the use of any medication with your doctor.
A parasitic helminth infection may not bother you for a long time; the worms will grow, parasitize and slowly poison the body. The combination of characteristic signs of the disease is the main reason to seek help from a specialist and strictly follow all his recommendations.