Intestinal parasites are the scourge of modern society. According to statistics, almost every second person is the owner of this or that creature, hidden in the lumen of the intestine. We are talking about both helminths - parasitic worms and the simplest microorganisms invisible to the ordinary eye. All of them exist at the expense of the owner, pulling on themselves nutrients, vitamins and mineral elements. But are parasites as dangerous as they say, and is it always necessary to urgently treat an infected person?
A few words about fashionable diseases
The parasite theme is actively exaggerated by the media. On numerous Internet forums, the disputes about how to properly remove protozoa and helminths from the body do not cease. The most amazing schemes are proposed, amazing recipes are offered, which, according to the forum members, can cure all diseases, from the well-known giardiasis to exotic schistosomiasis. From the television screens they convey that humanity is in danger and that each of us has been seriously and irremediably ill for some time. The news is picked up by colleagues, relatives and friends who are frightened by terrible prospects, and the advertising of miraculous remedies that can save humanity from dangerous neighbors does not stop.
What is really going on? Of course, parasites exist, and if infected, they can cause a lot of harm to a person. This is just that not all of the inhabitants of the Earth are sick and, even more so, not all of them need medical assistance. Before trying a new remedy for scary roundworms or terrifying heartworms, you should make sure that such a treatment is necessary.
It is important to understand: not all drugs are able to cope with a real problem. Many food supplements widely advertised in the media are not only useless, but also dangerous and can lead to the development of serious health problems.
Uninvited guests: who threatens a person?
The most common parasites found are:
- Giardia is the most frequent companion of children aged 2 to 5 who attend nursery schools. Adults with giardiasis rarely get sick.
- Pinworms are another parasite that occurs mainly in preschool children and adults who do not follow the rules of personal hygiene.
- Roundworms are parasites that live in the small intestine and are able to penetrate other organs (including the lungs). Reaching large, it can lead to intestinal obstruction.
- The swine and bovine tapeworms, the broad tapeworm, have chosen the large intestine as a location. Infection occurs through food and dirty hands.
- Opisthorchis and fascioli prefer to exist in the biliary tract, causing the development of obstructive jaundice.
Exotic parasitic diseases have also been reported in recent years. This image is associated with the active migration of the population, visiting popular tourist destinations, including the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Failure to comply with hygiene rules, swimming in local water bodies, eating traditional foods, including those bought on the market with your hands, leads to an active infection with unusual parasites, which can be recognized far from immediately.
Parasitic Infestation Symptoms
The infection often goes unnoticed by a person. The infamous Giardia can go unnoticed for years and the only symptom is a change in habitual behavior. Giardiasis, "a disease of melancholy and sadness", makes the patient lethargic, apathetic, leads to fatigue, loss of strength, depressive mood. It rarely occurs to anyone to look for the cause in parasites. Most people attribute these symptoms to stress, fatigue, lack of sleep, and other attributes of a person's normal life.
Some of the parasites that live in the intestine make themselves known quite clearly. Against the background of the invasion, some signs may appear:
Dyspeptic syndrome
The most common manifestation of a parasitic infection, characterized by the occurrence of such symptoms:
- nausea and vomit;
- abdominal pain (usually around the navel);
- diarrhea or constipation, unstable stools with pathological impurities.
In half of the patients there is an increase in the liver and spleen. The accumulation of parasites in the intestine can cause obstruction, lead to severe pain in the abdomen and absence of stool. This condition requires immediate surgery.
Anemia syndrome
Some parasites are able to attach themselves to the intestinal mucosa to obtain the nutrients necessary for life. Constant injury leads to blood loss, which causes a lack of iron and contributes to the development of anemia.
General intoxication syndrome
One of the signs of parasitic invasion is prolonged subfebrile body temperature. If no other causes of fever are identified, it is worth checking for helminths.
allergic syndrome
Long-standing parasites disrupt the digestive tract, causing the development of allergic reactions. It can be a break in stool when eating certain foods or a rash such as hives.
Reduced immunity
Parasites reduce the synthesis of immunoglobulins and mainly Yg A. This leads to the appearance of frequent colds and exacerbation of chronic pathology.
Other signs of parasitic invasion
Against the background of helminth infection, other symptoms may occur:
- bruxism - grinding of teeth during sleep;
- insomnia, frequent nocturnal awakenings;
- pain in the muscles and joints (with the spread of parasites or as an autoimmune reaction to their presence);
- headache;
- shortness of breath, cough (when parasites enter the bronchopulmonary system).
All of these symptoms are non-specific and can occur in a variety of diseases. Before trying to cleanse the body of parasites, you should make sure of their presence, and also find out who exactly this uninvited guest has become.
Diagnostic principles
Some parasites are easy to detect in feces or on linen, while others are not detected without special laboratory tests. If you suspect an infection, you should see a doctor, general practitioner, or infectious disease specialist. The doctor will conduct an examination, analyze the patient's complaints and give his recommendations for further diagnosis. There is no point in being tested for all parasites known to science and wasting time, money and nerves in such research.
To diagnose dangerous hosts, the following methods are used:
- detection of parasites and their eggs in feces;
- serological studies to determine the antibody titer.
Diagnostic methods do not always show parasite infection. Incorrect feces collection technique, violation of the transport scheme - all this can lead to the fact that dangerous neighbors will not be identified. Serological studies are also not always indicative, as elevated immunoglobulin G titers persist for some time after complete elimination of parasites. If the patient is sure that he is infected or if there are certain prerequisites for this (visit to exotic countries, non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene, cases of infection in the vicinity), the examination must be repeated.
Is it necessary to cleanse the body of parasites?
Deworming is indicated only when the diagnosis is confirmed by laboratory methods. Symptoms alone are not enough to carry out any measures to cleanse the body of parasites. Neither abdominal pain, nor breaking of stool, nor rash indicate an unambiguous helminth infection, as these signs are also found in other diseases.
For deworming, various drugs are used to destroy dangerous hosts and remove them from the body. These drugs are toxic, cause unpleasant side effects, so you can only take them as directed by a doctor. The doctor will determine the dosage and duration of the drug and also indicate what effect should be expected. If you do not follow these safety rules, you can seriously harm your body and get an undesirable effect.
Parasite medications are only the first stage of therapy. In addition, the doctor prescribes other medicines:
- means for restoring the intestinal microflora;
- preparations for the normalization of gastrointestinal motility;
- antihistamines to eliminate an allergic reaction;
- vitamins.
The purpose of such treatment is not only to destroy parasites, but also to restore the normal functioning of the body. In the second stage, various herbal decoctions are also used for successful treatment:
- mugwort;
- tansy;
- chamomile;
- flax and pumpkin seeds, etc.
These herbs are contained in various food supplements used to cleanse the body of parasites. It is necessary to use such products with great care, since not always only relatively harmless components are included in the composition of such additives. At best, there will simply be no effect from the miracle remedy, at worst unwanted reactions and complications will appear.
There are cases when excessive passion for enemas, decoctions and tinctures led to poisoning or chemical burns, and then instead of getting rid of parasites, a person received a lot of new problems. It is especially dangerous to take dubious supplements for the elderly and all those who have diseases of the heart, kidneys and liver.
Prevention
There is no point in engaging in regular cleansing of the body of parasites at home with improvised means. Preventive deworming is justified only in special situations:
- detection of parasites in family members;
- outbreak of parasitic diseases in the region of residence;
- obvious violations of the rules of personal hygiene when visiting exotic countries;
- eat raw or semi-cooked meat and fish, drink unpurified water from dubious sources.
Prophylactic deworming may be recommended for pet owners, especially if the dog or cat goes out. But even then, it will be easier to administer a parasitic pill to a pet than to subject your family members to a similar procedure.
Before carrying out any experiments on your own body, you need to consult a doctor.