How do worms appear in humans and how to treat them?

The presence of parasitic organisms in the body leads not only to discomfort and the appearance of unpleasant symptoms, various diseases develop, and the state of health drastically worsens. Some types of parasites threaten not only health but also life. A dangerous neighborhood causes a decrease in immunity, damage to the integrity of internal organs. Doctors are sounding the alarm, more than eighty percent of all diseases are caused by parasites or are the result of their life in the body. The statistics are alarming: one in four adults and one in two children are infected with helminths. Very often, a person is not aware of the presence of worms until the condition becomes critical. Where do human worms come from? After all, infection occurs even in those people who strictly follow the recommendations and try to exclude all contacts with the pathogenic environment. Let's try to find out how to avoid infection, which becomes the cause of the development of helminthic invasion.

The main routes of infection: where the worms come from

There are different ways to get infected with parasites. Worms are a problem for a person of any age, although children are the most vulnerable category. They get to know the world by actively exploring objects for fun and have no persistent hygiene habits. Babies are mainly infected due to the use of plant products without prior washing, violations of hygiene rules after contact with pets, licking dirty fingers. Worms in children are a very common occurrence.

The mechanism of infection by parasites in adults is practically the same. Most helminthiases develop as a result of ignoring personal hygiene rules. Infection often occurs as a result of contact with sick people or animals, use of contaminated household items and items. With insufficient heat treatment of meat and fish, there is also a high risk of getting sick. Biohelminthiases enter the human body in this way. To minimize the likelihood of the development of pathology, it is necessary to carefully cook, stew or fry fish and meat. Drinking contaminated water, swimming in an unfamiliar body of water, or gardening with bare hands can cause worms to appear on an adult's body.

The main routes of infection are:

1. Oral-fecal. The pathogen enters the body through contaminated food or water. This group of helminths lives predominantly in the intestines. The pathogenic organism goes through a complete developmental cycle and secretes eggs, which are released with the host's feces. After entering the external environment, the parasite enters the body of another host.
2. Through the ground. The transmission of parasites in this way occurs due to human contact with contaminated soil. The method of transmission is similar to the previous version of the infection, but the eggs enter the soil not only with feces, but also with other secretions from the host's body.
3. Hematogenous. Parasites enter the host organism through insect bites. Infected bloodsuckers carry helminth eggs.
4. Biohelminthiasis. A complex infection system in which several permanent and intermediate hosts are present.

Life cycle of parasites

Different types of helminths have their own development cycle, but their general scheme is identical: a larva develops from an egg, which eventually transforms into a sexually mature adult individual.

Taking into account the peculiarities of development, there are three groups of parasites:

• Contact;
• soil-transmitted helminths;
• biohelminths.

Contact parasite infection occurs predominantly through dirty hands. Soil-transmitted helminths develop without an intermediate host. The eggs mature in the ground. This group of parasites enters the human body through the oral cavity or the skin. Biohelminths have the most complex development cycle with several intermediate hosts.

Symptoms of helminthiasis.

After the penetration of parasites into the human body, the first symptoms may appear immediately or after a while, when the number of worms increases significantly or the only representative of the species grows to a large size. The first blow is received by the immune system.

Signs of a general deterioration in health appear gradually:

• fatigue;
• bad dream;
• apathy;
• lethargy;
• dizziness.

These symptoms are due to an increasing deficiency of nutrients and components that are absorbed by parasites, impoverishing the human body. People with helminthiasis become weak and irritable. Specific symptoms appear gradually, depending on the type of helminth, localization in a particular organ.

Worms in the liver

Parasites enter the organ through the blood or orally. As the disease progresses, the following symptoms are observed:

1. Body temperature rises several degrees. With the mass of parasites in the organ, necrosis, abscess, can begin, in which case the temperature rises to critical figures.
2. The mucous membranes and skin turn yellow as the gland produces large amounts of bilirubin.
3. On palpation, an enlarged liver is felt. The patient feels a burst in the organ, presses on the adjacent tissues. Pain in the abdomen on the right begins to bother, breathing becomes difficult.
4. A clinical blood test shows an increased eosinophil content.
5. Often worried about nausea, an unpleasant taste in the mouth. Some patients complain of dizziness.

Intestinal worms

Most parasites prefer to live in the intestines. It is an ideal place to feed, develop and reproduce. In the intestines, sexually mature individuals secrete eggs, which enter the environment with the feces of the patient.

Symptoms of localization of helminths in this organ are as follows:

1. Indigestion in the form of a predominance of constipation or diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
2. Aversion to food, total loss of appetite.
3. Change of eating habits. The patient refuses his favorite dishes, preferring an unusual taste.
4. The presence of blood in the stool.
5. Very severe crampy abdominal pain.
6. The presence of parasites or their fragments in the feces, vomit.
7. Intestinal obstruction.

Worms in the lungs

The worms enter the lungs with the bloodstream. The localization of helminths in the respiratory system causes great harm to the body. Symptoms of lung damage are as follows:

1. Chest pain.
2. Exhausting cough with expectoration.
3. Increased body temperature
4. Listen for wheezing in the chest.
5. Difficulty breathing, the development of an asthmatic component.

With massive seeding of the lungs, there is a high probability of developing complications in the form of pneumonia, blockage of the airways, necrosis or abscess.

Worms in the eyes

The localization of helminth larvae in the eyes leads to serious vision problems. Symptoms of the presence of parasites in the eyes are as follows:

1. Visible seals under the eyelids.
2. Pain and movement in the eyes.
3. A sharp decrease in visual acuity.
4. Change the position of the eyeball.
5. Progressive strabismus.
6. Constant discharge from the eye.

Worms in the brain

The presence of parasites in the brain is one of the most serious conditions, since helminths irrevocably damage nerve fibers. Most often, the disease ends with the death of the patient.

The symptoms of brain parasites are:

1. Violent migraine headache.
2. Dizziness.
3. Nausea vomiting
4. Adherence of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Helminth invasion therapy

Parasites are often found in the body of adults and children. The awareness of the presence of pathogenic individuals in one's own body is quite unpleasant. It is necessary to start the correct treatment in a timely manner. Only a qualified specialist can prescribe anthelmintic drugs.

To confirm or deny your suspicions, you must be examined and tested.

The doctor recommends any method for the detection of helminths: complete blood count, stool, urine, ultrasound or radiography, endoscopy or CT. Depending on the type of parasite identified, treatment is prescribed. The pharmaceutical industry is ready to offer a large number of effective drugs against worms. Treatment can be carried out with the use of a drug once or a course. It all depends on the type of parasite, location, quantity, as well as the general condition of the patient.

When detecting the fact of helminthiasis in the family, it is recommended to undergo parasite treatment in the body for all people living together. Human helminths are not only an unpleasant, but also a very dangerous disease that threatens the development of many complications. You cannot ignore the situation or use the drugs yourself. Only a doctor can prescribe a remedy that will be as effective as possible and will not harm.

There are popular recipes that can become a powerful support for the body against helminthiasis. Medications can be used as an adjunct to drug therapy or for prophylaxis. It should be understood that you cannot take traditional medicine on your own. Initially, you need to get information about the parasite, find out the place of its localization. If possible, your doctor will recommend adding alternative medicine prescriptions to your therapy regimen.

The following herbal ingredients are considered the best home remedies: pumpkin seeds, wormwood, ginger, herbal preparations, tansy, sea buckthorn.

Preventive actions

Worm infestations are not as harmless as they might appear at first glance. The disease undermines health, negatively affects the general condition. For babies, helminthiasis is much more dangerous - the child is very retarded in development, often sick.

Preventive measures are simple and easy to do, you just need to form a few good habits:

1. Wash your hands before eating, after walking, visiting public places.
2. Perform pet deworming.
3. Eat only washed plant foods.
4. Do not drink water without boiling, refuse to swim in unfamiliar bodies of water.
5. Work in the garden or orchard with gloves.
6. Prepare meat and fish dishes well.
7. Refusing to buy food in spontaneous markets.

And although it is impossible to completely protect yourself against helminthic invasion, it is really possible to minimize the risks by following the recommendations of the specialists. Do not get sick!