Worms are worms that parasitize the human body. Some of them are not able to cause serious damage to health, others are quite dangerous. How can a person get worms? Symptoms of helminths will not hurt everyone to know. And most importantly - how to expel these uninvited guests from the body?
When should worms be suspected?
If an adult is worried about constant nausea, headache and cough, then they start looking for everything but helminths. Meanwhile, they often lead to the appearance of these symptoms. If the parasites curl up in the body, then they begin to actively multiply, in the process of life they destroy tissues and release toxic substances. The number of worms in the human body can reach hundreds or even thousands of individuals. The body can tolerate the presence of these "guests" for some time and then the following symptoms of worms appear in an adult:
- frequent dry cough that is not treated with syrups and antibiotics;
- poor appetite;
- allergic skin rash, eczema, urticaria, foci of acne, boils, papillomas;
- prolonged runny nose (without other signs of a cold);
- bowel problems - bloating, constipation;
- reduced immunity and, as a result, frequent acute respiratory infections;
- gnashing of teeth (due to overexertion of the nervous system);
- weakness, irritability, nervousness, depression;
- joint pain;
- enlarged lymph nodes.
Some species of helminths "report" for themselves with specific symptoms. Thus, pneumonia, diarrhea and abdominal pain may occur in ascariasis.
If a wide tapeworm has settled in the body, then dizziness and abdominal pain appear. During defecation, fragments of the worm come out with feces. A person who continues to eat normally loses weight quickly. Later anemia develops.
Tapeworm settles in the liver, causing pain in the right hypochondrium.
Pinworms cause painful itching in the anus. Scratching this area results in dermatitis and inflammation.
Gritting teeth and other symptoms of helminth infection in children
Children are most susceptible to helminth infestations, as they often do not follow the rules of personal hygiene and pull everything in their mouths. The presence of a parasite in a child's body can be suspected by the following signs:
- intense salivation (including during sleep);
- hyperactivity, restless behavior;
- itching in the anus, due to which the child literally can not sit still for a minute;
- increased desire for sweets;
- dry hair and brittle nails;
- peeling of the eyelid skin;
- anemia of unknown origin;
- lethargy and drowsiness;
- predisposition to frequent colds.
What organs can worms live in?
There are up to 250 species of worms in total. To live, they choose different organs, such as kidneys or eyes. Some types of parasites settle in the skin, muscles. They are even found in the blood. But most still live in the gastrointestinal tract.
Very often worms settle in the human liver. Symptoms that indicate "settlement" of the organ do not appear immediately after infection. The first signs of invasion sometimes appear after 6 months. A person suddenly begins to lose weight or gain weight quickly. Eczema and even psoriasis can occur.
Some worms stick to the liver, disrupting its work and causing anemia. Others (such as echinococci) build a chitin capsule around themselves that grows in size and interferes with organ function. A person's skin turns yellow, there is pain in the right side and digestive problems.
There are also characteristic symptoms of the presence of worms in humans in the liver - chronic fatigue and sleep disturbance from 2 to 3 in the morning, when the liver works in an enhanced mode.
Red fluke living in the liver can cause asthma.
Worms - control: drug treatment
Although one of the important factors in diagnosing worms in humans is the symptoms, treatment is prescribed only after receiving the test results. A stool test is most often prescribed. But this is an unreliable method: sometimes only after 8-10 attempts it is possible to detect parasites. A more accurate diagnosis is a test for autonomic resonance.
The easiest way to detect pinworms. To do this, scrape the skin over the anus and then examine it under a microscope.
Once the parasite is identified, treatment begins. It is performed in several stages:
- preparation. It consists in removing (or reducing the amount) of toxic substances - the result of the vital activity of helminths. To do this, use activated carbon;
- taking anthelmintic drugs. A good effect is the use of anthelmintic drugs with a broad spectrum of action;
- recovery. The goal of therapy is to strengthen the immune system (this is done with the help of echinacea), normalize the intestinal microflora and restore the liver.
Traditional medicine against worms
If you decide to use folk remedies to remove worms from a person, the symptoms should be taken into account. If there are signs of infection with pinworms, then it is recommended to use garlic, infusion of tansy or wormwood.
A popular way to get rid of worms is milk with garlic. It can be drunk with bread and garlic. This composition is suitable for enemas. To do this, boil a large head of garlic in 1 tablespoon of milk. Then cool, filter and place an enema with such a solution. The procedure is repeated every day for a week.
Folk healers are advised to drink 1 tablespoon on an empty stomach for a month. l. garlic water. You need to take 6-8 cloves of garlic, mash, mix with 1 tbsp. chilled boiled water. Strain the solution. With such water you can make micro-enemas.
Feline flukes can be transmitted by cats. It is believed that this worm is afraid of grated apples, which are mixed with carrots and tar. The proportions of the drug composition: 1 tsp mixture of carrots and apples and 1 drop of tar. Consume on an empty stomach.
To destroy the tapeworm, it is enough to drink 1 tablespoon of water in the morning (on an empty stomach), in which 1 teaspoon of salt is dissolved.
If the type of parasite is unknown, but there are all the signs of worms in humans (the symptoms of infection with different parasites may not differ much), then you can prepare a composition that destroys almost all helminths. Shred in equal proportions crushed wormwood, centenarian, cumin, ground pumpkin seeds (peeled) should be mixed. To the listed ingredients add 2 parts ground cloves, 4 parts pre-roasted flax seeds, ground tansy flowers. Grind everything in a coffee grinder, pour into a glass jar.
Take such a composition according to the scheme. For 1 day you need to eat 1 tsp collection 30 minutes before breakfast, drink cold boiled water with honey. For 2 days the composition is consumed in the morning and before noon. Then, from 3 to 7 days, you should eat 1 teaspoon of herbal mixture 2 times a day - before lunch and at bedtime
Most anthelmintic drugs and medicinal plants are highly toxic. Therefore, it is extremely unwise to use for treatment without consulting a doctor. Do not self-medicate if the patient is a pregnant woman or a child.
How does the infection occur?
The causes of worms largely depend on age. In children, they are associated with violations of the rules of personal hygiene, the use of unwashed vegetables. Adults are often infected with water. Plus, you don't have to drink it - just wash the dishes with river water. Worms can enter the human body when eating meat and fish dishes without the necessary heat treatment. A common route of infection is the consumption of lightly salted and raw fish.
You can become a helminth owner if you do not wash your hands during outdoor recreation or after gardening and earthworks. Symptoms of worms in an adult can also occur after contact with infected people (through dust, air and hygiene items).
People who work on livestock farms and in meat and fish shops are at high risk of infection.
How not to get worms?
Following the rules of personal hygiene is the best way to prevent helminths from harming your health. Hands should be washed before cooking, before sitting at the table and after using the toilet. Vegetables, fruits, greens should be watered with boiling water and then washed under running water.
Meat and fish should be fried or cooked for a long time, and a separate board should be used to cut them. It is better to stop eating dry or raw fish. You should not drink water from the tap and even more from the river.
Fearing to see the symptoms of worms, some people (especially owners of four-legged pets) give the child themselves and take the appropriate medication. Such recommendations can be heard from doctors. But it is much safer to monitor your hygiene carefully - and then you are not afraid of any helminths!