Worms are worms that parasitize the human body. Some of them are not capable of serious harm to health, others are quite dangerous. How can a person catch worms? Symptoms indicating the presence of helminths will not hurt everyone. 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, headaches and coughing, he begins to look for anything, but not helminths. Meanwhile, it is they who often lead to the appearance of these symptoms. If the parasites are wound up in the body, then they begin to actively multiply, during 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, which is not cured by syrups and antibiotics;
- small appetite;
- allergic rash on the skin, eczema, hives, acne foci, boils, papillomas;
- prolonged runny nose (without other signs of a cold);
- intestinal problems - bloating, constipation;
- decreased immunity and, as a result, frequent acute respiratory infections;
- teeth grinding (due to overstrain of the nervous system);
- weakness, irritability, nervousness, depression;
- pain in the joints;
- enlarged lymph nodes.
Some varieties of helminths "report" on themselves with specific symptoms. So, with ascariasis, pneumonia, diarrhea and abdominal pain can occur.
If a large tapeworm has settled in the body, dizziness and abdominal pain occur. During defecation, worm fragments come out with feces. A person, continuing to eat in the usual way, quickly loses weight. Anemia develops later.
The bull tapeworm settles in the liver, which causes pain in the right hypochondrium.
Pinworms cause excruciating itching in the anus. When scratching this place, dermatitis and inflammation occur.
Teeth grinding and other symptoms of helminthic infection in children
Children are most susceptible to helminth invasions, as they often do not observe the rules of personal hygiene and put 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 cannot sit still for a minute;
- increased cravings for sweets;
- dry hair and brittle nails;
- peeling skin on the eyelids;
- anemia of unknown origin;
- lethargy and drowsiness;
- susceptibility to frequent colds.
In which organs can worms live?
In total, there are up to 250 varieties of worms. To live, they choose a variety of organs, such as the kidneys or the eyes. Some types of parasites settle in the skin, muscles. They are even found in the blood. But the majority 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 occur after 6 months. A person suddenly begins to lose weight or gain it rapidly. Eczema and even psoriasis can occur.
Some worms stick to the liver, disrupt its functioning and cause anemia. Others (like echinococcus) erect a chitinous capsule around them, which grows in size and interferes with the work of the organ. A person's skin turns yellow, there are pains in the right side and problems with digestion.
There are also symptoms characteristic 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.
The worm fluke living in the liver can trigger asthma.
Worms - fight: drug treatment
Although one of the important factors in the diagnosis of worms in a person is the symptoms, treatment is prescribed only after the test results 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 of the skin above the anus, then study it under a microscope.
When the parasite is identified, treatment begins. It takes place in several stages:
- preperation. It consists in eliminating (or reducing the amount) of toxic substances - the result of the vital activity of helminths. To do this, use activated carbon;
- take 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 it is decided to use folk remedies to remove worms from a person, then the symptoms should also be taken into account. If there are signs of infection with pinworms, it is advisable to use garlic, an infusion of tansy or wormwood.
A popular way to get rid of worms is garlic milk. 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, strain and put 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. I. garlic water. You need to take 6-8 cloves of garlic, crush, mix with 1 tbsp. chilled boiled water. Filter the solution. You can make microclysters with such water.
Cat 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 medicinal composition: 1 tbsp. carrot-apple mixture and 1 drop of tar. To be consumed on an empty stomach.
To destroy the tapeworm, it is enough in the morning (on an empty stomach) to drink 1 tablespoon. water, in which 1 tsp is dissolved. salt.
If the type of parasites is unknown, but there are all the signs of worms in humans (the symptoms of infection with different parasites may not differ too much), a composition can be prepared that destroys almost all helminths. It should be mixed in equal proportions of crushed wormwood, knapweed, cumin, ground (peeled) pumpkin seeds. Add 2 parts ground cloves, 4 parts 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 tbsp. 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 tbsp. mixture of herbs 2 times a day - before lunch and before going to bed
Most anthelmintic drugs and herbal medicines 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 a child.
How does the 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 are often infected in turn through water. Moreover, it is not necessary to drink it - it is enough to 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 through the consumption of lightly salted, 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 plants are at high risk of infection.
How not to catch 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 and greens should be poured with boiling water, then washed under running water.
Meat and fish should be fried or boiled for a long time, and a separate board should be used to cut them. It is better to stop eating dry or raw fish. Do not drink tap water, let alone river water.
Fearing to see the symptoms of the presence of worms, some people (especially owners of four-legged pets) themselves give the child and drink the appropriate drugs. Such recommendations can be heard by doctors. But it is much safer to closely monitor your hygiene - and then you are not afraid of any helminths!