Worms in humans are quite an unpleasant phenomenon that may not appear for a long time. Parasitic worms in science are called helminths. The human infection is called helminthiasis. This happens as a result of worm eggs entering our body. Contrary to popular belief that worms are a purely childhood disease, adults are also susceptible to a strong attack by parasites. Scientists believe that every fourth person on earth is a carrier of this disease.
Where can they live
Adult helminths move through the body until they settle in the organs that are most suitable for them. The eggs of the parasites enter the intestines and settle there. This is the most common place. It is easy to find worms in the gut and remove them.
The second most popular worm is the liver. The lungs follow her. There are very rare forms of the disease in which the worms get into the eyeballs and muscles.
Classification
Human worms are classified according to their location. There are luminal and tissue types.
Tissues are those that live in organs. They can cause the following diseases:
- paragonimiasis is a type of damage to lung tissue by worms;
- echinococcosis - liver damage;
- cysticercosis - of the brain;
- filariasis - lymph nodes.
The second type of human worms are luminal. This is the most common type of disease that affects the intestines. Worms can be completely different: hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, whips, tapeworms, pinworms and others.
Stages of development
Adult worms can come from completely different sources. In order for the parasite to start developing in the body, it must enter through the mouth. Worm eggs can be in raw meat, untreated water from tanks, on dirty hands. In this form, they enter the oral cavity, then the stomach and then are absorbed by the intestines.
Already in the stomach, a larva hatches from the egg, which begins its journey through the human body until it finds an ideal environment for further development. If these are intestinal parasites, then you do not need to move long. If it is pulmonary or cerebral, then the larva will move through the bloodstream until it settles in the right place.
In the third stage of development, the larva becomes an adult helminth, which feeds on vitamins and minerals intended for the human body. The parasite lays eggs again and multiplies at a very high rate.
The time frame for completing all stages is from a few hours to a few days. During this period, it is important to find a good cure for worms for a person.
Symptoms
There are not always clear signs of worms in humans. Symptoms may appear only during certain periods of the disease, or may not appear at all. When an adult lives in the body, it is extremely difficult to notice because you can confuse the disease with any other disease. Helminths can be found at random by donating feces for testing.
To imagine what happens in the body, consider an example with the life cycle of roundworms. This type of worm loves to travel and in the process of moving through the body can be distributed.
Roundworm infection can be caused by eating unwashed vegetables and fruits. The parasite lays eggs on the ground and they can easily get on the plants.
Once the worm's egg enters the mouth and stomach, it begins to grow and becomes a larva, which very quickly (in 2-3 hours) enters the circulatory system and begins to move through the small bloodstream. Its target is the lungs.
In the lung tissue, the larva grows until it becomes an adult, which will have a small space and will have to eat the cells of the alveoli and small bronchi. At this stage, the first symptoms appear and if the diagnosis is correct, then the worm medicine will quickly help a person get rid of them.
The patient begins to cough, shortness of breath and fever. In rare cases, an allergic rash occurs. This is how worms appear in humans. Symptoms and treatment will depend on the stage of development, as all of these signs can be mistaken for the common cold.
Once the adult has bitten his way through the airways into his mouth, he will lay eggs to swallow them again, so that they are in the gastrointestinal tract, from where the cycle will begin again.
Phases of the course of the disease
The symptoms of worms in an adult will be different, depending on which phase of the disease. They can be two:
- Sharp
- Acquire.
The first phase appears in the first days after infection, during the larvae 's journey through the body. A person may feel itchy, his skin will become red and rashes will appear. There may be a dry barking cough with suffocating attacks. If you donate blood for testing, the result will show a significant increase in eosinophils.
The transition to the second phase shows that a person's worms have settled in the right place and exist peacefully without disturbing anyone. This is a latent stage that may not appear for several years.
The medicine for worms in humans will help to get rid of them only if an infection is accidentally found. Men and women need to listen carefully to their bodies. During the months that people will feed on the parasites, the general condition of the body will change. Metabolism suffers above all. Ultimately, the peculiarity of helminths is that, attaching to the walls of the organs, they suck all the nutrients and minerals from the cells, as a result of which the functionality of the affected areas is impaired.
What could be the consequences
There are parasites that cause dangerous conditions in the body. For example, the presence of Trichinella or schistosome leads to anemia and vitamin deficiency.
Remember that worms also excrete their waste products in the human intestine, resulting in dysbiosis and overgrowth of opportunistic organisms.
The immune system suffers. She loses weight, allergies appear. A person becomes susceptible to viral attacks and gets sick more often.
If human worms are not treated, the consequences can be unpredictable. Each type of parasite affects different organs and they are the first to suffer. If the liver is damaged, jaundice may develop. Hookworm infection leads to anemia, as this type of helminth feeds exclusively on blood. So the most important thing at every stage is to find a worm cure for a person.
Diagnosis
Only two analyzes will help save lives. This is a general analysis of blood and stool. At the annual physical examination, the risks of missing the disease are minimal.
There will be such changes in the blood: leukocetosis - a shift of the leukocyte formula to the right and an increase in the number of eosinophils.
Worms in human feces are the safest and fastest way to detect them. You need to take the analysis fresh, then the result will be correct.
Worm tablets for prophylaxis in humans
The drugs produced in our country can be divided into two groups: those with a broad spectrum of action and those that kill a certain type of helminths. Since there are more than 70 species of worms that infect humans, it is impossible to determine without tests which parasite got inside. Worm tablets for human prophylaxis should be prescribed by a doctor.
In medicine, all worms are divided into three groups:
- nematodes;
- cestodes;
- trematodes.
Treatment will depend on the type of helminth that inhabits the body.
Remedy for nematodes (roundworms)
This species includes: pinworms, roundworms, Trichinella, Vagoslav, Toxocara. In children and adults, the first two representatives are most common.
The most suitable drug in the form of suspensions or chewable tablets will be selected by a specialist.
Medicines for cestodes (tapeworms)
Cestodes are a huge number of helminths. The most common are tapeworm, coenurosis, alveococcosis, asparagus, tapeworm and others.
Drugs with a broad spectrum of action are most commonly used, as they are also used in the treatment of roundworms. Also suitable for prevention.
Medicines for flukes (flatworms)
Representatives of this class can be listed for a very long time. Most often the body is affected by opisthorchiasis (feline fluke), fascioliasis, clonorchiasis (Chinese fluke), pulmonary fluke and others.
Do not self-medicate, a specialist will choose tablets for flatworms.
How to take worm pills
No matter what type of worm has settled in the body of an adult or child, remember the basic and most important rule: if a worm is found in a family member, then all must be treated. All items in the house must be disinfected. If there are pets, you should check them first, as our pets can be the source of the problem.
All anthelmintic drugs work on adults without touching eggs and larvae. Therefore, the second rule sounds like this: two weeks after taking the drug, the course should be repeated. This is especially true in the case of pinworms. These parasites are so cunning that they leave the larvae out of the body and a person can become infected again.
It is recommended that the tablets be taken in the morning and a cleansing enema in the evening.
Be careful! All medicines should be taken as directed by your doctor. This is especially true for cases of flatworm and tapeworm infections. They are so dangerous that the treatment takes place in a hospital. When removing them, the dosage must be strictly observed, calculating the patient's weight and age, as the drugs are very toxic. Self-medication in such cases is unacceptable!
Worm prevention
Mothers' debates about whether or not it is necessary to take worm prevention pills never stop. Some believe that this is a good way to protect themselves from dangerous consequences because children are most susceptible to infection. Others find it unnecessary and do not want to burden the body with pills that are not needed.
Very often children of school and preschool age are affected by pinworms. The analysis of enterobiosis can be false-negative and then a sick child who brought parasites to the house or school can infect everyone. The transport of eggs on stalks is done through household items, handshakes, pet hair, door handles and other surrounding objects.
The main methods of prevention include compliance with the rules of personal hygiene. It is mandatory to wash your hands with soap and water after diffraction, before meals, after a walk outside or visiting public places.
What if the child complains of itching in the anus? This is one of the most pronounced symptoms of pinworm infection. In this case, you should be tested for enterobiosis as soon as possible. Let's say the child complains in the evening, then in the morning you have to run to the clinic.
If the result of the first scraping is negative and the itching persists, the analysis should be repeated two days later for a week, and then after another two weeks.
If you are characterized by one of the following statements, then you need to take preventive measures:
- the presence of furry pets;
- constant games in the sandstone or the ground;
- travel to an exotic country;
- the father is an avid fisherman or hunter.
Folk recipes
Consider how to remove worms from a person at home. Recipes against helminths have been known since ancient times. And despite the fact that they are successfully replaced by synthetic substances, the folk method remains proven for prevention.
Let's look at the most effective recipes.
Onion, honey, aloe juice. Onions are considered the most universal medicine. It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anthelmintic action. Mix it in equal proportions with aloe juice and honey and take a real remedy against worms. Take 1 teaspoon a few days before breakfast. Due to the fact that the product turns out to be sweet, children will certainly drink it.
Carrot juice. Fresh carrots not only contain a supply of vitamins, but also have an anthelmintic effect. By drinking it on an empty stomach, you can enrich the body with energy for the whole day and at the same time prevent an unpleasant disease.
Garlic is one of the most effective remedies for worms. Consider recipes for how you can remove worms from a person at home:
- Finely chop or squeeze the garlic. Roll the resulting slurry into small portions in cheesecloth so that you get something like a candle. Insert into the anus overnight for 10 days. Such a remedy is effective against pinworms and is used for adults and children.
- Enemas with garlic. Another way to remove nasty neighbors from the gut. The solution should consist of water and garlic, cut into porridge in proportion. For one glass you need to take a few cloves. The procedure is repeated 2 times a week.
- Garlic with honey. Another option for pediatric medicine. To prevent burning of garlic, it is mixed in a natural way. Take 1 teaspoon twice a day.
- Garlic with milk. For lovers of unusual tastes, a milk-based medicine is offered. There are five crushed garlic cloves per liter of cow's product. The mixture is boiled and taken in small portions at bedtime.
Herbal infusions
From time immemorial, all medicines have been prepared with herbs. Mother Nature knows best how to get rid of parasitic worms. It is time to systematize this knowledge.
To prepare an herbal remedy, you should choose bitter plants such as cloves, wormwood, thyme, calendula, cumin. Prepared infusions should be taken every day. It will take a month to completely clear the body, but the improvement occurs after 2-3 weeks of the course.
Consider the most famous recipes for herbal tinctures for the treatment of worms:
- Based on tansy. Pour the grass with boiling water in the following proportions: 100 grams of dry mixture per 150 ml of hot water. Close the lid and let stand 8-10 hours. You need to take 30 drops dissolved in a glass of water.
- Based on wormwood. This herb should insist on alcohol for a week. The ratio is 1: 1. For 100 grams of grass 100 ml of alcohol. Take 25 drops dissolved in a glass of water.
- Effective tincture on walnut shells. It should be filled with alcohol per 100 grams of dry product, 150 ml of "fiery" water.
- Based on cloves. For tincture, use dry unopened clove buds. Pour 100 grams of aromatic spice with a glass of boiling water and leave for at least 3 days. The daily dose of the drug is 30 drops per glass of water.
Pumpkin seeds against worms
Pumpkin seeds are safe for both children and adults. This is a very popular folk remedy against worms. Consider how to remove worms in humans using this product.
What's the secret? The fact that the shell of pumpkin seeds contains a substance such as cucurbin, which is fatal to worms. Therefore, you should only use unpeeled green seeds.
Cucurbin does not kill worms, it only paralyzes them. Adults are deprived of the ability to move, to cling to the cells of the body, to absorb nutrients, which means that they will soon die naturally and be expelled through a person's anus.
The most powerful recipe is pumpkin seeds and castor oil. One serving of unpeeled seeds in the amount of 100 pieces should be eaten in the morning. Then wash it with a teaspoon of castor oil. The latter has a laxative effect to remove parasites from the body.
Mix pumpkin and honey. First grind the seeds to a pulp in a blender, then add a little honey. Eat "muesli" in the morning on an empty stomach. The course of treatment is several days. It is recommended to repeat it after 2 weeks.
Another healthy breakfast is pumpkin seeds and garlic. First, fry the beans in a pan without fat and water until golden brown. Then the mixture is poured into a blender, add the garlic and grind to a pulp. Boil overnight, and in the morning take a tablespoon of the mixture.