Parasites enter the human body in different ways. After a while, they manifest themselves with various symptoms and signs. In order to be sure to get rid of and eliminate the pest, it is necessary to carry out treatment with drugs and drugs prescribed according to the diagnostic results.
The human body and organs are very attractive for a large number of parasites which settle there and use their resources. It is logical that in this case the body itself begins to receive less of the necessary nutrients, and it is also clogged with waste products from the vital activity of microorganisms. As a result, signs of discomfort and severe external symptoms appear.
Some parasites are quite dangerous, others have practically no effect on well-being even at high concentrations, but it is important to detect them in time and take measures to eliminate them. How to get rid of parasites with the help of medicines, drugs and special remedies against them, we will consider below in the article.
Types of parasites in the human body
If you neglect to wash your hands before eating or eat unwashed vegetables and fruits, you can easily contractGiardia, a microscopic flagellate parasite. In some cases, the introduction goes unnoticed, since there are no obvious signs of the presence of worms in humans.
Hookwormenters the human body when walking barefoot on wet ground. Characteristic symptoms are skin irritation and rashes on the lower extremities. If the hookworm reaches the internal organs, the consequences are reminiscent of a roundworm infection.
Children are more likely to get caughtpinworm, a worm that settles in the intestinal cavity. The characteristic manifestations are lack of appetite, fatigue and discomfort in the anus. Reproduction occurs by laying eggs in underwear or in folds of the skin surface. Children contract pinworm agents from toys, dirty dishes and laundry. Pinworms in adults occur after contact with contaminated objects.
Pork and cattle tapewormenter humans with insufficiently processed meat, in pigs and cows respectively. The most dangerous situation is the penetration of larvae into the eyes and brain. The maximum size of tapeworms reaches 7 meters, and their lifespan is 15 to 20 years. It is quite difficult to get rid of established tapeworms, even using strong medications against them.
Toxocarafrom domestic animals. The carrier is a dog or cat living next to a person. Adults measure up to 0. 3 m long. Reproduction is carried out by eggs which are released with secretions and mature in the soil. Contact with such soil poses a risk of introducing Toxocara, which spreads widely to all parts of the body. You can prevent the parasite by washing your hands regularly.
Echinococcusare introduced from an animal or from eating unwashed berries. Echinococcosis disease poses an increased threat to children, because the larvae are carried in blood vessels and can settle anywhere, forming a characteristic cyst. Echinococcus often affects:
- Brain
- Liver
- Lymph nodes
- Kidneys
Penetrated insideroundwormscause the disease ascariasis. These worms are easily established in humans, as they are transmitted through unwashed hands, unboiled water and interaction with soil. The maximum size of roundworms reaches 0. 4 meters; they settle in the brain, capillaries, lungs, eyes and intestines. Under the action of parasites, symptoms appear:
- Poor digestion
- Allergic reactions
- Anemia
- Development of neurodermatitis, asthma, arthritis, seizures
- Sometimes the temperature rises
Has similar signslarge tapeworm, worn with raw fish. In the body it is in a crowded state, the length reaches a gigantic 10 meters. The presence of the large tapeworm causes stomach pain, attacks of nausea, especially after waking up, and weakness.
All these parasites pose a danger to both adults and children, so it is imperative to get rid of them by eliminating them in different ways.
Signs of the presence of parasites in the body
If spots appear on the skin, if it becomes rougher, if wrinkles and pimples begin to appear, then this may be the first sign of the presence of a parasite. Cracked heels or brittle nails, we often speak of damage to the digestive system by Giardia or Trichomonas.
Other early signs are a weakness in the immune system, due to which a person is constantly susceptible to infection, their paranasal sinuses become inflamed, and symptoms of sinusitis and tonsillitis are noticeable.
In the male body, parasitic infection often manifests itself as cystitis, prostatitis, sand and stones in the bladder, problems with erection and the ability to conceive a child. Damage to various parts of the brain by parasites has serious consequences.
Signs of parasites entering the female body are:
- Increased pain before menstruation
- Irregular menstrual cycle
- Inflammatory process in the ovaries, adrenal glands
- Development of fibrocystic mastopathy
- Dysfunction of the urine elimination system
- Myoma
If you do not treat and get rid of pinworms in time, they can cause inflammation of appendicitis, symptoms of insufficient secretion and elimination of bile. When the lungs are infected, symptoms resemble pneumonia or bronchitis. If you do not find the root cause of the disease and do not start using drugs against parasites, then the person receives the wrong treatment and the situation only gets worse as the body weakens further. Eventually:
- Immunity decreases
- Different types of allergies develop
- Body weight drops sharply
- Skin pathologies are formed that did not exist before
- The patient suffers from constant fatigue and lack of strength
- Signs of dysbacteriosis, anemia, vitamin deficiency, stool disorders in all directions appear
- The patient is not sleeping well
Symptoms of parasites in the human body
- Constipationoccurs when large, long parasites living in the intestines block the intestinal lumen or bile flow pathways.
- Diarrheapersecutes people if they have a worm whose secretions lead to loose stools.
- Bloating and flatulencethese are signs of the presence of foreign organisms in the large and small intestines.
- Intestinal irritationformed when fat metabolism is disrupted, leading to constipation, diarrhea and cramps.
- Pain in joints and muscles. This is the sign of a parasite installed in muscular structures or in the synovial fluid. The symptoms are similar to arthritis, but the inflammation is caused by the presence of a foreign body.
- Manifestations of allergiesoccur against the background of an acute reaction of the human body to the remains of parasites. Additionally, the immune system is forced to produce a greater volume of cells fighting the microorganism, leading to an increased allergic reaction.
- Rash, manifested by eczema, dermatitis, papillomas, ulcerations.
- Anemiais formed due to a deficiency of blood cells on which certain worms that live in the intestinal environment feed. The result is internal blood loss and symptoms of anemia.
- Weight gain or loss. Body weight increases when parasites take away the glucose needed by the human body. And the opposite situation occurs with metabolic disorders, caused by the presence of foreign organisms inside.
- Contrasting psycho-emotional statesin the form of increased excitability, irritability or depression, these are the consequences of the action of toxins produced by parasites and affecting the central nervous system.
- Disturbed sleepThis is a characteristic symptom of worms. At night, the liver cleanses itself of toxic substances, which ends in "panic" among "unexpected guests".
- Grinding teeth during sleep– a common sign of nervous system problems, more often seen with worms in children.
- Chronic fatigueappears due to a deficiency of necessary substances that the body does not receive due to the fact that they are consumed by parasites. Expressed by a decrease in memory, apathy and flu-like symptoms.
- Inflamed airwaysit is a common sign of the existence in the body of organisms capable of movement and affecting the lungs, nasopharynx and throat. As a result, this results in symptoms of asthma, pneumonia, for example, high fever, runny nose, cough.
Let's look at the symptoms based on the location of the parasite in the body.
Heart
When affected by helminths, better known400 types, they often reach the human heart muscle and parasitize it. In such conditions, myocarditis conditions arise when the muscular structure of the heart is in a state of inflammation. The first signs appear after 1 to 4 weeks. If the patient is left untreated, symptoms can become chronic.
Below the surface of the skin
There is a particular type of worm that causes helminthiasis and lives in the subcutaneous tissue. It is carried by mosquitoes and is called heartworm. A subcutaneous parasite often brings with it various viruses and infections which it carries. Symptoms of the disease are subcutaneous seals. A feature is that the helminth moves when pressing on the seal on one side.
Eyes
The entry of the larvae into the eyelid leads to the appearance of a boil on the skin. When the parasites move, this is clearly felt. We list the diseases caused by parasites in the organs of vision:
- You can contract ophthalmia in tropical areas. Once the microscopic larvae have penetrated beneath the skin surface of the eyelid, they pass through the conjunctiva and lacrimal sac to the inner area of the orbit, which can cause eye damage.
- With creeping myiasis, wrinkles are visible on the eyelids, which gradually lengthen.
- Infection of the mucous membrane by larvae leads to conjunctival larval granuloma. Treatment requires surgical removal of the parasite, there is no other way to get rid of it, for example, by taking special medications.
Stomach
Worms inhabit the organs of the digestive tract. The main disadvantage of their presence is the toxic secretions that poison humans. Toxicosis is manifested by bad breath, lack of stools, poor appetite and weight loss.
If these parasitic organisms are not eliminated, they will constantly increase their activity, causing symptoms to worsen.
Blood
When they enter the bloodstream, parasites infect red blood cells, plasma, and white blood cells. The main representatives of this class of pests are trypanosomes and hemosporidia. Both species are unicellular.
Treatment against parasites
To select a treatment, it is important to accurately determine:
- Type of microorganism
- Degree of damage, number of individuals, their sizes
- How long has the parasite lived in the body and to what extent has it integrated into a person's internal "ecosystem"?
Based on the results of the answers to these questions, a specific drug against the pest is selected. Some of these medications can also be used prophylactically.
When choosing a specific drug, it is necessary to take into account the sensitivity of the parasite. After treatment, rehabilitation therapy is sometimes necessary to restore lost functionality.
The main drugs that help get rid of and cure a person contain:
- Antibiotic
- Antihelminthic substances synthesized against a specific species
The selection of a specific drug, its dosage and duration of administration are carried out by a professional doctor.
Medications have a wide range of side effects, so many are only sold by prescription. To avoid worsening the health situation, it is important to consider possible side effects. This is especially true for older adults with chronic illnesses.
To get rid of the parasite and avoid relapses after successful treatment, you need to pay increased attention to your health and strengthening the immune system. After eliminating worms from the stomach and intestines, it is necessary to restore the normal microflora of the organs.
During the treatment process, you may need to adjust your diet to simplify digestion and saturate the body with useful substances, as well as take antihistamines for acute allergies.
Pest Prevention
The best way to prevent it is to avoid contact with people who may be carriers. If parasites live in the human body for a long time, it is not easy to eliminate and get rid of them. Therefore, if there is a risk of infection, then it is necessary to periodically examine and cleanse the body.
We list preventive measures to avoid the introduction of pests:
- Maintain personal hygiene
- Keeping your house clean
- Mandatory high temperature processing of meat and fish
- Eat only washed berries, vegetables and fruits
- If you have pets, it is important to monitor their health