Parasitic diseases are widespread among the population, many people encounter them at least once in their lives, it is almost impossible to have complete insurance against their occurrence. However, many of them lead to other more serious illnesses. Parasites are capable of causing disturbances in the functioning of various organs, often beginning to treat the consequences of a 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 early, when it does not reach several organs and does not enlarge, so it will be much easier to get rid of parasites.
Types of parasites
There are many parasites infecting various organs. It is not just worms that live mainly in the intestines and other worms. The parasites in the human body can be of other types. They can all be divided into several groups:
- worms (worms, worms, pinworms, echinococci and others);
- protozoan parasites (lamblia, intestinal trichomonas, chlamydia, toxoplasma);
- fungal parasites (candida);
- bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus aureus);
- virus (flu, herpes, smallpox, rotavirus and others).
However, worms are the most frequently associated with the word "parasites". Their manifestations and treatment tactics are often very similar.
Symptoms
Symptoms of parasitic infestation often resemble other diseases, so when detected, it is important to make a comprehensive diagnosis, showing whether the person is sick with parasites or whether it is worth looking for another cause. The main symptoms of parasitic diseases are as follows:
- Diarrhea. It comes from the residues of certain types of parasites.
- Constipation. Some worms, growing, block the passage of the intestines, which can even cause intestinal obstruction. Parasites can also cause jaundice, blocking the bile ducts.
- Constant swelling. Gas production usually 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. The parasites are strong irritants and they and their residues can cause allergies. In addition, they cause damage to intestinal tissue, which forces 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 lose weight drastically or put on weight. Weight loss may be associated with poor appetite and digestive disorders. A sharp increase in mass is usually associated with a drop in blood sugar levels, the patient begins to experience constant hunger.
Negative symptoms of the nervous system. Parasite activity 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 note:
- Grinding teeth in me is bruxism. This is the reaction of the nervous system to the presence of an irritant in the body.
- Sleep disorders. Sometimes it appears due to itching in the anal area at night, this is a clear sign of worms.
- Dysbacteriosis.
- Chronic fatigue, general malaise.
- Immunity disorders, increased morbidity, frequent colds.
- Diseases of the respiratory tract. The parasites can reach the respiratory tract and cause cough, pneumonia and even asthma attacks.
Important! If similar symptoms are present, you should be tested for parasitic infection.
More about the manifestations of parasitic diseases
People react to foreign bodies in different ways. With certain forms of helminthiasis, the symptoms of parasites in an adult's body become noticeable several years after organ colonization. In young patients, the first manifestations are usually noticeable in the initial stage of the disease.
How to identify worms in children?
The spread of helminths in these patients is much greater. As a result, the following signs of the presence of parasites appear:
- Weakness
- Sleep quality worsens
- Loss of appetite, usually accompanied by a slowdown in physical development
- Irrational aggression, nervousness and irritability appear
- Stools are disturbed and, in most cases, constipation is a consequence of that
- Gnash and itchy anus are signs of certain worms.
What are the abnormalities for identifying helminths in adults?
The parasitic organism remains in the mouth, which is facilitated by special enzymes. This is only the first obstacle for larvae and helminth eggs. In addition, helminths move into the human body and 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 parasites' intestines and that the spread is slower.
However, over time, the following symptoms appear:
- Changes in the functioning of the central nervous system: headache, dizziness, worsening sleep, tendency to irritation, aggressiveness
- Diseases of certain organs develop: pancreatitis, pneumonia, appendicitis, duodenitis, etc.
- Paleness of the skin indicates parasites, sometimes develops jaundice
- Worms can be recognized by faecal disorder: constipation replaces diarrhea and vice versa
- Flatulence, disturbed intestinal peristalsis
- Another manifestation is abdominal pain
- Allergic reactions in different forms.
How do worms affect overall health?
Weakness is observed, as worms are almost always found in the human intestine. In this case, the microflora is disturbed, which affects the absorption of nutrients, which means that the 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 one of the first to suffer.
If a disease of a particular organ develops (be it heart, kidneys, organs of vision, liver), and the classic treatment regimen for these cases does not work, it is necessary to assume the development of parasitic diseases in humans. If you try to treat them, a person can recover very quickly.
Classification of parasites
All organisms are classified into two main groups:
- Intestinal
- Extraintestinal.
Representatives of the two species live within humans, but in different parts of the body. For example, intestinal parasites in humans always colonize the digestive organs. The extraintestinal forms of helminths tend to infect tissues: muscles, brain, visual organs, etc. In addition, all external organisms that live in the human body are divided into types, taking into account the structure of the body:
- Unicellular (they are the simplest, for example, lamblia)
- Helminths: pinworms, roundworms and the like.
There are several classes of worms:
- Nematodes;
- Trematodes;
- Cestodes.
The first class includes roundworms, for example, ascaris. The second class is represented by chance, chance. Cestodes are called flat helminths, including tapeworms.
Reasons
The main causes of parasitic diseases are careless contact with sick people and neglect of personal hygiene rules. Children who spend a lot of time playing outdoors are usually infected, especially small ones who practice in the sandbox.
Thus, people who do not wash their hands after the street and after eating, do not use a protective barrier when in contact with infected patients and share their personal care products with others are at risk. In addition, there is a risk of infection if meat, vegetable and fruit products are poorly processed.
Diagnosis
It can be difficult to diagnose parasitic diseases, especially in the early stages; its symptoms usually resemble other illnesses.
The most common parasite tests are feces and smears. These methods will help to 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 can be more expensive than conventional analysis, but their accuracy is much greater. First, it includes a blood test for parasites - ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). The accuracy of this method is 99%, it helps 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 radiography;
- computed tomography;
- endoscopy and endobiopsy;
- RNGA;
- RSK;
- RIF.
The requested surveys are chosen by the doctor, and in each case may be different. These are the parasites that the parasitologist treats, although initially he should contact the doctor who treats 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; tests are needed.
How to get rid of parasites?
With parasites, complex intervention is required. Most of them have a long life and treatment depends on how the parasites are currently present in the body. It is necessary to take into account other factors, for example, diseases that arose in the context of parasitic infection.
Preparations
Medicines for parasites are generally available in the form of pills, they have a wide spectrum of action, a remedy can work against several species at the same time. There are many herbal preparations that are milder.
Medicines can be applied once or as a course. Everything depends on the stage of the parasitic disease, the type of parasite, the presence or absence of some symptoms.
Remember that drugs have many side effects. Antiparasitic drugs have a strong toxic effect on the body, so they should be taken with caution. In addition, you cannot combine them with other medications.
Often, after a course of medication, it is necessary to cleanse the body, as not all dead parasites come out naturally. Decomposing in the body, they can cause severe poisoning.
After the medications, you should start restoring immunity. Vitamin complexes, a diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help with this.
Important! You cannot take antiparasitic drugs on your own.
Cleaning the body at home
Some of the measures against parasites can be taken at home, especially for organisms that infect the intestines. At home, you can clean the intestine, but it is worth remembering that not all products are equally good, some, for example, cleaning with soda, can be dangerous to health.
Monastic tea
Monastery tea is usually recommended against parasites. This drink contains many useful medicinal plants: sage, milleft, oak bark, mint and many others. It is believed to help fight parasitic diseases.
The monastery tea treatment course lasts three weeks and no more than one cup of drink is needed per day. Taking this tea will increase immunity and help the body to deal with parasites, however, it is not suitable as an independent medicine, it is better to combine it with conservative treatment and then use it for prevention.
Another name for monastery tea is intohis, sometimes it can be found that way.
Tansy: how to take
Tansy is one of the parasitic herbs, the plant's second name, worm, speaks for itself. The methods of using this herb vary depending on the type of parasite.
The following recipe helps with worms and ascaris. You need to take a tablespoon of dried flowers and pour a glass of hot water. Insist for four hours and then stretch. You need to take this infusion four times a day, one tablespoon before meals.
Bitter wormwood
Absinthe is another medicinal plant that helps fight parasites. This herb is effective for children and adults, the only negative aspect is the unpleasant taste.
To comfortably protect absinthe from worms, place the crushed plant in gelatin capsules. For a child, you don't need more than a quarter of a teaspoon, for an adult - a second. On the first day of hospitalization, a portion is required, then a portion is added every day. Therefore, there should be seven servings on the eighth day. In addition, seven capsules by the end of the second week of hospitalization.
You can also do enemas based on absinthe.
Birch tar
Birch tar is a natural antiseptic that helps fight worms and other internal parasites. A drop of tar is taken with 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 with parasites. There are several recipes for taking them for medicinal purposes. You can simply eat two tablespoons of pumpkin seeds every morning before meals, wait about an hour, and empty your intestines. This method works well against tapeworm.
Against earthworms, 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 must be infused for ten days. Take a spoon on an empty stomach long before breakfast.
Garlic: how to eat
Garlic has disinfectant properties, believed to be harmful to worms. The most useful and harmless for the body is a mixture of garlic and honey against parasites.
To do this, take 300 grams of garlic juice and mix it with 500 grams of honey. Boil this mixture over low heat in a water bath for half an hour, stirring occasionally and removing the resulting foam. Cool the resulting mixture, transfer to a glass and store in a cool, dark place. For worms, take a tablespoon about 3-4 times a day, just before meals.
Flax and carnation
Based on flax seeds and cloves, you can make a kind of seasoning with antiparasitic effect.
Grind flax seeds and cloves in a coffee grinder in the same proportion. This remedy can be added to the food during cooking, the main thing is not to eat more than 25 grams of medicine per day. Sometimes pauses must be taken. This remedy helps with all types of parasites.
Important! It is worth remembering that many medicinal plants can cause allergies. If you develop an individual intolerance, they must be discarded.
How to treat parasites
If symptoms are found that indicate the presence of parasites in the intestines or other organs, treatment can be carried out with folk remedies. They allow you to get rid of worms quickly and prevent the development of serious complications.
Popular recipes
Non-conventional treatment involves the use of natural ingredients. usually decoctions or infusions are made from them. These means allow the expulsion of worms and a complete cleaning of Organs internal organs. For each patient, you can choose your own therapy regimen. The most popular recipes are:
- Coriander seeds - heat in an oil-free frying pan, mash and consume up to three times a day.
- Watermelon seeds - chop and mix with milk. Drink two glasses a day.
- Chanterelle mushrooms - have a negative effect on most parasites, but after heat treatment these properties disappear. To do this, make a tincture with the mushrooms: grind the product, pour the vodka and send it to a dark and cool place for fifteen days. Take a spoon before going to bed.
- Onion - chop until porridge and pour boiling water on top, leave for ten hours, use inside.
- Elecampane - boil for five minutes. Insist at night and take on an empty stomach in the morning.
- Celandine - mix with boiling water and place in a water bath for a quarter of an hour. After forty minutes, strain and drink up to three times a day.
- Absinthe - chop the grass, pour hot milk, insist and drink the whole portion in the morning.
- Ginger - Go through the blender and consume in six days.
- Cloves - taken in powder after meals.
- Pumpkin seeds - they contain a poisonous substance that is dangerous to parasites. Raw shelled seeds can be eaten before meals or mixed with warm milk.
Other methods
At home, the treatment carried out with the help of folk remedies is complemented by a set of measures to quickly eliminate the parasites that live in the human body. We're talking about cleaning enemas. For its implementation are used:
- Garlic - can be combined with milk or herbal infusions.
- Baking soda - heat the water to a temperature of forty-two degrees, add the powder and stir well. The soda can be added to three liters of warm water.
Absinthe and tansy work well for an enema. The herbs are mixed, washed with hot water and boiled. Cool the broth, add a clove of garlic, leave for three hours and strain. The procedure must be done before bed. Another option is pumpkin seed oil. A variety of recipes can be used for an adult. The main thing is to choose a suitable remedy to eliminate a specific type of helminth.
Powdered soap against helminths
One of the options for the treatment of parasites in the body is with ordinary washing powder. It is used to wash your hands after walking, going to the bathroom, etc. The soap solution kills all germs on the skin and prevents them from entering the body. In the morning and after each act of defecating, it is recommended to wash the anus with washing powder - it destroys parasites and their eggs. With the help of the product, it is possible to wash razors, sponges, combs.
It is difficult to clean the body of unwanted people, but it is possible. If you decide to use non-traditional means, you need to have patience and perseverance, 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 is no wonder that many people do not like to touch door handles and pet animals on the street, because this is the fastest way to catch parasites. The infection usually occurs by:
- Handshake;
- Household items;
- Door handles;
- Animal hair;
- Clothes, household items;
- The patient's bed.
Sometimes it is impossible to exclude all factors, because a child can get an infection in kindergarten or school, as well as adults in public transport and elsewhere.
Even lovers of steaks and uncooked rolls can, along with delicacy, catch parasites that live on raw products that have undergone insufficient heat treatment.
Sometimes the symptoms of parasites in the body are found many years later, and the person does not even remember during which period he ate unwashed fruit or petted a cat.
The main thing is prevention
This does not mean that you need to be tested constantly, but it does mean that you need to be involved in prevention:
- Wash your hands with soap and water more often;
- Use antibacterial wipes;
- Do not touch the animals on the street;
- Do not eat unwashed vegetables and fruits, or fried fish and meats.
Those with young children should be especially careful, as they often carry various parasites that can be caught in the sandbox, on the parapet or elsewhere.
If the child goes to a kindergarten, the sowing tank and the delivery of feces are mandatory, so it is not difficult to identify the disease.
Adults have problems with this. Rarely can a doctor require you to collect stool for analysis, and it is for helminths.
This must be taken care of by the patient himself, especially those who love exotic cuisine and extreme relaxation.
If there are parasites, the symptoms may be different, but where are these or those most common?
How to prevent infection?
First, you must understand how to determine the presence of parasites in the body. If suspicions are confirmed, treatment is prescribed. You need to follow simple rules so that the situation does not happen again:
- The parasites of the stomach and other organs of the gastrointestinal tract end up in dirty hands. This means that you need to wash them frequently.
- Change of linen, bed.
- Cleaning the room.
- Cleaning products, pay special attention to vegetables, fruits. Meat and fish must be processed.
- To avoid signs of the presence of various parasites in the human body, clothing and underwear must be subjected to high temperature processing. After washing, things are ironed.
- The water is filtered, boiled.
So, if there is any doubt about how to check for the presence of worms, an exam is performed to diagnose helminthiasis. It is also possible to identify worms through external examination, observing the symptoms. The treatment is done comprehensively, but before that, the body is cleaned.