Helminths, which people commonly call worms, can penetrate the body of animals and humans. The 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. Infection occurs imperceptibly, and many do not even suspect that parasites and their larvae are the cause of constant ailments and deterioration of 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 undergone heat treatment or have not been washed before consumption;
- when preparing food, the person does not follow hygiene rules;
- improper heat treatment of meat and fish products;
- frequent contact with animals infected with worms;
- taking care of pets that often walk outside;
- complete lack of hygiene rules after visiting the toilet, before eating, after walking outside;
- eating raw fish;
- living together, communicating with a person suffering from helminthiasis;
- water procedures in the river, lake;
- in rare cases with insect bites.
Most often, children between the ages of 3 and 10 are exposed to worms due to poor hygiene. Human worms are highly contagious and can be transmitted from animals or another person. Many young children neglect the rules of personal hygiene, so they are more likely to be infected with worms than adults. Parents should inculcate in their children the concept of personal hygiene from childhood, because often in kindergarten the teacher cannot follow everything and infection can occur. Basic 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. Just 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 in contact with an infected person or animal, and still others live in water that is often used for cooking or water procedures.
Symptoms of worms in humans
Some types of parasites are easy to detect, others carefully hide in the human body. Symptoms of worms in a person infected with roundworms and pinworms are intense itching in the anus, flatulence and disordered bowel movements. These worms live in the intestines and can leave the body with the feces when going to the toilet. Symptoms appear due to the vital activity of parasites, 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 every parasite can live in the stomach. Echinococcus most often affects the lungs and liver. The small worm penetrates deep into the organ and creates a protective shell around itself. During the examination, specialists can exchange the protective capsule of the parasite for the tumor.
If a person has worms, what symptoms can appear:
- Chronic headache.
- Weakness.
- Nausea.
- Digestive disorders.
All these symptoms can indicate some kind of parasitic infection. Signs of the presence of worms in a person are increased allergic reactions, to which people who were previously not prone to allergies should pay special attention. 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 illness
Signs of worms in humans can vary, depending on the type of parasite the patient is infected with and where he is. The first signs of worms.
- Inflammation of the lymph nodes.
- Allergic skin damage.
- Diarrhea.
- Prison.
- Excessive gas formation.
- Abdominal pain.
- Nausea.
- 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 any symptoms for a long time. Echinococcus most often affects the liver and can manifest itself 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 squeezes the internal organs, the structure of the connective tissue, which causes pain in the right side, a yellowish shade of 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 a chronic dry cough and difficulty breathing can occur. Any of the parasites that enter the human body causes intoxication - general weakness, muscle pain, headache, elevated body temperature. Symptoms may not appear simultaneously, but separately and at different times. Ignoring symptoms that appear for a long time will only worsen the situation, the body's defenses will be significantly weakened, and the person will constantly suffer from viral or other diseases. The internal organs will also be subject to long-term negative effects and will take a very 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 adversely affect well-being and the parasite will continue to thrive. Worms cause inflammatory processes in the body, suppress the immune system and worsen the general condition and health.
The method of ridding the body of worms is called deworming, which is carried out with the help of certain 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 may additionally prescribe antihistamines that will help reduce or eliminate the 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 should be remembered 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 therapy, the specialist usually prescribes drugs that restore the normal functioning of all internal systems and organs. If necessary, the person is prescribed sorbents.
Traditional means to combat worms
The symptoms of worm infection will help the specialist to choose the right drugs to remove the worms from the body.
The drug, which helps to naturally remove 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, experts prescribe surgical intervention. Doctors need to remove the parasitic worm and the area of the organ in which it resides.
Preventive measures
At first, the worm itself does not enter the body, but only worm eggs, which after some time grow into adult parasites. To avoid the penetration of certain types of parasites into the body, you must follow certain hygiene rules:
- After walking outside, when you return home, you must 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 complete, appropriate heat treatment before consumption.
- Kitchen tools used for cutting meat and fish must 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 assistance.
Traditional medicine in the fight against worms
Mixture. 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 remove the bitter taste. The admission course is 1 month.
Garlic against pinworms. Grind the garlic until it becomes a mushy paste. Mix 1 tsp. porridge with 200 ml of warm boiled water. Leave for 1 hour. Take an enema with this infusion 2 hours before going to bed. In order to completely get rid of parasites, you should carry out the procedure every evening 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 worsen the already existing situation, and folk remedies are best used as an 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 develop, parasitize and slowly poison the body. The combination of characteristic signs of the disease is the main reason for seeking help from a specialist and strictly following all his recommendations.