Parasites in the human body: symptoms and treatment

Sleep disturbance, poor digestion and fatigue are symptoms of parasites in the human body

Parasites enter the human body in different ways. After some time, they manifest themselves with various symptoms and signs. In order to safely get rid of and remove the pest, it is necessary to carry out treatment with drugs and medicines that are prescribed based on the diagnostic results.

The human body and organs are very attractive to a large number of parasites that inhabit them and use their resources. It is logical that in this case the body itself begins to receive less of the necessary nutrients, and in addition, it becomes clogged with waste from the vital activity of microorganisms. As a result, signs of malaise and serious external symptoms appear.

Some of the parasites are quite dangerous, others have almost no effect on well-being, even with high concentrations, but it is important to detect them in time and take measures to remove them. How to get rid of parasites with the help of drugs, medicines and special drugs against them, we will consider further 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 get itGiardia, a microscopic flagellate parasite. In some cases, the introduction goes unnoticed, as there are no obvious signs of worms in humans.

Hookwormenters the human body when walking barefoot on wet ground. Characteristic symptoms are skin irritation and rash on the lower extremities. If the hookworm reaches the internal organs, the consequences are reminiscent of roundworm infection.

Children are more likely to be caughtpinworm, a worm that lives in the intestinal cavity. Characteristic manifestations of this are lack of appetite, fatigue and discomfort in the anus. Reproduction takes place by laying eggs in underwear or folds of the skin surface. Children get pinworms from dirty toys, dishes and laundry. Pinworms in adults occur after contact with contaminated things.

Pork and beef tapewormthey penetrate into people with insufficiently processed meat, i. e. pigs, i. e. cows. 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 15-20 years. It is quite difficult to get rid of established tapeworms, even with the use of strong drugs against them.

Toxocarabrought from domestic animals. A carrier is a dog or cat that lives next to a person. Adults grow up to 0. 3 m in length. Reproduction is carried out by eggs that are released with excreta and mature in the soil. Contact with such soil poses a risk of ingesting toxocariasis, which spreads widely to all corners of the body. You can prevent parasites by washing your hands regularly.

Echinococcusthey are ingested from animals or from eating unwashed berries. The disease echinococcosis represents an increased danger for children, because the larvae are transmitted through blood vessels and can settle anywhere, forming a characteristic cyst. Echinococci often affect:

  • The brain
  • Liver
  • Lymph nodes
  • Kidneys

Penetrated insideround wormscause the disease ascariasis. These worms easily settle in people, because they are transmitted by unwashed hands, unboiled water and in interaction with the soil. The maximum size of roundworms reaches 0. 4 meters, they settle in the brain, capillaries, lungs, eyes and intestines. Symptoms appear as a result of the action of parasites:

  • Bad digestion
  • Allergic reactions
  • Anemia
  • Development of neurodermatitis, asthma, arthritis, seizures
  • Sometimes the temperature rises

It has similar signsbroad tapeworm, is worn with raw fish. In the body, it is in a crowded condition, the length reaches a gigantic 10 meters. The presence of broad tapeworm causes abdominal pain, bouts of nausea, especially after waking up, and weakness.

All these parasites pose a danger to both adults and children, so it is necessary to get rid of them by removing them in different ways.

Signs of the presence of parasites in the body

If spots appear on the skin, it becomes rougher, wrinkles and pimples begin to appear, then this could be the first evidence of the presence of parasites. With cracked heels or brittle nails, we are often talking about damage to the digestive system by Giardia or Trichomonas.

Other first signs are the weakness of the immune system, due to which the person is constantly susceptible to infection, his paranasal sinuses become inflamed, and the symptoms of sinusitis and tonsillitis are noticeable.

In the male body, parasitic infection is often manifested by cystitis, prostatitis, sand and stones in the bladder, problems with erection and the possibility of conceiving a child. Damage to different parts of the brain by parasites has serious consequences.

Signs of parasites entering a woman's body are:

  • Increased pain before menstruation
  • Irregular menstrual cycle
  • Inflammatory process in the ovaries, adrenal glands
  • Development of fibrocystic mastopathy
  • Malfunction of the urinary system
  • Myoma

If you do not treat and get rid of pinworms in time, they can cause appendicitis, symptoms of insufficient secretion and removal of bile. When the lungs are infected, the symptoms resemble pneumonia or bronchitis. If you do not find the root cause of the disease and do not start using antiparasitic drugs, then the person receives the wrong treatment and the situation only worsens as the body continues to weaken. in the end:

  • Immunity decreases
  • Different types of allergies develop
  • Body weight drops rapidly
  • 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 any direction appear
  • The patient does not sleep well

Symptoms of parasites in the human body

  • Prisonit occurs when bulky and long parasites that live in the intestines block the intestinal lumen or bile flow pathways.
  • Diarrheahaunts people if they have worms, whose secretions lead to loose stools.
  • Bloating and flatulencethese are signs of the presence of foreign organisms in the large and small intestine.
  • Bowel irritationoccurs when fat metabolism is disturbed, leading to constipation, diarrhea and cramps.
  • Joint and muscle pain. This is a sign of a parasite that has settled in muscle structures or synovial fluid. The symptoms are similar to arthritis, but the inflammation is caused by the presence of a foreign object.
  • Manifestations of allergiesthey arise in the background of the acute reaction of the human body to the remains of parasites. In addition, the immune system is forced to produce a greater volume of cells that fight against microorganisms, resulting in an increased allergic reaction.
  • Skin rash, which is manifested by eczema, dermatitis, papillomas, ulcerations.
  • Anemiait is caused by the lack of blood cells, which are fed by some worms that live in the intestinal environment. The result is internal blood loss and symptoms of anemia.
  • Weight gain or loss. Body weight increases when the parasites take away the glucose needed by the human body. And the opposite situation occurs with metabolic disorders, which are caused by the presence of foreign organisms inside.
  • Contrasting psychoemotional statesin the form of increased irritability, irritability or depression, 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 is cleansed of toxic substances, which ends in "panic" among the "unexpected guests".
  • Grinding teeth in sleep- a common sign of problems with the nervous system, it occurs more often with worms in children.
  • Chronic fatigueappears due to the lack of necessary substances that the body does not receive due to the fact that they are consumed by parasites. It is manifested by reduced memory, apathy and flu symptoms.
  • Inflammation of the airwaysthis is a common sign of the presence in the body of organisms capable of movement and affecting the lungs, nasopharynx and throat. As a result, it is expressed by 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 they are affected by helminths, which are better known400 species, often reach the human heart muscle, parasitizing it. In such conditions, conditions for myocarditis arise when the muscular structure of the heart is in a state of inflammation. The first signs appear after 1-4 weeks. If the patient is not treated, the symptoms can become chronic.

Under the surface of the skin

There is a special type of worm that causes helminthiasis, which lives in the subcutaneous tissue. It is carried by mosquitoes and is called heartworm. The subcutaneous parasite often carries with it various viruses and infections, which it is the transmitter of. Symptoms of the disease are subcutaneous seals. A characteristic feature is that the helminth moves when you press the stamp on one side.

Eyes

The entry of the larvae into the eyelid leads to the appearance of ulcers on the skin. When parasites move, it is clearly felt. Here are the diseases caused by parasites in the organs of vision:

  • In the tropical zone, you can get ophthalmia. After the microscopic larvae penetrate below the surface of the skin of the eyelid, they make their way through the conjunctiva and lacrimal sac into the inner orbital area, which can cause damage to the eye.
  • In creeping myiasis, lines are visible on the eyelids that gradually lengthen.
  • Infection of the mucosa with 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 drugs.

Stomach

Worms inhabit the organs of the digestive tract. The main disadvantage of their presence is the toxic secretions that poison people. Toxicosis is manifested by bad breath, lack of bowel movements, poor appetite and weight loss.

If such parasitic organisms are not removed, they will constantly increase their activity, which will lead to worsening of symptoms.

Blood

Once in the blood, the 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 of parasites

To choose a therapy, it is important to accurately determine:

  1. A type of microorganism
  2. Degree of damage, number of individuals, their sizes
  3. How long does the parasite live in the body and how integrated is it in the internal "ecosystem" of man?

Based on the results of the answers to these questions, a specific drug against pests is selected. Some of these drugs can also be used as prophylactic agents.

When choosing a particular drug, it is necessary to take into account how sensitive the parasite is to it. After treatment, rehabilitation therapy is sometimes required to restore lost functionality.

The main drugs that allow you to get rid of and cure a person include:

  • Antibiotic
  • Anthelmintic substances synthesized against a specific species

The selection of a specific drug, its dose and period of administration is made by a professional doctor.

Medicines have a wide range of side effects, so many of them are sold only by prescription. In order to avoid worsening the health situation, it is important to consider possible side effects. This is especially true for elderly people with chronic diseases.

In order to get rid of parasites and prevent relapse after successful treatment, you should pay more attention to your health and strengthening your immune system. After removing the worms from the stomach and intestines, it is necessary to restore the normal microflora in 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.

Prevention against parasites

The best way to prevent this is to avoid contact with people who may be carriers. If parasites have been living in the human body for a long time, it is not easy to remove and get rid of them. Therefore, if there is a possibility of infection, it is necessary to periodically examine and clean the body.

We list preventive measures to avoid the introduction of pests:

  • Maintaining personal hygiene
  • Keeping your home clean
  • Mandatory high-temperature processing of meat and fish
  • Eat only washed berries, vegetables, fruits
  • If you have pets, it is important to monitor their health