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, the culprits of this condition are the microorganisms that exist at the expense of the owner.
Meanwhile, worms cause various helminthiases (ascariasis, enterobiasis, echinococcosis, trichinosis, etc. ). In the absence of deworming, a person develops a number of various complications.
Thus, in the case of non-treatment of helminthic invasion in childhood, a delay in mental and physical development may occur. And the organs affected by worms contribute to the appearance of inflammation, which does not go away 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 you should 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 can indicate the presence of parasitic microorganisms. In addition, nail problems or the formation of cracks in the heels (damage to the digestive organs) can indicate helminthiasis, sometimes there may be a connection between psoriasis and lamblia.
Often the above symptoms are caused by lamblia or Trichomonas. However, any helminth invasion negatively affects immunity.
This, in turn, leads to the appearance of such signs:
- sinusitis;
- angina;
- polyps;
- inflammation of the sinuses;
- sudden onset of snoring.
To recognize parasites in men, it is necessary to pay attention to the presence of adenomas, 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:
- myoma;
- painful sensations during menstruation;
- fibroid;
- interruptions in the menstrual cycle;
- disturbances in the functioning 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 that indicate optorchiasis.
Ankylostomid larvae that penetrate the lungs often cause false pneumonia. In addition, the manifestations of some types of helminthiasis are similar to angina or bronchitis.
In addition, the symptoms of parasites in the human body are:
- insomnia, constant malaise and anemia;
- weakening of immunity;
- avitaminosis;
- discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract, constipation, dysbiosis;
- weight changes;
- allergic reactions;
- irritability and anxiety;
- skin problems.
Symptoms of the presence of parasites in the body
To understand if you or I have helminths, you should pay attention to a number of signs that are quite different. Typically, large worms contribute to constipation, as they block bile and intestinal ducts, which interfere with natural bowel movements.
A certain type of parasite secretes special substances that thin the stool. Therefore, diarrhea is not always a symptom of a gastrointestinal disorder, it often indicates the presence of parasitic microorganisms in the human body.
In addition, the parasitic microorganism causes bloating and gas formation. This happens when helminths enter the small intestine, causing an inflammatory process there.
Irritable bowel syndrome is another sign of helminth infestation. Thus, worms contribute to poor absorption of fat, as a result of which it enters the large intestine, so its increased amount in the feces is observed. 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 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 feature of many types of helminthiasis. After all, the toxins secreted by the worms provoke an immune response, which should produce many eosinophils. But an overabundance of protective cells contributes to the appearance of inflammation, which provokes allergies.
Worms often cause skin rashes, eczema, acne, and other problems. Thus, the simplest parasites lead to the formation of ulcers, papillomas and dermatitis.
Helminth invasion is almost always accompanied by anemia. This is due to the fact that after entering the intestine, the worms attach themselves to its mucous membrane and suck nutrients from the host's body. In particular, Trichomonas, which feeds on blood cells, leads to malaise, as a result of which significant blood loss occurs.
People with helminthiasis often have weight problems. Therefore, excess body weight indicates that worms poison the human body with toxins or consume glucose. And excessive thinness indicates disruptions in metabolic processes.
Due to the deterioration of well-being caused by the helminthic invasion, the patient becomes too irritable and emotionally unstable. After all, the waste products of 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 in the morning, then he needs to contact a parasitologist, because it is at this time that the liver is trying to remove all toxins. Also, roundworms or pinworms come out of the anus during the night, causing itching and irritation.
In patients under the age of 15, worms often cause teeth grinding during sleep. Therefore, the nervous system reacts to the toxins secreted by the worms.
In addition, almost all helminthiases are accompanied by chronic fatigue syndrome, which is characterized by impaired memory, apathy and the presence of flu-like symptoms. This signals a deficiency of nutrients eaten by pathogenic microorganisms.
With prolonged helminthic invasion, immune disorders occur in the patient's body. After all, 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 infection.
Prolonged parasitism of harmful microorganisms also causes damage to organs and tissues, against the background of this, oncological diseases develop. In this case, inflammatory foci are formed and the body experiences a deficiency of nutrients.
All this is complemented by malfunctions in the functioning of the immune system. Thus, favorable conditions are formed for the appearance of various oncological diseases.
Some types of worms are localized in the human respiratory system, causing inflammation in its organs. As a result, the following symptoms arise:
- rhinorrhea;
- temperature increase;
- cough;
- pneumonia;
- asthma.
How to detect helminthiasis using medical research?
In the presence of the above symptoms, to find out whether or not there are parasites in the body, you should seek medical help. It may be necessary to visit a parasitologist, an infectious disease specialist, a gastroenterologist, a surgeon, sometimes an ENT specialist or an ophthalmologist, as it all depends on the location of the worms.
Often, the diagnosis consists of scraping and examining the stool for the presence of eggs. However, such analyzes allow you to check whether there are worms that live in the intestinal tract or parasites that migrate along it (tapeworms and flatworms, flukes).
Due to the fact that eggs do not always come out of the anus, the study should be carried out 2-3 times. Using these diagnostic methods, the following are detected:
- fluke;
- whipworms;
- tapeworms;
- pinworms;
- schistosomes;
- ascarids;
- trichina;
- hookworms.
Many types of helminths (leishmania, lamblia, trypanosome, echinococcus, plasmodia, amoeba, toxoplasma) can be localized in almost all tissues and organs, which makes stool analysis uninformative. In such a situation, the patient must conduct a blood test for the presence of immunoenzymes, which indicates the presence of antibodies and antigens.
To determine the parasite living in the host's liver, probing and examination of the material taken is carried out. If the waste products of the helminth are found in the human liver, this indicates an infection.