Helminths, which people often call worms, can penetrate the body of animals and humans. A disease caused by worms is called helminthiasis. In the modern world, doctors have several hundred different types of worms. Some species do not cause much harm to the human body, while others can cause a variety of, sometimes fatal, diseases. The infection goes unnoticed and many do not even realize that parasites and their larvae are the cause of constant ailments and deterioration in health.
What are the causes of worm infection?
Worms in the human body can appear for various reasons:
- consumption of vegetables and fruits that have not been subjected to heat treatment or have not been washed before consumption;
- when preparing food, a person does not observe hygiene standards;
- improper heat treatment of meat and fish products;
- frequent contact with animals infected with worms;
- care for pets that often walk outside;
- complete lack of hygiene rules after going to the toilet, before eating, after walking outside;
- eat raw fish;
- live together, communicate with a person suffering from helminthiasis;
- water procedures in a river, lake;
- in rare cases with insect bites.
Most of the time, children ages 3 to 10 are exposed to pinworms due to poor hygiene. Human worms are very contagious and can be transmitted from animals or another person. Many young children ignore the rules of personal hygiene, so they are more likely to become infected with worms than adults. Parents should instill in their children the concepts of personal hygiene from childhood, because often in kindergarten the teacher cannot keep track of everyone and infections can occur. Good basic handwashing skills and prohibiting touching the mouth after playing in the sandbox can protect a child from infections.
People who work with various animals, those who constantly cut meat and fish, are at great risk of infection. Simply touching your mouth after direct contact with contaminated fish or meat is a direct cause of parasitic infection.
Some types of worms can enter the human body through food, others enter through contact with an infected person or animal, and others live in water, which is often used for cooking or water procedures.
Worms in humans symptoms.
Some types of parasites can be easily detected, others are carefully disguised in the human body. Symptoms of worms in a person infected with roundworms and pinworms are intense itching in the anus, swelling, and discomfort in bowel movements. These worms live in the intestines and when going to the bathroom they can leave the body along with feces. Symptoms appear due to the vital activity of the parasite, they release strong allergens into the intestinal microflora, causing damage to the intestinal walls, after which inflammatory processes in the stomach begin.
It should be noted that not all parasites can live in the stomach. Echinococcus most commonly affects the lungs and liver. A small worm penetrates deep into the organ and creates a protective layer around it. During the examination, specialists may confuse the parasite's protective capsule with a tumor.
If a person has worms, what symptoms may appear:
- Chronic headache.
- Weakness.
- Nausea.
- 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; People who were not previously prone to allergies should pay special attention to this symptom. 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 its location. The first signs of worms
- Swelling of the lymph nodes.
- Allergic skin damage.
- Diarrhea.
- Constipation.
- Excessive gas formation.
- Abdominal pain.
- Nausea.
- Enlarged spleen, liver.
- Dry cough.
- General weakness.
- Excessive itching: on the skin, genitals and rectal area.
- Weightloss.
- Increased body temperature.
- Constant headaches.
Worms in people may not cause any 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 the connective tissue, which is why pain appears on the right side, a yellowish tint on the skin, nausea and indigestion.
In rare cases, the lung fluke, echinococcus, can parasitize the brain or muscle tissue. They usually live in the liver and lungs, so they can cause a chronic dry cough and difficulty breathing. Any of the parasites that enter the human body cause poisoning: general weakness, muscle pain, headache, increased body temperature. Symptoms may not appear simultaneously, but separately and at different times. Ignoring the appearing symptoms 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, which traditional folk medicine offers. It should be noted that worms, symptoms and treatment in adults that are left unattended will negatively affect well-being and the parasite will continue to progress. Worms provoke inflammatory processes in the body, suppress the immune system and worsen general well-being and health.
The method to eliminate worms from the body is called deworming and is carried out with specific medications. Before prescribing the drug, the specialist conducts a complete diagnosis to identify what type of worm is parasitic in the body and whether the patient has an allergic reaction to the individual components of the drug.
During treatment with anthelmintic drugs, the doctor may also 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 proven itself in the fight against parasites. However, it is worth remembering that before starting to take home remedies, it is better to consult with your doctor. Self-medication should be avoided, especially considering the severity of the disease. After completing the prescribed treatment, as a rule, the specialist prescribes medications that restore the normal functioning of all internal systems and organs. If necessary, a person is prescribed sorbents.
Traditional means to combat worms
The symptoms of worm infection will help the specialist select the right medications to eliminate the worms from the body.
A medicine that helps to naturally eliminate worms from the body has a paralyzing effect on parasites and is suitable for both adults and children over two years of age.
In cases where drug treatment does not help in the fight against worms, specialists prescribe surgical intervention. Doctors must remove the parasitic worm and the area of the organ in which it is located.
Precautionary measures
At first, it is not the worm that enters the body, but only the eggs of the worms, which after a while turn into adult parasites. To prevent the penetration of certain types of parasites into the body, certain hygiene rules must be followed:
- After walking outside, when you get home, you should wash your hands well with soap.
- Before preparing or consuming vegetables and fruits, it is necessary to wash them well.
- Meat and fish must undergo adequate and complete heat treatment before consumption.
- Kitchen utensils used to cut meat and fish should be thoroughly washed and disinfected.
- If you have a pet, it is good to monitor its health. Visit the veterinarian at least once a quarter for preventive purposes.
- If you suspect the presence of worms, be sure to go to the hospital for an examination and timely medical care.
Traditional medicine in the fight against worms.
Mix. Mix tansy, wormwood and cloves in equal proportions. Grind each ingredient. Blend until smooth. When you wake up in the morning, take 1 teaspoon. dry mixes. After consumption, you can drink a glass of water to eliminate the bitter taste. The admission course is 1 month.
Garlic for pinworms. Grind the garlic until it turns into porridge. Mix 1 tsp. porridge with 200 ml of warm boiled water. Leave it on for 1 hour. 2 hours before going to bed, perform an enema with this infusion. To completely get rid of the parasite, the procedure must be done every night for a week.
In folk medicine, there are a large number of recipes for eliminating worms. However, it should be remembered that self-medication can aggravate an already existing situation and it is better to use folk remedies as additional treatment. It is best to discuss the use of any medication with your doctor.
Parasitic helminth infection may not bother you for a long time; The worms will slowly develop, parasitize and 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.