Worms are worms that parasitize in the human body. Some of them are not capable of causing serious harm to health, others are quite dangerous. How can a person get worms? Symptoms indicating the presence 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 begin to look for anything, but not helminths. Meanwhile, it is they who often lead to the appearance of these symptoms. If parasites are wound 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 and 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, which is not cured by syrups and antibiotics;
- poor appetite;
- allergic rash on the skin, eczema, urticaria, foci of acne, boils, papillomas;
- prolonged runny nose (without other signs of a cold);
- bowel problems - bloating, constipation;
- decreased immunity and, as a result, frequent acute respiratory infections;
- teeth grinding (due to overexertion of the nervous system);
- weakness, irritability, nervousness, depression;
- pain in the joints;
- enlargement of the lymph nodes.
Some varieties of helminths "report" about themselves with specific symptoms. So, with ascariasis, pneumonia, diarrhea and abdominal pain can occur.
If a wide tapeworm has settled in the body, then dizziness and abdominal pain occur. During defecation, fragments of the worm come out with feces. A person, continuing to eat in the usual way, is rapidly losing weight. Anemia develops later.
Bull tapeworm settles in the liver, which causes pain in the right hypochondrium.
Pinworms cause excruciating itching in the anus. As a result of scratching this place, dermatitis and inflammation occur.
Grinding of teeth and other symptoms of helminthic infection in children
Children are most susceptible to helminthic invasions, as they often do not adhere to the rules of personal hygiene and pull everything into their mouths. The presence of a parasite in the body of a child can be suspected by the following signs:
- intense salivation (including during sleep);
- hyperactivity, restless behavior;
- itching in the anus, because of which the child literally cannot sit still for a minute;
- increased cravings for sweets;
- dry hair and brittle nails;
- peeling of the skin on the eyelids;
- anemia of unknown origin;
- lethargy and drowsiness;
- susceptibility to frequent colds.
In what organs can worms live?
In total, there are up to 250 varieties of worms. For living, they choose a variety of organs, such as kidneys or eyes. Some types of parasites settle in the skin, muscles. They are found even in the blood. But the majority still lives in the gastrointestinal tract.
Very often worms settle in the human liver. Symptoms that indicate the "settlement" of the organ do not appear immediately after infection. The first signs of invasion sometimes occur after 6 months. A person suddenly begins to lose weight or rapidly gain weight. Eczema and even psoriasis may occur.
Some worms stick to the liver, lead to disturbances in its work and cause anemia. Others (such as echinococcus) erect a chitinous capsule around themselves, which grows in size and interferes with the work of the organ. A person's skin turns yellow, there is pain in the right side and problems with digestion.
There are also characteristic symptoms of the presence of worms in a person in the liver - chronic fatigue and sleep disturbance from 2 to 3 in the morning, when the liver is working in an enhanced mode.
Worm fluke living in the liver can trigger asthma.
Worms - fight: medication treatment
Although one of the important factors in diagnosing worms in a person is the symptoms, treatment is prescribed only after the results of the tests are received. Most often, a stool test is 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 vegetative resonance test.
The easiest way to detect pinworms. To do this, make a scraping from the skin above the anus, and then study it under a microscope.
When the parasite is identified, treatment begins. It is carried out 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 wide 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 it is decided to use folk remedies to remove worms from a person, the symptoms must also be taken into account. If there are signs of infection with pinworms, then it is advisable 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 enema. For this, in 1 tbsp. milk boil a large head of garlic. Then cool, filter and put an enema with such a solution. The procedure is repeated every day for a week.
Folk healers are advised to drink 1 tbsp 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. You can do microclysters with such water.
Cat flukes can be transmitted from cats. It is believed that this worm is afraid of grated apples, which are mixed with carrots and tar. The proportions of the medicinal composition: 1 tsp. carrot-apple mixture and 1 drop of tar. Consume on an empty stomach.
To destroy the tapeworm, it is enough in the morning (on an empty stomach) to drink 1 tbsp. water, in which 1 tsp is dissolved. salt.
If the type of parasites is unknown, but there are all signs of worms in humans (the symptoms of infection with different parasites may not differ too much), then a composition can be prepared that destroys almost all helminths. It should be mixed in equal proportions crushed wormwood, centaury, cumin, ground pumpkin seeds (peeled). Add 2 parts of ground cloves, 4 parts of pre-roasted flax seeds, ground tansy flowers to the listed ingredients. Grind everything in a coffee grinder, pour into a glass container.
Take such a composition according to the scheme. In 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 lunch. Then, from 3 to 7 days, you should eat 1 tsp. herbal mixture 2 times a day - before lunch and before going to bed
Most anthelmintic drugs and medicinal plants are highly toxic. Therefore, it is extremely unreasonable to use them for treatment without consulting a doctor. Do not self-medicate if the patient is a pregnant woman or child.
How does infection occur?
The causes of the appearance of worms largely depend on age. In children, they are associated with a violation of the rules of personal hygiene, the use of unwashed vegetables. Adults often become infected in turn water. Moreover, it is not necessary 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 the owner of helminths if you do not wash your hands during outdoor recreation or after gardening and earthworks. Symptoms of worms in an adult can also appear after communicating with infected people (through dust, air and hygiene items).
Those who work on livestock farms and in meat and fish processing shops are at high risk of infection.
How not to get worms?
Compliance with the rules of personal hygiene is the best way to prevent helminths from harming your health. Hands should be washed before preparing food, before sitting at the table, and after using the toilet. Vegetables, fruits, greens must be poured over with boiling water, and then washed under running water.
Meat and fish should be fried or boiled for a long time, and a separate board should be used for cutting them. It is better to stop eating dry or raw fish. You should not drink water from the tap, and even more so from the river.
Fearing to see the symptoms of the presence of worms, some people (especially the owners of four-legged pets) give the child and drink the appropriate drugs themselves. Such recommendations can be heard from doctors. But it is much safer to closely monitor your hygiene - and then you are not afraid of any helminths!