The question of how to get rid of parasites in the body has become topical.
The article describes what helminths are, where or how they become infected, how to quickly get rid of parasites and how to properly treat yourself at home.
How does the body get infected with parasites?
According to statistics, more than 4 billion people suffer from helminthiasis. Most types of parasites have lived in the human body for many years, practically nothing about themselves, and the patient clears the malaise from intoxication with the waste products of parasites from ordinary fatigue or problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
So why do so many people suffer from helminthiasis? The main problem is that it will not be difficult even for a very wealthy person who observes personal hygiene to "catch" parasites. Parasites often appear in children because they have not fully developed hygienic skills.
The most common options for infecting the body:
- route of food infection - parasites enter the human body through food, water and dirty hands;
- household contact - infection through contact with household items and contact with infected families or pets;
- transmissible - parasitic infection through the blood when bitten by insects;
- percutaneous - the larva penetrates the skin in contact with the ground or when swimming in water bodies.
Parasites usually enter the human body through the mouth. Especially in this way, helminths appear in children, who, for example, play in the sandbox, then put their dirty fingers in their mouths.
To prevent infection of the body in this way, it is necessary to strictly follow the rules of personal hygiene and carefully monitor that the child eats only washed fruits and vegetables.
Please note that worm eggs are covered with a sticky compound, thanks to which they adhere firmly to surfaces, so you need to wash your food thoroughly before cooking or eating it.
There is a fairly common disease - giardiasis. It becomes infected by drinking untreated water from the net or by ingesting water from an open tank.
Dogs and cats carry more than a dozen dangerous parasites. If the family has pets, it is necessary to pay attention to the prevention of parasite infection: vaccinate the animals, and after walking on the street, be sure to wash their paws.
There are some types of insects (mosquitoes and flies) that carry the eggs of parasites and protozoa.
Parasites can enter the human body through the skin. For example, by walking barefoot on the beach, vacationers risk becoming infected with hookworm infection: helminth larvae enter the bloodstream through the skin and then into the small intestine.
A disease called schistosomal dermatitis (bather's itch) has spread.
You can get infected with this type of parasite by swimming in a pond, where the feces of a sick person entered with poorly treated drains.
There is a high risk of contracting parasites through the consumption of poorly processed foods.
Beef and pork are particularly dangerous: cattle and pigs are carriers of parasites such as bovine and swine tapeworms.
The disease caused by these parasites is called cysticercosis. The presence of the parasite can be determined by checking the carcass in special laboratories.
With extreme caution, you need to eat the meat of wild animals, for example, wild boars, bears - they can live with Trichinella bacteria, which cause trichinosis.
The disease is often fatal. Experts warn that it is necessary not only to be wary of meat, but also to be careful when buying lard.
Types of helminths
There are many worms that can parasitize the human body. It is worth considering the most common types of helminths.
Nematodes live in the small intestine, the length of the parasite is 15 - 40 cm. The eggs of these parasites leave the body along with the feces and are found in the soil, which is why it is necessary to thoroughly rinse the vegetables from the beds before serving.
This type of parasite causes allergic reactions, internal bleeding, disrupts the functions of the gastrointestinal tract, causes general weakness and decreased performance.
Pinworms enter the human body through contact and daily life. The length of the adults is 4 - 12 mm. One of the most characteristic symptoms of enterobiasis is itching in the anus.
Trichocephalosis (whipworm infection) is characterized by symptoms such as seizures, frequent migraines, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal problems (diarrhea, constipation, nausea, in severe cases, vomiting).
Trichinella are thin worms, 4-5 mm long. Their body infection occurs through poorly processed pork or poultry.
Symptoms of the disease: the face becomes swollen, fever appears, muscles ache.
A few days after infection, the temperature rises sharply, sometimes blinking becomes painful. Trichinosis can also be fatal.
The bovine tapeworm is a long worm, it can reach up to 10 m in length. The worm can appear in the body of a person who consumes undercooked meat.
The danger of infection exists for housewives who taste minced meat while cooking. The disease causes headaches, dizziness, vomiting and appetite problems.
Wide tapeworm - the length of the worm is up to 15 m. It is dangerous for the organisms of those who consume poorly processed river fish.
Typical manifestations of infection are the appearance of cracks or bright spots on the tongue. Symptoms of diphyllobothriasis are mild: they can be salivation, weakness, sleep problems, etc.
Infection of the body with dwarf tapeworms (the length of adult worms is only 3 - 5 cm) often occurs in public places.
Hymenolepiasis causes a general decrease in performance, stomach problems, even seizures.
Echinococcus is a parasitic organism, infection occurs through contact with dogs and cats. Its length is 5-6 mm.
Helminth can affect any organ of the body, respectively, the clinical picture will be different in each case.
Sometimes only surgery helps get rid of this parasite in the body.
The Siberian trematode is a small worm 4 - 13 mm long. The parasite enters the body by eating cooked fish without sufficient heat treatment.
Opisthorchiasis gives a high temperature, which can last for several months, jaundice and problems with the gastrointestinal tract may appear.
How do worms appear?
There are many symptoms that indicate the presence of parasites in the body.
It is worth sounding the alarm if a person suddenly begins to lose weight without limiting himself to food - this is one of the sure signs of the appearance of helminths in the body.
A sharp weight gain, in which diets are powerless, can also indicate the presence of parasites in the body.
If, for no good reason, insomnia and problems with performance appeared, you began to tire quickly, headaches became more frequent, an allergy developed that had never occurred before, then you definitely need to go to clinic for a specialist to diagnose the presence of worms in the body.
Stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation and other problems with the gastrointestinal tract can also indicate the appearance of parasites in the body.
So, the following signs may indicate the appearance of worms in the body:
- disruption of the gastrointestinal tract - frequent diarrhea and constipation, abdominal pain, more often in the navel, periodic vomiting, bloating;
- problems with the central nervous system - dizziness, nausea, migraine, fever, sometimes fever;
- allergy - itching, rash, cough appear;
- decreased immunity - chronic diseases can worsen, diseases of the nasopharynx or problems with the reproductive system may appear.
If you notice any signs of worm infection in yourself, be sure to take the time to go to the doctor.
A professional will tell you how to get rid of the parasites in the best way and will tell you which medications should be used to solve your specific problem.
Choosing the right drug will increase the effectiveness of the treatment and speed up recovery.
By the way, it is important to remember that if a person in the family is infected with parasites, there is a high probability that it will be detected in the body of the rest of the family. In such situations, doctors advise each family member to be examined and undergo prophylaxis.
How to treat helminthiasis with drugs?
If the suspicion of the presence of parasites in the body has been confirmed by tests, then it is time to think about how to get rid of the worms.
The appearance of parasites in the body can lead to serious health problems, so the only option is to get treated as soon as possible.
Most often, doctors suggest getting rid of parasites in the body with drugs. The most suitable drug for removing parasites from the body will be recommended by a specialist.
Antiparasitic agents treat enterobiasis, ascariasis, necatorosis, toxoplasmosis. Various side effects are possible, for example, allergies, insomnia, diarrhea, migraine.
Treatment of parasites at home
Few people like to go to the clinic again and queue for an appointment with a doctor, so the question of how to get rid of parasites at home is relevant. In addition to drug treatment, you can treat parasites and folk methods.
There are many ways to get rid of parasites in the human body without resorting to pharmacological drugs:
- onion tincture - chopped onion is mixed with vodka, pour the mixture into a half-liter jar, insist 10 days. After the onion is removed from the tincture and the liquid is taken in the amount of two tablespoons before meals;
- onion broth: finely chopped onions should be mixed with water and boiled. Dosage: 50 - 100 ml 2-3 times a day before meals;
- horseradish and garlic tincture: chopped horseradish and garlic are mixed with vodka (25 grams of each component), let it brew for 10 days. Dosage: 3 times a day before meals;
- enema with a decoction of garlic: mix 2 crushed cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of tansy and half a liter of milk, boil the resulting composition for 10 minutes, then cool the broth and make an enema out of it 2 times a day. Need to hold a weekly course
Garlic is very popular with people.
There are several recipes for using it:
- soften the garlic in the oven and put it on the navel for an hour. You can take a few cloves of garlic softened inside;
- a few hours before bedtime, do enemas with garlic, grated and mixed with water;
- apply finely chopped garlic on the feet for the whole day. While walking, the juice is released from the garlic and, absorbed by the skin, enters the blood;
- for the treatment of worms in children, a mixture of grated garlic with boiled milk helps. It is recommended to take such a "cocktail" 2 times a day, 400 ml.
Do not get carried away with folk remedies, because modern medicine has a huge arsenal of various pharmacological drugs that allow you to quickly and effectively get rid of parasites.