Many do not even think about the presence of parasites in their body. Moreover, people often do not even suspect that if they have health problems, then microorganisms that exist at the expense of the owner are the culprits of this condition.
Meanwhile, worms cause various helminthiases (ascariasis, enterobiasis, echinococcosis, trichinosis, etc. ). In the absence of deworming, a person develops a number of various complications.
So, 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 the worms contribute to the appearance of inflammation, which does not go away even after the parasites are removed.
But how to determine the presence of parasites in the body at home? What symptoms and diseases accompany different types of helminthiasis?
What should you look for in order to identify worms in humans
Coarseness 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, problems with the nails or the formation of cracks in the heels (damage to the digestive organs) may indicate helminthiasis, sometimes there may be a connection between psoriasis and lamblia.
Often, the above symptoms are caused by lamblia or Trichomonas. However, any helminthic invasion 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 need to 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:
- myoma;
- painful sensations during menstruation;
- fibroma;
- disruptions in the menstrual cycle;
- disorders 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 indicate opisthorchiasis.
Ankylostomid larvae that penetrate the lungs often cause false pneumonia. Moreover, 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;
- discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract, constipation, dysbiosis;
- changes in weight;
- allergic reactions;
- irritability and anxiety;
- skin problems.
Symptoms of the presence of parasites in the body
To understand whether I or you have helminths, you should pay attention to a number of signs that are quite diverse. As a rule, large worms contribute to constipation, as they block the bile and intestinal ducts, which interferes with natural bowel movements.
A certain type of parasite secretes special substances that thin the feces. Therefore, diarrhea is not always a symptom of a gastrointestinal disorder, it often indicates the presence of parasitic microorganisms in the human body.
Also, the parasitic microorganism causes bloating and gas formation. This happens when helminths enter the small intestine, provoking an inflammatory process there.
Irritable bowel syndrome is another sign of helminthic infestation. So, worms contribute to poor absorption of fat, as a result of which it enters the large intestine, therefore, 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 that are similar to those of arthritis. In reality, 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, toxins secreted by worms cause an immune response, which should produce many eosinophils. But an overabundance of protective cells contributes to the appearance of inflammation, which results in allergies.
Often, worms cause skin rashes, eczema, acne and other troubles. So, the simplest parasites lead to the formation of ulcers, papillomas and dermatitis.
Helminthic invasion is almost always accompanied by anemia. This is due to the fact that after entering the intestine, worms attach 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.
Weight problems are common in people with helminthiasis. Thus, 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 helminthic invasion, the patient becomes too irritable and emotionally unstable. After all, the waste products of the 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 needs to contact a parasitologist, because it is at this time that the liver is trying to remove all toxins. In addition, roundworms or pinworms exit through the anus at night, provoking itching and irritation.
In patients under the age of 15, worms often cause teeth grinding during sleep. Thus, the nervous system reacts to the toxins secreted 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 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.
Even prolonged parasitism of harmful microorganisms 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.
Certain types of worms are localized in the human respiratory system, causing inflammation in its organs. As a result, the following symptoms arise:
- runny nose;
- temperature increase;
- cough;
- pneumonia;
- asthma.
How to detect helminthiasis using medical research?
In the presence of the above symptoms, in order to find out whether or not there are parasites in the body, you should seek medical help. You may have to visit a parasitologist, infectious disease specialist, gastroenterologist, surgeon, sometimes an ENT specialist or an ophthalmologist, since it all depends on the location of the worms.
Often, the diagnosis consists of taking a scraping and examining the stool for the presence of eggs. However, such analyzes allow you to check whether there are worms living in the intestinal tract or parasites migrating along it (tapeworms and flatworms, flukes).
Due to the fact that the 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;
- roundworm;
- trichinella;
- hookworms.
Many types of helminths (leishmania, lamblia, trypanosomes, echinococci, plasmodia, amoeba, toxoplasma) can be localized in almost any tissues and organs, which makes the analysis of feces not informative. In such a situation, the patient needs to conduct a blood test for the presence of immunoenzymes, which indicates the presence of antibodies and antigens.
To determine the parasite living in the liver of the host, 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 infection.