Many do not even think about the presence of parasites in their body. In addition, people often do not even suspect that if they have health problems, then the culprits for this condition are microorganisms that exist at the expense of the owner.
Meanwhile, worms cause various helminthiasis (ascariasis, enterobiosis, echinococcosis, trichinosis, etc. ). In the absence of deworming, a person develops a number of different complications.
Thus, in the case of untreated helminth infestation in childhood, there may be a delay in mental and physical development. And the organs affected by the worms contribute to the appearance of inflammation, which does not subside even after the removal of parasites.
But how to determine the presence of parasites in the body at home? What symptoms and diseases accompany the different types of helminthiasis?
What to look for to identify worms in humans
Roughness of the skin, the appearance of spots, acne on it, baldness and premature wrinkles - all these manifestations may indicate the presence of parasitic microorganisms. In addition, nail problems or the formation of cracks in the heels (damage to the digestive organs) may indicate helminthiasis, sometimes there may be a link between psoriasis and giardiasis.
Often the above symptoms are caused by Giardia or Trichomonas. However, any helminth infestation negatively affects immunity.
This in turn leads to the appearance of such signs:
- sinusitis;
- angina;
- polyps;
- inflammation of the paranasal sinuses;
- sudden onset of snoring.
To recognize parasites in men, you should pay attention to the presence of adenoma, cystitis, impotence, prostatitis, stones and sand in the kidneys and bladder. Some worms affect the brain and affect the development of future offspring.
To find out what parasites women have, the following symptoms will help:
- fibroids;
- painful sensations during menstruation;
- fibroma;
- menstrual disorders;
- disorders of the bladder and kidneys;
- fibrocystic breast disease;
- inflammation of the ovaries.
With appendicitis it is worth thinking about the presence of pinworms, biliary dyskinesia or pancreatitis indicate opisthorchiasis.
The larvae of hookworms, which penetrate the lungs, often cause false pneumonia. In addition, the manifestations of some types of helminthiasis are similar to angina or bronchitis.
Also, the symptoms of parasites in the human body are:
- insomnia, constant malaise and anemia;
- weakening of immunity;
- avitaminosis;
- gastrointestinal discomfort, constipation, dysbiosis;
- weight changes;
- allergic reactions;
- irritability and anxiety;
- skin problems.
Symptoms of parasites in the body
To find out if you or I have helminths, you need to pay attention to a number of signs that are quite diverse. Large worms usually contribute to constipation as they block the bile and intestinal ducts, which interferes with the natural movements of the intestines.
A certain type of parasite secretes special substances that dilute the stool. Therefore, diarrhea is not always a symptom of a gastrointestinal disorder, often indicating the presence of parasitic microorganisms in the human body.
The parasitic microorganism also causes swelling and flatulence. This happens when helminths enter the small intestine, provoking an inflammatory process there.
Irritable bowel syndrome is another sign of helminthic invasion. So, worms contribute to the poor absorption of fat, as a result of which they enter the colon, therefore there is an increased amount of it in the stool. This leads to cramps, diarrhea and constipation.
Some types of worms can exist in muscle and joint fluid. Therefore, their presence in these areas causes painful sensations that are similar to the symptoms of arthritis. In fact, this discomfort occurs due to inflammation, which is the immune response to the presence of worms.
Allergic manifestations are a characteristic feature of many types of helminthiasis. After all, the toxins released by the worms elicit an immune response that many eosinophils must produce. But the abundance of protective cells contributes to the appearance of inflammation, which leads to allergies.
Worms often cause skin rashes, eczema, acne and other troubles. Thus, the simplest parasites lead to the formation of ulcers, papillomas and dermatitis.
Helminth infestation is almost always accompanied by anemia. This is due to the fact that after entering the intestine, the worms attach to its mucosa and suck nutrients from the host's body. In particular, Trichomonas, which feeds on blood cells, leads to malaise, resulting in significant blood loss.
People with helminthiasis often have weight problems. Thus, excess body weight indicates that worms poison the human body with toxins or consume glucose. And excessive weakness indicates disturbances in metabolic processes.
Due to the deterioration in well-being caused by the helminth infestation, the patient becomes very irritable and emotionally unstable. Eventually, the waste products from worms poison their host, negatively affecting the nervous system, as a result of which the patient is in a depressed state.
Insomnia is a characteristic sign that parasites are active in the body. Therefore, if a person often wakes up at 2-3 o'clock in the morning, then he should contact a parasitologist, because at this time the liver is trying to remove all toxins. In addition, roundworms or pinworms come out through the anus at night, provoking itching and irritation.
In patients under the age of 15, worms often cause gnashing of teeth during sleep. In this way, the nervous system reacts to the toxins released by the worms.
Also, almost every helminthiasis is accompanied by chronic fatigue syndrome, which is characterized by memory impairment, apathy and the presence of flu-like symptoms. This signals a lack of nutrients eaten by pathogenic microorganisms.
Prolonged helminthic invasion causes immune disorders in the patient's body. In the end, the vital activity of worms greatly depletes the body's defenses, as a result of which allergic manifestations develop and favorable conditions are created for the penetration of the infection.
Even prolonged parasitism of harmful microorganisms causes damage to organs and tissues, against the background of which cancer develops. In this case, inflammatory foci form and the body experiences a nutrient deficiency.
All this is complemented by malfunctions in the immune system. In this way, favorable conditions are formed for the appearance of various oncological diseases.
Certain types of worms are localized in the human respiratory system, causing inflammation in its organs. As a result, the following symptoms occur:
- runny nose;
- temperature rise;
- cough;
- pneumonia;
- asthma.
How to detect helminthiasis with the help of medical research?
In the presence of the above symptoms, to find out if there are parasites in the body or not, you should seek medical help. You may need to visit a parasitologist, infectious disease specialist, gastroenterologist, surgeon, sometimes an ENT specialist or ophthalmologist, as it all depends on the location of the worms.
Often the diagnosis consists of taking a scraping and examining the stool for eggs. However, such analyzes allow you to check whether worms or parasites migrating in the intestine (tapeworms and flatworms, flukes) live in the intestine.
Due to the fact that the eggs do not always come out of the anus, the test should be performed 2-3 times. Using these diagnostic methods, the following are detected:
- methyl
- whips;
- tapeworms;
- pinworms;
- schistosomes;
- roundworm;
- Trichinella;
- hookworm.
Many species of helminths (leishmaniasis, giardia, trypanosome, echinococcus, plasmodia, amoeba, toxoplasma) can be localized in almost any tissue and organ, making stool analysis uninformative. In such a situation, the patient must have a blood test for the presence of immunoenzymes, which shows the presence of antibodies and antigens.
To determine the parasite living in the liver of the host, probing and examination of the taken material is performed. If helminth waste products are found in a person's liver, it indicates an infection.