Parasitic diseases are widespread among the population, many people at least once in their life encounter them, it is almost impossible to fully insure themselves against their occurrence. However, many of them lead to other more serious illnesses. Parasites are able to disrupt the work of various organs, they often begin to deal with the consequences of parasitic infection, the main problem is clarified much later.
Parasites can attack any organ system, they can be in the intestines, in the liver, live on the skin, some can even reach the brain. The main thing is to identify the lesion at an early stage, when it does not affect several organs and does not become extensive, then it will be much easier to get rid of the parasites.
Types of parasites
Many parasites infect various organs. These are not just worms that mainly live in the intestines and other worms. Parasites in the human body can be of other types. All of them can be divided into several groups:
- worms (roundworms, worms, pinworms, echinococci and others);
- protozoan parasites (lamblia, intestinal trichomonas, chlamydia, toxoplasm);
- fungal parasites (candida);
- bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus aureus);
- virus (influenza, herpes, smallpox, rotavirus and others).
However, it is the worms that are most often associated with the word "parasites". Their manifestations and treatment tactics are generally very similar.
Symptoms
Symptoms of parasite infestation are often reminiscent of other diseases. Therefore, when detected, it is important to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis which will show whether a person is sick from parasites or whether it is worth looking for another cause. The main symptoms of parasitic diseases are as follows:
- Diarrhea. It comes from the wastes of certain types of parasites.
- Constipation. Some worms, as they grow, block the passage of the intestines, which can even cause intestinal obstruction. Parasites can also cause jaundice by blocking the bile ducts.
- Constant bloating. Gas production often occurs when infected with worms.
- Pain in muscles and joints. Similar to arthritis pain. They develop during the migration of parasites in the body.
- Allergic reactions. Parasites are powerful irritants, and they and their wastes can cause allergies. In addition, they damage the intestinal tissue, causing the immune system to work more actively and respond to this irritation with allergic reactions.
- Various skin lesions - rashes, acne, dermatitis and other skin diseases. Papillomas are also a sign of parasitic infection.
- Iron deficiency anemia.
Weight jumps can also be a symptom. A person can significantly lose weight or gain weight. Weight loss can be associated with poor appetite, digestive disorders. A sharp increase in mass is usually associated with a drop in blood sugar, the patient begins to feel constant hunger.
Negative symptoms of the nervous system. The activity of parasites literally poisons the body, which can lead to disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system. These include severe anxiety in general, increased anxiety, and mild depression.
Other things to watch out for:
- The grinding of my teeth in me is bruxism. It is the reaction of the nervous system to the presence of an irritant in the body.
- Sleep disturbances. Sometimes it appears due to itching in the anal area at night, this is a sure sign of worms.
- Dysbacteriosis.
- Chronic fatigue, general malaise.
- Immunity disturbances, increased morbidity, frequent colds.
- Diseases of the respiratory tract. Parasites can reach the airways and cause coughs, pneumonia, and even asthma attacks.
Important! If similar symptoms are present, you should be tested for a parasitic infection.
Learn more about the manifestations of parasitic diseases
People react to foreign objects in different ways. In some forms of helminthiasis, symptoms of the presence of parasites in the body of an adult become noticeable several years after colonization of the organs. In young patients, the first manifestations are often noticeable at the initial stage of the disease.
How to identify worms in children?
The spread of helminths in these patients is much higher. As a result, the following signs of the presence of parasites appear:
- Weakness
- The quality of sleep is deteriorating
- Loss of appetite, usually accompanied by slowed physical development
- Unreasonable aggression, nervousness and irritability appear
- Stools are disturbed and in most cases constipation is a consequence
- Grinding and itching of the anus are signs of some worms.
What are the abnormalities to identify helminths in adults?
The parasitic organism persists in the mouth, which is facilitated by special enzymes. This is only the first obstacle to larvae and helminth eggs. In addition, moving through the human body, helminths enter the digestive tract, where they are exposed to gastric juice and antibodies produced by the body. This means that there is a natural cleansing of the intestines of the parasites and the spread is slower.
However, over time, the following symptoms appear:
- Changes in the work of the central nervous system: headache, dizziness, worsening of sleep, tendency to irritation, aggressiveness
- Diseases of certain organs develop: pancreatitis, pneumonia, appendicitis, duodenitis, etc.
- Pale skin indicates parasites, sometimes jaundice develops
- Worms can be recognized by a stool disorder: constipation replaces diarrhea and vice versa
- Flatulence, intestinal motility is disturbed
- Another manifestation is abdominal pain
- Allergic reactions in different forms.
How do worms affect general health?
Weakness is noted, as worms are almost always found in the human intestines. In this case, the microflora is disturbed, which affects the absorption of nutrients, which means that a person does not receive enough vitamins and microelements. As a result, the body weakens and immunity decreases. Under such conditions, the body becomes susceptible to viruses, bacterial infections. The liver is among the first to suffer.
If a disease of a certain organ develops (be it heart, kidneys, organs of vision, liver) and the classic treatment regimen for such cases does not work, it isnecessary to assume the development of parasitic diseases in humans. If you try to treat them, a person can recover quite quickly.
Classification of parasites
All organizations are classified into two main groups:
- Intestinal
- Extra-intestinal.
Representatives of both species live inside humans, but on different parts of the body. For example, intestinal parasites in humans still colonize the digestive organs. Extra-intestinal forms of helminths tend to infect tissues: muscles, brain, visual organs, etc. In addition, all external organisms living in the human body are divided into types, taking into account the structure of the body:
- Single-celled (these are the simplest, for example, lamblia)
- Helminths: pinworms, roundworms and others.
There are several classes of worms:
- Nematodes;
- Trematodes;
- Cestodes.
The first class includes roundworms, eg roundworms. The second class is represented by the moat, the moat. Cestodes are called flat helminths, including tapeworm.
Reasons
The main causes of parasitic diseases are careless contact with sick people and non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene. Children who spend a lot of time playing outdoors are often infected, especially little ones who train in the sandbox.
Thus, people at risk are those who do not wash their hands after the street and after eating, do not wear barrier protection when in contact with infected patients and share their personal hygiene products. with other people. In addition, the risk of infection exists if meat products, vegetables and fruits are improperly processed.
Diagnostics
Parasitic diseases can be difficult to diagnose, especially in the early stages, their symptoms are often reminiscent of other diseases.
The most common parasite tests are feces and swabs. These methods will help determine the presence of parasites in the intestine and their type, but will not be able to show their presence in other organs.
At the moment there are much more reliable methods for detecting parasitic diseases, they may be more expensive than conventional analysis, but their accuracy is much higher. First of all, it is a blood test for parasites - ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). The accuracy of this method is 99%, it allows to determine not only the presence of parasites, but the dynamics of the lesion and the number, wherever there are foreign organisms.
In addition to blood tests, there are other methods, for example:
- ultrasound and x-ray;
- computed tomography;
- endoscopy and endobiopsy;
- RNGA;
- RSK;
- RIF.
The required searches are chosen by the doctor, in each case they may be different. These are the parasites that the parasitologist takes care of, although first you need to contact the doctor who deals with the organ system with which the unpleasant symptoms are associated. For example, if the manifestations of a parasitic disease are associated with the digestive system, you should contact a gastroenterologist.
Important! It is impossible to independently and reliably determine the presence of parasites in your body; testing is needed.
How to get rid of parasites?
With parasites, complex intervention is required. Most of them have a long lifespan and treatment depends on the form in which the parasites are currently present in the body. It is necessary to take into account other factors, for example, diseases that arose against the background of a parasitic infection.
Preparations
Medicines against parasites are usually available in tablet form, they have a wide spectrum of action, one remedy can work against several species at the same time. There are many herbal preparations which are milder.
Medication can be applied once or as a course. It all depends on the stage of the parasitic disease, the type of parasites, the presence or absence of certain symptoms.
It should be remembered that drugs have a large number of side effects. Antiparasitic drugs have a strong toxic effect on the body, so they should be taken with caution. Also, you cannot combine them with other drugs.
Often, after drug treatment, it is necessary to cleanse the body, because not all dead parasites come out naturally. Breaking down in the body, they can cause severe toxicosis.
After a course of medication, you should start to restore immunity. Vitamin complexes, diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help.
Important! You cannot take antiparasitic drugs on your own.
Cleanse the body at home
Some measures against parasites can be taken at home, especially for organisms that infect the intestines. At home, you can clean the intestines, but it should be remembered that not all products are equally good, some, for example, cleaning with soda, can be harmful to health.
Monastic tea
Monastery tea is often recommended against pests. This drink contains many useful medicinal plants: sage, yarrow, oak bark, mint and many others. It is believed to help fight parasitic diseases.
The treatment with tea from the monastery lasts three weeks and no more than one glass of drink per day is needed. Taking such a tea will increase immunity and help the body cope with parasites, however, it is not suitable as an independent medicine, it is better to combine it with conservative therapy, and then use it for the purpose ofprevention.
Another name for monastery tea is intohis, sometimes it can be found like this.
Tansy: how to take
Tansy is one of the herbs of pests, the second name of this plant, worm, speaks for itself. The methods of using this herb differ depending on the type of parasite.
The following recipe helps with worms and roundworms. You need to take a tablespoon of dried flowers and pour a glass of hot water. Insist for four hours, then filter. You need to take such an infusion four times a day, a tablespoon before meals.
Bitter absinthe
Wormwood is another herbal medicine that helps fight parasites. This herb is effective for children and adults, the only minus is the unpleasant taste.
To take wormwood comfortably against worms, place the crushed plant in gelatin capsules. For a child you do not need more than a quarter of a teaspoon, for an adult - a second. On the first day of intake, one serving is needed, then one serving is added each day. So, there should be seven servings on the eighth day. In addition, seven capsules until the end of the second week of admission.
You can also do wormwood enemas.
Birch tar
Birch tar is a natural antiseptic that helps fight worms and other internal parasites. A drop of tar is taken for a teaspoon of honey, take this mixture at bedtime for twelve days. This method has almost no contraindications, tar with honey can be used for children.
Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds help fight pests. There are several recipes for taking them for medicinal purposes. You can simply eat two tablespoons of pumpkin seeds each morning before meals, then wait about an hour and empty your bowels. This method works well against tapeworm.
Against worms, it is advisable to take a glass of ground roasted seeds, mix with a glass of honey, add a teaspoon of baking soda. This mixture should be infused for ten days. Take a spoonful on an empty stomach well before breakfast.
Garlic: how to take
Garlic has disinfectant properties, it is believed to be harmful to worms. The most useful and harmless to the body is a honey-garlic mixture from parasites.
To do this, take 300 grams of garlic juice and mix with 500 grams of honey. Boil this mixture over low heat in a double boiler for half an hour, stirring occasionally and removing the resulting foam. Cool the resulting mixture, transfer to glassware, store in a dark, cool place. For worms, take one tablespoon about 3-4 times a day, exclusively before meals.
Linen and carnation
From flax seeds and cloves, you can make a kind of seasoning which has an antiparasitic effect.
Grind flax seeds and cloves in a coffee grinder in the same ratio. Such a remedy can be added to food when cooking, the main thing is to eat no more than 25 grams of medicine per day. Sometimes breaks need to be taken. This remedy helps with all types of parasites.
Important! It should be remembered that many herbal remedies can cause allergies. If you develop individual intolerance, you should throw them out.
How to treat parasites
If symptoms indicate the presence of parasites in the intestines or other organs, treatment can be carried out with the help of folk remedies. They allow you to quickly get rid of worms and prevent the development of serious complications.
Popular recipes
Unconventional treatment involves the use of natural ingredients. usually decoctions or infusions are made from it. Such means allow you to expel worms and conduct a complete cleansing of internal organs. For each patient, you can choose your own treatment regimen. The most popular recipes are:
- Coriander seeds - heat in a pan without oil, mash and consume up to three times a day
- Watermelon seeds - chop and mix with milk. Drink two glasses a day.
- Chanterelles - have a negative effect on most pests, but after heat treatment these properties disappear. Therefore, a tincture is made from the mushrooms: grind the product, pour vodka and send it to a dark and cool place for fifteen days. Take a spoon before bed.
- Onions - chop until oatmeal and pour boiling water over it, let stand ten hours, consume inside.
- Elecampane - steep and boil for five minutes. Insist at night and take on an empty stomach in the morning.
- Celandine - mix with boiling water and send to a water bath for a quarter of an hour. After forty minutes, filter and drink up to three times a day.
- Absinthe - chop the herb, pour in hot milk, insist and drink the whole portion in the morning.
- Ginger - Pass through a blender and consume within six days.
- Cloves - taken as a powder after meals.
- Pumpkin seeds - they contain a toxic substance that is dangerous for pests. The raw, shelled seeds can be eaten before meals or mixed with hot milk.
Other methods
At home, the treatment carried out with the help of folk remedies is supplemented by a set of measures that allow you to quickly get rid of parasites living in the human body. We are talking about cleansing enemas. For their implementation are used:
- Garlic - it can be combined with milk or herbal infusions.
- Baking soda - heat the water to a temperature of forty-two degrees, add the powder and mix well. Soda can be added to three liters of hot water.
Absinthe and tansy work well for an enema. Herbs are mixed, poured with hot water and boiled. Let the broth cool, add a clove of garlic, let stand three hours and strain. The procedure should be done before bedtime. Another option is pumpkin seed oil. A variety of recipes can be used for an adult. The main thing is to choose a remedy suitable for the removal of a specific type of helminth.
Laundry soap against helminths
One of the options for dealing with parasites in the body is to use regular laundry soap. It is used for washing hands after walking, using the toilet, etc. The soapy solution kills all germs on the skin and prevents them from entering the body. In the morning and after each act of defecation, it is recommended to wash the anus with laundry soap - this destroys both the parasites and their eggs. With the help of the product, you can wash razors, washcloths, combs.
It is difficult to clean the body of unwanted guests, but it is quite possible. If you decide to use non-traditional means, then you need to have patience and persistence, as they do not give instant results. Sometimes the course of treatment takes several weeks. In addition, to achieve the desired results, all recipes must be applied correctly and regularly.
How the infection occurs
It's not for nothing that a lot of people don't like touching doorknobs and pets on the street, because it's the fastest way to find pests. The infection usually occurs by:
- Handshake;
- Household items;
- Door handles;
- Animal fur;
- Clothing, household items;
- The patient's bedding.
Sometimes it is not possible to rule out all factors, as a child can get an infection in a kindergarten or school, just like adults on public transport and elsewhere.
Even those who like to eat raw steaks and rolls can, with delicacy, catch parasites that live in raw products that have undergone insufficient heat treatment.
Sometimes the symptoms of the parasites in the body are found many years later, and a person does not even remember when they ate unwashed fruit or stroked a cat.
The main thing is prevention
This doesn't mean you have to be constantly tested, but it does mean you have to engage in prevention:
- Wash hands with soap and water more often;
- Use antibacterial wipes;
- Do not touch the animals in the street;
- Do not eat unwashed vegetables and fruits and not fried fish and meat.
Those with young children should be especially careful, as they are carriers of various pests that can be picked up in the sandbox, on the railing, or elsewhere.
If a child attends kindergarten, the seeding tank and delivery of feces are mandatory, so it is not difficult to identify the disease.
Adults have a problem with this. Rarely, a doctor may ask you to take feces for analysis, and this is for helminths.
This should be taken care of by the patient himself, especially those who enjoy exotic cuisine and extreme relaxation.
If there are parasites the symptoms may be different, but where are they or are they more common?
How to prevent infection?
First you need to understand how to determine the presence of parasites in the body. If the suspicions are confirmed, treatment is prescribed. You need to follow simple rules so that the situation does not repeat itself:
- Parasites in the stomach and other organs of the gastrointestinal tract are found through dirty hands. This means that you have to wash them often.
- Change of linen, bed.
- Room cleaning.
- Cleaning products, pay special attention to vegetables, fruits. Meat and fish must be processed.
- To avoid the signs of the presence of various parasites in the human body, clothing and underwear should be subjected to high temperature treatment. After washing, things are ironed with an iron.
- The water is filtered, boiled.
So, if the question arises as to how to check for the presence of worms, an examination is done to diagnose helminthiasis. It is also possible to identify worms through an external examination, observing the symptoms. The treatment is carried out comprehensively, but before that the body is cleansed.