Worms in humans, helminths: symptoms, treatment, prevention, analysis

hand washing to prevent worm infection

Helminths that develop in a person are the cause of various diseases. Medical statistics recorded 300 pathological conditions caused by parasites. Distinguish between the intestinal and extraintestinal nature of the origin of the infection:

  1. The larvae are found in the intestine.
  2. They are found in the lungs, kidneys, liver, brain, and other organs.

Common types of helminths

Worms penetrate the body of adults and children. Children are most often infected by contact with animals (cats, stray dogs), ignoring careful hand hygiene. Worms damage individual organs and lead to a general deterioration of health. Roundworms and pinworms are considered common - round-shaped worms, photos of which are ubiquitous on the Internet. Popular types of tape: tapeworms, tapeworms. An adult broad tapeworm reaches 9 meters. His life is 25 years.

In medical practice, the popular diagnosis is enterobiasis, an intestinal infection caused by pinworms. Parasites are compact in size, rarely reach a length of 1 cm, lead an active lifestyle at night for 1. 5-2 months. There is enough time for pinworms to lay eggs on the skin around the anus. Larvae contribute to the rapid development of the disease. After laying their eggs, pinworms die, but the fertile offspring are rapidly increasing the population in the tissues of the human body.

The second popular diagnosis in medical practice is ascariasis. The disease is caused by large types of pathogens, reaching a length of 20 cm. Living in the small intestine, nematodes are invisible to the eye. It is difficult to find nematodes in feces. Their duration ranges from one to several years.

Causes of worm infection

What are the causes of the disease? What situations become a platform for the development of a dangerous infection? According to the data analysis, experts identify the following factors:

  • Biohelminths (tapeworms) penetrate the body with meat dishes that have not undergone thorough heat treatment. The best prevention of contamination is to boil, fry and steam meat for food. Raw beef is a breeding ground for bovine tapeworms, pork tapeworms - pork.
  • Raw fish is an excellent breeding ground for tapeworms and opistorcosis. If the dishes are cooked in low temperature conditions and people eat them, the tapeworm penetrates the body, fixing itself in the mucous membranes. An important rule for those who like to go to nature is that it is not possible to wash dishes in water bodies, washing food in rivers, washing hands without soap in lakes is prohibited, as the water is often contaminated with harmful larvae.
  • Nematodes are found in the soil with the feces of living things. Digging in the beds, touching the sand with your hands, loosening the soil with your fingers, you can easily pick up a dangerous pest. If you don't wash your hands thoroughly with soap at home, the disease is guaranteed.
  • Home infection is a likely option for getting an infection. The method of transmission is through contact and handshaking. Railings in transport, door handles in public places, wardrobe numbers and seeds bought at the bazaar by grandmothers become breeding grounds for infection. Money is considered particularly rich in maintaining the infection. In one day, a paper bill makes a long journey, collecting germs and bacteria from dozens of dirty hands. The prevention instructions are always simple: you must wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after returning home from the street and before each meal.

Flies, midges and other insects are considered dangerous. Winged insects transfer their eggs to their legs and trunk, after which they lay the larvae on food. An insect bite also causes disease. The most common type of transmission is animal hair. By stroking a puppy or cat on the street, you run the risk of getting an infection. A pinworm egg that has fallen from a pet kitten's fur is able to maintain its life for about six months. A dangerous infection easily attacks a person at the first opportunity, is freely transmitted by contact with infected objects.

It is difficult to detect the symptoms of a disease immediately after it has entered the body. In the early stages, there are no signs of the disease. Parasites must multiply. The decision to carry out a special analysis does not immediately come to the carrier of the infection. Allergic reactions in the body and a slight itch in the anus are rarely directly associated with helminthic invasions. If these signs are not eliminated for a long time, and no antihistamines help to remove the undesirable consequences of the disease, then laboratory analysis with a high degree of accuracy establishes the presence of worms in the body.

How does the disease manifest itself?

The presence of parasites in the body of an adult leads to the manifestation of the following reactions:

  1. Allergic skin rash. The effectiveness of antihistamine drugs is not always confirmed in practice in the presence of worms. From time to time, unreasonable eczema, spots of urticaria, papillomas, acne and boils appear on the body.
  2. Anemia: Iron deficiency develops rapidly in the blood of an infected person. Taking out everything valuable from the host's blood, the worms deplete it, get rid of nutrients and substances.
  3. If you do not know how to get rid of a frequent cough, what to drink against an unpleasant phenomenon, if the best pharmaceutical remedy is impotent and does not give any results, you may soon need pills for worms. At least, it is worth checking this pathology and passing feces for eggs when an obsessive cough persists for a long time.
  4. Inflammatory process. If you are suddenly attacked by all the misfortunes, including pneumonia, rhinitis, bronchitis and similar illnesses, this should alert you, along with other symptoms listed in this section.
  5. If you can't go to the bathroom at home without an enema, there's a reason to be wary. It is possible that long worms accumulated in the stool block the passage of stool through the intestine. Another reaction is also likely, when the body itself tries to get rid of intoxication with the help of diarrhea and diarrhea. Loose stools can last anywhere from a couple of days to a month. In this case, the feces have a pronounced slimy character.
  6. The long debate over whether a general decrease in immunity can be considered a feature of the invasion has not yet found an exact answer to the question. But, along with other symptoms, this factor has a legitimate right to exist.
  7. You may not know what the disease looks like, but that doesn't mean you've managed to avoid infection. Note the general nervousness that has recently increased, signs of bruxism (pathological grinding of the teeth) that have appeared in a dream, depressive states of the psyche, check for the presence of worm eggs. It is possible that the analysis shows the presence of dangerous symptoms.
  8. Rapid weight loss is considered a consequence of the loss of nutrients for the body.
  9. Sensation of bloating, increased gas formation.
  10. The presence of white bubbles in the vestibule of the mouth, inside the lips.
  11. When the tissues are traumatized, which is accompanied by the movement of helminths, joint pains appear, discomfort in the work of the musculoskeletal system.

How many symptoms should result from the above factors is difficult to say. You shouldn't go to the doctor when you've found several matches from a long list. However, if you are more than 5 and it is impossible to establish the true reasons for the manifestation of violations, there is a reason to be wary and visit a specialist. It is the doctor who is able to diagnose and determine how to remove the worms in a short time, so that you can return to your usual lifestyle.

Symptoms of worms in children

It is not too difficult to identify if babies have worms. The presence of diseases such as opisthorchiasis, ascariasis or diphyllobothriasis can be determined by passing a special test. The following symptoms contribute to the diagnosis:

  • Hyperactivity and excessive restlessness of the child. It seems he can't sit still.
  • Itching and burning in the anus. It is difficult for a child to control himself and the desire to scratch overrides the rules of decency instilled by his parents. Obsessive scratching is not difficult to notice.
  • Excessive salivation at night, during sleep and upon waking.
  • Considering that helminths actively absorb valuable substances and components into the body, an uncontrollable craving for sweets awakens in children. Children are asked to give them sweets and delicacies of all kinds to cover the "deficiency" that forms in the body.

Reading the reviews online, you pay attention to how parents register a strange anomaly in the behavior of their children. Not in all situations parasites can be found in the structure of the stool. Worms can be identified by flaky skin on the eyelids, split ends of the hair, brittle marigolds, drowsiness and lethargy, a general decrease in immunity. After diagnosing three or more of the above signs, you should see a doctor right away. The specialist will conduct the necessary research and make an accurate diagnosis.

Helminthic invasion: complications of the disease

Worms devour everything that is precious within us. By sucking in vitamins and minerals, helminths deprive cells of the ability to function normally. In the process of vital activity, parasites secrete anti-enzymes. This protects them from death within the human body. Due to the spread of toxic substances in the blood, the carrier experiences bronchial asthma, dermatitis of varying severity and other similar diseases.

By devouring white blood cells, helminths cause irreparable damage to the immune system, destroying and destroying it. Lack of calcium, manganese, iodine, silicon and other important substances - all these are the consequences of the life of worms in our body. One of the most common failures that any wearer faces is dysbiosis. The destruction of the normal intestinal microflora is a normal condition in the presence of parasitic invasion.

An interesting video appears to show how worms live and reproduce in the human body. Moving along the mucous membranes with the help of suckers, spikes and hooks, they cause irreparable damage, piercing their surface, irritating the nerve endings. This often leads to necrotization of the mucous membranes and the appearance of internal bleeding. Parasitic microorganisms can lead to irreparable consequences. These include blindness caused by toxocar, migraine caused by roundworms, hypertension and epilepsy.

But one of the most terrible consequences can be the infection of a pregnant woman with roundworms. Penetrating into the developing embryo, parasites cause disruptions in the formation of the baby's bronchopulmonary system, intrauterine growth retardation. Considering that mothers cannot take broad-spectrum antibiotics and the list of approved drugs is very limited, nematodes find a free environment for reproduction. When a baby is born to an infected mother, her height and weight lag behind the indicators of a healthy baby.

Methods for diagnosing the disease

To make a diagnosis, you should contact the clinic in your place of residence or a pediatrician in any paid medical institution. After presenting the symptoms that worry you to your doctor, you will receive a referral for laboratory research. The diagnosis is confirmed by a routine test for worm eggs, for which it is necessary to collect the feces in a specialized container and bring the material for research. A situation is possible when the suspicion of parasites is high, but the analysis does not give a positive result. In this case, the study can be duplicated several times in a row.

The method of treating worms - from A to Z

There are many methods of treatment. Between them:

  • pharmacological therapy;
  • time-tested folk remedies and recipes;
  • special anthelmintic devices.

One thing is certain: it is imperative to get rid of the infection, otherwise the damage caused cannot be compensated in any way. Your doctor will tell you which drug to choose and which treatment option to prefer. Only a qualified specialist can make a decision on the methods of exposure. The information in this article is indicative only. If you don't consult a professional, the price of health can be too high and the time wasted on self-medication can be incredibly expensive.

Stages of therapy

The question of how to be treated must have an unequivocal answer - comprehensively. It is important to follow the sequence. In the first stage of purification, it is customary to use oils and sorbents. Folk recipes suggest starting with pumpkin (flaxseed) oil. Activated charcoal or any other profile suspension with a similar spectrum of action will help rid the tissues of toxins. You can find out what drug names exist from your pharmacist by contacting the nearest pharmacy. It is known that helminths cannot tolerate bile, so it is recommended to use formulas that stimulate its production.

In the second stage, pills are used, individually selected by a doctor. They are selected based on the specific clinical picture.

Despite the fact that almost any drug can be found in the pharmacy today, it is highly not recommended to prescribe it yourself. An incorrectly calculated dose and an incorrectly chosen medicine can cause irreparable harm to the work of the main life systems, disrupting their normal functioning.

Enzymes, immunostimulating agents and vitamin-mineral complexes will help stabilize impaired functions after treatment. If allergic reactions are observed, the use of antihistamine formulas is recommended.

Herbal medicine, enemas and diet

Folk recipes recommend the best herbs for getting rid of worms. Among them are centaur, birch buds, valerian root, zhoster, elecampane. For adult patients, the tincture of wormwood, tansy and St. John's wort is effective. In addition to the use of herbs, experts recommend sticking to the principles of a healthy diet.

For the period of vaccinations or the use of powerful drugs, it is necessary to adjust the diet, eliminate spicy and salty foods, smoked and fatty foods. Emphasis should be placed on:

  • dairy product;
  • vegetarian diet;
  • herbal ingredients;
  • fruits and vegetables.

Experts recommend eating nuts and garlic every day, drinking a tablespoon of castor oil on an empty stomach in the morning. You should eat in small fractional portions with a large number of approaches to the table (at least 5-6 times). Of the additional procedures, an enema with a solution of soda (10 grams per 1 liter of warm water), as well as room temperature milk infused with garlic, turned out to be good.

Therapeutic devices

Special devices appeared on the market relatively recently. Their principle of operation is based on the use of electromagnetic waves of a certain frequency. The most famous are the Zapper and Det devices. However, the studies carried out have shown that the impact effectiveness of the equipment is high only on adult worms. In addition, the action of the devices has a negative effect on blood cells, destroying their original structure. The use of equipment can have a beneficial effect, but only if the practice of an integrated approach is applied.

In addition to the listed options, other technologies are known. Among these, the expulsion of oxygen by parasites, when their habitat drastically changes its physicochemical data. The bottom line is simple: on an empty stomach, a small tube is inserted into the stomach, delivering oxygen under pressure to certain portions. Tissues and mucous membranes are saturated with oxygen, and helminths leave the host due to unfavorable living conditions. The procedure has no side effects, so it is recommended for both adults and children.

Interesting ozone therapy. With the help of ozone-enriched solutions, microenemas, herbal teas and intravenous preparations are used. The essence of the method is similar to the previous one. Ozone, together with oxygen, blocks the respiration of parasites. As a result, they are forced to leave the body of the carrier of the infection.

Traditional methods and recipes

Almost all folk recipes are taken orally in the morning on an empty stomach. Especially popular are a decoction of bitter wormwood, walnut leaves boiled in boiling water and fresh carrot juice. Folk healers use a tincture of pomegranate peels and an extract of birch buds. The simplest, but no less effective method of therapy is pumpkin seeds. The delicious treat is incredibly effective. It is necessary to click on a healing potion three times a day, at least 100-150 grams in one approach.

Another traditional remedy is herring with onion rings dipped in vegetable oil and lemon juice. But you need to eat the dish on an empty stomach twice a day. You can't drink it for several hours. Given the amber that herring gives off, it is best to stay at home the day you consume the product.