Infection with intestinal forms of worms is the most common type of parasitic disease. It is believed that in one form or another, more than 90% of the world's population is infected with helminths, although this view has not received scientific confirmation. Helminthiasis mainly affects children who neglect the basic rules of personal hygiene. However, the presence of parasitic worms in the intestines of adults is not uncommon.
Symptoms and signs of infection
In modern medicine, there are certain ideas about which symptoms indicate a helminthic lesion. However, in reality, the clinical picture of helminthiasis is extremely rare in its full form. Much more often, the disease is latent, and its signs are not specific enough to link them to worms.
The pathological influence of worms is a consequence of several mechanisms:
- mechanical damage to the intestinal walls;
- toxic effect of parasite waste products;
- absorption of part of the substances needed by the human body that come with food;
- obstruction of the liver ducts, intestinal lumen (lumps of worms).
As a rule, helminths do not collect in lumps and are located longitudinally in the intestinal lumen. Acute intestinal obstruction is caused only by improper treatment, when agitated but not destroyed parasites begin to actively move, become entangled and form volumetric complexes from their own body.
Helminthiasis has the following symptoms:
- nausea;
- weakness;
- dizziness;
- vomit;
- headache;
- diarrhea;
- weight loss;
- itching in the anus;
- regional lymphadenitis;
- joint pain;
- occult blood in feces;
- signs of inflammation in the small intestine;
- abdominal pain.
Some types of helminths can affect the bladder and cause hematuria (blood in the urine), penetrating the liver, lungs, muscles and brain. When the lungs are affected, the patient has an exhausting cough, sometimes sputum with a mixture of blood is excreted.
Worms in children usually lead to reduced growth and mental development, making the child nervous and restless. Pinworms that crawl from the anus to lay eggs cause severe itching at night and in the evening (the period of the greatest activity of worms).
Types of parasites
There are 3 main types of worms in the human body: round, tapeworms and flatworms.
roundworms
The most prominent representatives of the parasite species are pinworms and roundworms. Infection with these helminths accounts for 80% of all helminthiasis found in the territory of the former CIS countries.
These worms are of different sexes, have relatively small body sizes (from 1-2 to several tens of centimeters), infection occurs by fecal-oral route.
Tapeworms
They are the largest of all parasitic worms. The most famous representatives of the group, pork and beef tapeworms, can reach a length of 10-15 meters.
Reproduction of the parasite takes place without the participation of another individual. Eggs are excreted into the environment with the patient's feces.
flatworms
Small representatives of helminths, which usually live in the bile and liver ducts.
Inhabitants of endemic areas may not cause any symptoms of the disease for many years. In case of infection of a person who has not had contact with the parasite in the past, they lead to severe liver diseases. It can cause hepatitis, gallstone manifestations and other symptoms.
Echinococcus
Echinococcus is the only tapeworm that uses humans as a medium host.
In this case, the larvae of the parasite enter the bloodstream, spread throughout the body and settle in the tissues, after which they begin to grow. Echinococcal cysts form. In this case, worm tablets for humans or animals are practically useless. The Finns are removed immediately.
Adult worm tablets
The vast majority of anthelmintic drugs popular today are based on one of three main substances: mebendazole, albendazole or levamisole.
based on mebendazole
Broad-spectrum drugs prescribed to patients suffering from enterobiasis, ascariasis, hookworm disease, trichuriasis, teniasis, echinococcosis and other helminthic invasions.
Side effects include:
- nausea;
- abdominal pain;
- vomiting;
- headache;
- increase in the amount of liver enzymes in the blood.
Contraindicated for pregnant and lactating women, children under 2 years, persons suffering from liver disease and alcohol dependence (during intoxication). When prescribing these drugs, a laxative is not prescribed.
Albendazole based
The agents have a wide range of action, allow to achieve a therapeutic effect in ascariasis, enterobiasis, tapeworm infections and flat parasites. It is used to treat echinococcosis when surgical treatment is not possible.
The drugs are contraindicated in pregnancy, lactation, young children, with retinal pathology and nonhelminthic liver lesions. Side effects include nausea, vomiting and other signs of toxic syndrome, which are characteristic of almost all anthelmintic drugs.
Levamisole based
Most effective when infected with pinworms and roundworms. In other diseases of helminthic nature, they also have the required effect, however, treatment may require a longer course than with the use of analogues.
The drugs have immunostimulatory properties and can be used as such in moderate immunodeficiency.
Levamisole-based agents are contraindicated in the following conditions:
- pregnancy;
- lactation;
- childhood;
- alcoholism in the drunkenness phase;
- liver disease;
- agranulocytosis.
Levamisole and its derivatives can cause agranulocytosis, nausea, vomiting, depression, dermatitis, anorexia during long-term treatment.
Tablets and suspensions for children
As a rule, the treatment of helminthiasis in children older than 3-4 years can be done with the same drugs prescribed for adults. In this case, the dose should be adjusted according to the age of the child.
You should be aware that suspensions can be made from any tablet agent to make it easier to use. To do this, the required amount of the drug is crushed into a powder, added to the required amount of drinking water and mixed well.
Self-prepared suspensions cannot be dosed in the same way as factory forms. The required amount of drug is measured before preparing the suspension!
Folk recipes for earthworms
Answering questions about how to get rid of worms from a child or an adult, one cannot fail to mention folk methods of treatment.
pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds contain cucurbitin, a substance that is harmful to worms. The tool is effective in almost all intestinal helminthiasis. Some sources claim that the effect of cucurbitin extends to extraintestinal helminths.
Pumpkin seeds should be eaten only raw. Heat treatment destroys the active substances in them. In addition, bark removal is not recommended. It is better to grind the seeds in a blender together with the rind. For ease of use, the mass can be poured with milk.
Carrots
It is not necessary to use carrots as a stand-alone drug to treat helminthiasis, because it is not effective enough. However, as a means of prevention, as well as an auxiliary substance in the presence of basic therapy, carrots are quite suitable.
You can use carrots in any form that does not require heat treatment. It is best that dishes, which include vegetables, contain pepper or hot spices (carrots in the Korean way). The plant is given to children in raw, purified form.
Bed linen
Worms can be removed from the gut with plain or black flax. Flax seeds can be used crushed and mixed with cinnamon. However, it is better if they are used in the form of an infusion. For its preparation 1-2 tbsp. spoons of seeds chopped in a blender pour a glass of boiling water and leave to stand. After a few hours, the composition should be filtered and taken 100 ml twice a day on an empty stomach. The course of treatment is until the eggs of the parasite are no longer in the feces.
Decoction of chamomile
Chamomile decoction can be used in almost unlimited quantities. It has no direct anthelmintic effect, but promotes the healing of microcracks in the intestinal mucosa, which occur as a result of helminth activity.
In addition, chamomile contains a huge amount of vitamins, natural immunostimulants and other useful substances.
Garlic
Garlic is one of the best anthelmintic herbs. You can use it in pure form, as well as mixed with milk. The mixture is prepared by squeezing 10-12 drops of garlic juice into a glass of warm boiled milk. Garlic milk should be drunk in the morning, on an empty stomach, for 1-2 weeks. In the future, garlic is recommended to prevent re-invasion and improve immunity.
Hemp and flaxseed oil
Oils of hemp, flaxseed, sea buckthorn, cedar and other oils also have anthelmintic action.
When removing earthworms with folk remedies, the oil should be given 1 teaspoon twice a day, preferably on an empty stomach, shortly before meals. A relative contraindication to the use of this method is severe dyspepsia, accompanied by profuse diarrhea. Fixatives should be taken before starting the oil treatment.
Dance
Tansy is one of the most popular anthelmintic drugs recognized in both folk and traditional medicine.
For the treatment of helminthic infection, the plant can be consumed in powder form (orally, 0, 7-1 g 1 time per day for a week) or in the form of an aqueous decoction. Also, inflorescences are part of many complex drugs (troychatka).
Tansy is strictly contraindicated for pregnant women and children under 12!
Troychatka
The composition of the so-called "troychatke" includes 1 g of tansy, 0, 5 g of cloves and 0, 3 g of wormwood. All components are ground to a powder and mixed. It is allowed to use the mixture inside in pure form. In this case, the dose of the drug should be gradually increased, starting with half 0, 7-0, 8 grams per day. For ease of use, herbs can be mixed with food. The composition is taken for several months.
Sagebrush
Wormwood in the treatment of helminthiasis in adults is often used in the form of alcoholic tincture. To do this, the dried grass is crushed, the required amount of powder is measured and poured with vodka in a ratio of 1: 3. The tincture is ready for use in 2-3 weeks. It is necessary to take 30-50 grams on an empty stomach, twice a day.
In childhood, wormwood tincture is replaced by infusion, where pure drinking water is used instead of alcohol. The frequency and duration of admission does not change.
Worm enema recipes
Enemas for helminthiasis can remove parasites that have migrated to the rectum for reproduction. Enemas with garlic, soda and tansy enema are used.
Enema with garlic
Garlic decoction is used to place the enema. A few cloves of the plant pour over the water and cook for 2-3 minutes. The garlic pulp is then removed, the broth is cooled, filtered, and then injected into the rectum with a syringe.
Enema with garlic is not given to children under 3 years. Also, this type of treatment is useless for tissue parasites, tapeworms, localized in the liver ducts, tapeworms. The procedure is performed before bedtime. Preliminarily, it is recommended to put an cleansing enema.
soda enema
The solution is prepared from a glass of water and 0, 5 teaspoons of baking soda. The powder is dissolved and cooked for five minutes. After the solution has cooled, it is filtered and injected into the rectum at bedtime.
There are no age restrictions here. To place an enema for very young children, its volume should be compared to the size of the child's body. The course of treatment consists of 6-7 procedures.
Enema with tansy
The solution is prepared from crushed tansy inflorescences. To do this, pour 2-3 tablespoons of powder in a glass of boiling water and insist for half an hour. The solution is then filtered through gauze and injected into the rectum. The course of treatment is 1-2 weeks.
Enema with tansy is contraindicated for children under 14!
Prevention
Clean hands are the basis for worm prevention. Therefore, a child, as well as an adult, must respect the basic rules of personal hygiene.
Another basic principle of prevention is an annual medical examination with a mandatory examination of the feces for the presence of helminth eggs. Preventive courses of treatment are recommended only in the absence of contraindications and with the use of low-toxic agents. Otherwise, highly toxic drugs will do more harm than good!