Caution parasites: how to get rid of worms properly
In the summer, the risk of contracting helminths (worms) increases. Badly washed vegetables and fruits, dirty hands, contact with animals, undigested barbecue – this is not a complete list of opportunities to catch parasites. Modern medicine has a lot of anti-parasitic remedies, and advertising at every corner promises us a quick release of helminthes for the whole family with the help of one pill.
However, parasitologists warn: first, you need to know exactly if you or your child have become infected with worms. Secondly, it is necessary to identify the type of causative agent of helminthis, which it is not possible to do independently at home. And thirdly, in order to completely get rid of worms, it is necessary to have a comprehensive correct treatment, which can only be appointed by a specialist.
How to suspect an infection with worms
In general, over 250 helminthes parasitizing in the human body are known in medicine. Getting into the body through dirty hands, with animal wool, poorly processed products, through soil, sand, water in reservoirs, etc., some worms attack the liver and gall bladder, others – the intestine, the third – the lungs, the fourth are settled in soft tissues etc. Helminthiasis can go unnoticed for a long time, and in some cases vice versa – severe, acute, up to the death of human infected helminths.
These facts are the course of the disease, the brightness or blur of the symptoms, etc. depend on the type of parasite, the place of its “settlement” in the body, the immune system of man, the duration of the disease. Symptoms of helminthiasis can be masked for a variety of diseases. On the average, the first signs of parasite infection appear in a month (sometimes in a couple of weeks, sometimes even later) after infection. The main symptoms of helminthiasis are:
Fever, increase in body temperature
Allergy, skin rash
Cough, swelling of the face, tearing and inflammation of the eyes (conjunctivitis)
Abdominal pain, right hypochondrium, diarrhea or vice versa – constipation, itching around the anal hole
Reduced immunity, weakness, headaches and dizziness, anemia.
Anemia or anemia will indicate low hemoglobin (iron-containing protein) whose level will show a general blood test.
Why is diagnosis important in helminthiasis?
In addition to low levels of hemoglobin, susceptible helminthiasis can be due to an increased number of eosinophils – one of the types of leukocytes ripening in the bone marrow. Their level will also show a blood test. If it is found that these data are not normal, it is important to conduct a more in-depth survey. To identify intestinal worms (the most common, these are ascaris and ointments, which are often infected by children) conduct an analysis of feces (scraping) on enterobiasis.
Often, however, such an analysis is negative. And the child or adult eventually turns out to be infected with helminths. The fact is that confirming the diagnosis is possible only when the eggs of worms are detected under a microscope. But the same ascaris will evolve from the eggs no earlier than in two and a half months – until then, the eggs of a parasite can not be found in a feces. And if a person has become infected with a male parasite, the analysis of feces in general will not help to detect helminthiasis. Confirm helminthis can only be a comprehensive examination.
Why self-medication of helminths is unacceptable
Actively advertised “universal” pills from worms for the whole family, bought at the pharmacy on their own initiative, may turn out to be just a waste of money. Because, for example, when they are infected with tapeworm they will not help. And they can easily harm you because you do not know the exact dosage and are not at all sure in a number of cases, do you have helminths.
If you discovered the child’s oysters, then garlic enemas and other methods of folk medicine can cause burns of the intestinal mucosa, an allergy and do not get the desired result in the end. In addition, in identifying helminthiasis from one member of the family, everyone needs to be examined. Only competently appointed comprehensive parasitologist or pediatric therapist after addressing a doctor, laboratory diagnosis, accurate diagnosis, will give maximum effect.
