Infection with intestinal forms of worms is the most common type of parasitic disease. There is an opinion that in one way or another more than 90% of the world's population is infected with helminths, although this view has not received scientific confirmation. Mainly helminthiases affect children who ignore basic rules of personal hygiene. However, the presence of parasitic worms in the intestines of adults is not uncommon.
Symptoms and signs of infection
In modern medicine, there are certain ideas about which symptoms indicate a helminthic lesion. However, in reality, the clinical picture of helminthiasis is extremely rare in its complete form. Much more often, the disease is latent and its signs are not specific enough to associate them with worms.
The pathological influence of worms is due to several mechanisms:
- mechanical damage to the intestinal walls;
- toxic effect of parasite waste products;
- the absorption of part of the substances necessary for the human body that come with food;
- blockage of hepatic ducts, intestinal lumen (worm lumps).
As a rule, helminths do not accumulate in pieces and are located longitudinally in the intestinal lumen. Acute intestinal obstruction develops only with improper treatment, when alarmed, but not destroyed, parasites begin to actively move, become entangled and form volumetric complexes of their own bodies.
Helminthiases have the following set of symptoms:
- nausea;
- weakness;
- dizziness;
- to vomit;
- headache;
- diarrhea;
- weight loss;
- itching in the anus;
- regional lymphadenitis;
- joint pain;
- occult blood in stool;
- signs of inflammation in the small intestine;
- abdominal pain.
Some types of helminths can affect the bladder and cause hematuria (blood in the urine) to penetrate the liver, lungs, muscles and brain. When the lungs are affected, the patient has a debilitating cough, sometimes the sputum is separated with a mixture of blood.
Worms in children often lead to a decrease in growth and mental development, make the child nervous and restless. Pinworms crawling out of the anus to lay eggs cause intense itching at night and at night (the worm's most active period).
types of parasites
In the human body, 3 main types of worms parasitize: round, ribbon and flat.
worms
The most prominent representatives of the parasite species are pinworms and roundworms. Infection with these helminths is responsible for 80% of cases of all helminthiases found in the territory of the former CIS countries.
These worms are of different sexes, have relatively small body sizes (from 1-2 to several tens of centimeters), infection occurs via the fecal-oral route.
tapeworms
They are the largest of all parasitic worms. The most famous representatives of the group, pork and cattle tapeworms, can reach a length of 10-15 meters.
The reproduction of the parasites occurs without the participation of the second individual. Eggs are excreted into the environment with the patient's feces.
worms
Small representatives of helminths, living, as a rule, in the bile and hepatic ducts.
Residents of endemic areas may not experience symptoms of the disease for many years. In the case of infection of a person who has not had contact with the parasite in the past, they lead to serious liver disease. It can cause hepatitis, gallstone manifestations and other symptoms.
echinococcus
Echinococcus is the only tapeworm that uses humans as an intermediate host.
In this case, the larvae of the parasite enter the bloodstream, spread through the body and settle in the tissues, after which they begin to grow. Echinococcal cysts are formed. In this case, worm pills for humans or animals are practically useless. Finns are promptly removed.
Worm pills for adults
The vast majority of popular anthelmintic drugs today are created based on one of three main substances: mebendazole, albendazole, or levamisole.
mebendazole-based
Broad spectrum drugs that are prescribed to patients suffering from enterobiasis, ascariasis, ankylostomidosis, trichuriasis, taeniasis, echinococcosis and other helminthic invasions.
Side effects include:
- nausea;
- stomachache;
- vomiting;
- headache;
- an increase in the amount of liver enzymes in the blood.
Contraindicated for pregnant and lactating women, children under 2 years old, people suffering from liver disease and alcohol dependence (during excessive alcohol consumption). A laxative is not prescribed when prescribing these funds.
based on albendazole
The means have a wide spectrum of action, allow to obtain a therapeutic effect in ascariasis, enterobiasis, tape infection and flat parasites. Used to treat echinococcosis when surgical treatment is not possible.
Drugs are contraindicated in pregnancy, lactation, young children, with retinal pathology and non-helminthic lesions of the liver. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, and other signs of toxic syndrome, which are characteristic of nearly all anthelmintic drugs.
Levamisole-based
Most effective when infected with worms and roundworms. In other diseases of a helminthic nature, they also have the necessary effect, however, treatment may require a longer course than with the use of analogues.
The drugs have immunostimulating properties and can be used as such in moderate immunodeficiency.
Levamisole-based media are contraindicated in the following conditions:
- pregnancy;
- lactation;
- childhood;
- alcoholism in the binge stage;
- liver disease;
- agranulocytosis.
Levamisole and its derivatives during long-term treatment can cause agranulocytosis, nausea, vomiting, depression, dermatitis, anorexia.
Children's tablets and suspensions
As a rule, treatment of helminthiases in children over 3-4 years old can be done with the same drugs prescribed for adults. In this case, the dose of the drug should be adjusted according to the age of the child.
You should be aware that, for ease of administration, suspension can be made from any tableted agent. To do this, the required amount of the drug is crushed to the powder state, added to the required amount of drinking water and mixed thoroughly.
Self-prepared suspensions cannot be dosed in the same way as factory dosage forms. The required amount of the drug is measured before preparing the suspension!
Popular recipes for worms
Answering questions about how to expel worms from a child or an adult, one cannot fail to mention popular methods of treatment.
pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds contain cucurbitin, a substance that has an adverse effect on worms. The tool is effective in almost all intestinal helminthiases. Some sources claim that the action of cucurbitin extends to extraintestinal helminths.
Pumpkin seeds should only be eaten raw. Heat treatment destroys the active substances in them. Also, it is not recommended to remove the husk. It is best if the seeds are ground in a blender along with the husk. For ease of use, the dough can be poured with milk.
Carrot
It is not necessary to use carrots as an independent remedy for the treatment of helminthiases, as it is not efficient enough for this. However, as a means of prevention, as well as an auxiliary substance in the presence of basic therapy, carrots are quite suitable.
You can use carrots in any way that doesn't require heat treatment. It is better for dishes, which include a vegetable, to contain hot peppers or spices (Korean-style carrots). The plant is given to children in a raw and purified form.
Linen
You can remove worms from the intestines using plain or black linen. Flaxseeds can be used crushed and mixed with cinnamon. However, it is better if they are used in the form of an infusion. For its preparation 1-2 tbsp. spoons of seeds crushed in a blender are poured with a glass of boiling water and left to infuse. After a few hours, the composition must be filtered and taken 100 ml twice a day on an empty stomach. The course of treatment is until such time as the parasite eggs are no longer found in the stool.
Chamomile decoction
A chamomile decoction can be used in almost unlimited amounts. It has no direct anthelmintic effect, however, it promotes healing of microcracks in the intestinal mucosa, which form as a result of helminth activity.
In addition, chamomile contains a huge amount of vitamins, natural immunostimulants and other beneficial substances.
Garlic
Garlic is one of the best anthelmintic plants. You can use it in its pure form as well as mixed with milk. The mixture is prepared by squeezing 10-12 drops of garlic juice into a glass of hot boiled milk. It is necessary to drink garlic milk in the morning on an empty stomach for 1-2 weeks. In the future, to prevent re-invasion and improve immunity, garlic is recommended.
Hemp and linseed oil
Hemp, linseed, hawthorn, cedar and other oils also have anthelmintic action.
When we remove worms with folk remedies, the oil should be administered 1 teaspoon twice a day, preferably on an empty stomach, shortly before meals. A relative contraindication to the use of this method is severe dyspepsia, accompanied by profuse diarrhea. Before starting the oil treatment, fixing agents must be taken.
Tansy
Tansy is one of the most popular anthelmintic drugs recognized by folk and traditional medicine.
For the treatment of helminthic infection, the plant can be consumed in the form of a powder (orally, 0. 7-1 g 1 time a day for a week) or in the form of an aqueous decoction. In addition, inflorescences are part of many complex remedies (troychatka).
Tansy is strictly contraindicated for pregnant women and children under 12!
troychatka
The composition of the so-called "troychatka" includes 1 g of tansy, 0. 5 g of cloves and 0. 3 g of absinthe. All components are ground to a powdery state and mixed. It is allowed to use the mixture inside in its pure form. In this case, the dose of the drug should be increased gradually, starting with half of 0. 7 to 0. 8 grams per day. For ease of use, herbs can be mixed with food. The composition is taken for several months.
sagebrush
Wormwood in the treatment of helminthiases in adults is often used in the form of an alcohol tincture. To do this, dry grass is crushed, the required amount of powder is measured and poured with vodka in a ratio of 1: 3. The tincture is ready to use in 2-3 weeks. It is necessary to take 30-50 grams on an empty stomach, twice a day.
In childhood, tincture of absinthe is replaced by infusion, where pure drinking water is used instead of alcohol. The frequency and duration of reception do not change.
Worm enema recipes
Enemas for helminthiases can remove parasites that have migrated to the rectum for reproduction. Garlic, soda enemas and tansy enemas are used.
enema with garlic
To set an enema, a decoction of garlic is used. Several cloves of the plant are poured with water and boiled for 2-3 minutes. After that, the garlic pulp is removed, the broth is cooled, filtered and then injected into the rectum with a syringe.
Garlic enemas are not given to children under 3 years of age. In addition, this type of treatment is useless for tissue parasites, tapeworms, located in the hepatic ducts, tapeworms. The procedure is performed before going to bed. Preliminarily, it is recommended to put on a cleansing enema.
soda enema
The solution is prepared from a glass of water and 0. 5 tsp of baking soda. The powder is dissolved and boiled for five minutes. After the solution is cooled, filtered and injected into the rectum at bedtime.
There are no age restrictions here. To define an enema for very young children, its volume must be compared to the size of the child's body. The course of treatment consists of 6-7 procedures.
enema with tansy
The solution is prepared from crushed tansy inflorescences. To do this, pour 2-3 tablespoons of powder with a glass of boiling water and insist for half an hour. The solution is then filtered through gauze and injected into the rectum. The course of treatment is 1-2 weeks.
Tansy enema is contraindicated for children under 14!
Prevention
The basis for preventing worms is clean hands. Therefore, a child, like an adult, must observe the basic rules of personal hygiene.
The second fundamental principle of prevention is the annual medical examination with mandatory stool examination for the presence of helminth eggs. Preventive courses of treatment are recommended only in the absence of contraindications and with the use of agents of low toxicity. Otherwise, highly toxic drugs will do more harm than good!