Parasites are living things that survive at the expense of other organisms, for example animals, people, plants. There are more than two dozen types of intestinal parasites that colonize the human body and can cause many negative symptoms. Parasitic creatures settle particularly often in children, since the child's body is not fully developed and is susceptible to external influences.
Worm infestation is a dangerous disease caused by parasitic creatures - worms. The body needs to share nutrients, useful elements and vitamins with them. Pinworms and roundworms that have settled in the body feed on the host's food from the intestine and take in all essential substances.
Methods of infection
The most common oral-fecal route of infection is through the mouth. In this case there are two ways to access it:
- Geooral - They get into the esophagus through hands, household items, food, as well as feathers, hair of pets contaminated with soil particles, in which there are invasive eggs and cysts of protozoa. In this way, you can get infected with ascariasis, giardiasis, enterobiasis, cysticercosis, toxocariasis, echinococcosis;
- Xenotrope - occur in the human body when eating fish and animal meat that has not undergone adequate heat treatment, if this meat contains larvae. Here's how you can get infected with trichinosis, toxoplasmosis, and other invasions.
There are other ways of infection:
- Contact method: can be passive (transmitted through the genital tract) and active (a person becomes infected through the skin when bathing in freshwater pools);
- The airborne method of infecting the body is believed to be less common, but it allows airborne pneumocysts to enter the body;
- The transmittable route of transmission (through the blood) is characteristic of an infection with filariasis. The larvae are carried by blood-sucking insects. Usually this disease occurs in hot countries closer to the equator;
- Transplacental route - from the mother to the child's body in the womb. This is how you can get infected with toxoplasmosis.
In the course of evolution, parasites have developed properties that expand their possibilities for colonization in the human body. This relates to the fertility of the parasite. For example, the hookworm can produce up to 25, 000 eggs in just one day, the roundworm up to 200, 000 eggs, and the tapeworm more than 4 million eggs per day.
Therefore, eggs, larvae and cysts in the water are often present in the air around us, in household items, eaten food, on pets, even if the hygiene is observed. Often times, if the technology for cooking meat or fish dishes is not correctly followed, a person becomes infected with parasites. For example, to combat the larvae of opisthorchiasis in carp fish, a salt solution of at least 20% is used during salting, and the duration of salting should be at least 2 weeks. It is unlikely that anyone would want to eat fish after such processing.
It turns out that only a person with excellent immunity and high body resistance can not worry about getting infected with parasites, and such people are extremely rare.
Symptoms of the colonization of parasites in the body
A number of characteristic symptoms indicate that the parasites are in the body. There are quite a number of signs and it is difficult to distinguish them from the symptoms of other diseases. The list of symptoms is as follows:
- Constipation. When the parasites get too big in the intestines, they block the intestinal passage. Copious invasion can also close the bile ducts, causing stool retention;
- Diarrhea. Some parasites, especially protozoa, produce fecal-thinning substances in the intestines during their lifetime in the host's body, which lead to diarrhea. Therefore, diarrhea can indicate the presence of parasites, and not just poisoning with low-quality products.
- Flatulence and gas. If there are parasites in the small intestine, this area becomes inflamed and gas production increases;
- Irritable bowel syndrome. Parasites irritate the lining of the intestines and cause inflammation, which is accompanied by a characteristic set of symptoms and decreased consumption of food, especially fats from food. Fatty acids are not absorbed in the small intestine but are instead carried to the large intestine, where they cause cramps, diarrhea and constipation;
- Painful sensations in muscles and joints. Parasites can move through the human body in order to settle in the places that are most attractive to them: in the muscles and the synovial fluid. When this happens, the person feels pain and perceives it as a symptom of arthritis. In addition, inflammatory and painful symptoms in the joints can result from tissue damage from worms or the immune system's response to parasites;
- Allergic manifestations - toxic waste products from worms can activate the body's immune response in the form of the synthesis of an increased number of eosinophils - protective cells and immunoglobulin E;
- Skin problems - due to parasites, rash, eczema, acne, papillomas, age spots, itching, dermatitis and other unpleasant reactions can occur;
- Anemia. Certain types of parasites actively suck useful nutrients from the human intestines. If there are many such parasites, they can cause severe blood loss, leading to a decrease in the level of iron in the blood and developing anemia. This symptom is characteristic of the defeat of Trichomonas and other protozoa;
- Change in body weight. Both weight loss and weight gain can indicate the presence of worms. The mass decreases due to the fact that there is an internal consumer and many nutrients are not absorbed in the body. The weight can increase due to the "robbery" of the body. A person's feeling of hunger increases, he begins to eat more often and more. To normalize weight, you need to get rid of parasites in the body first;
- Irritability, nervousness, anxiety. Toxic elements secreted by parasites irritate the central nervous system. Feelings of fear, depression and sleep disorders are often the result of this poisoning. Due to the action of means for eliminating worms, these symptoms disappear;
- Bruxism is the grinding of teeth when a person is sleeping. This symptom is observed in a child and an adult;
- Weakening of the body's immune system, frequent colds and viral diseases;
- Inflammation of the airways, cough, high fever, runny nose.
Folk remedies for parasites in the human body
People resort to various anti-parasitic drugs - tablets that are sold in pharmacies. However, many of them are toxic to the body and, if taken in an uncontrolled manner or if the dosage is neglected, can lead to serious poisoning. Therefore, treatment with folk remedies does not lose its relevance.
How do you fight parasites correctly with conventional medicine? Treatment with folk remedies not only cleanses the body from sedentary parasites, but also facilitates the restoration of the well-coordinated work of all systems and organs. After removing parasites, it is important to maintain liver function as it is the main filter from bacteria and toxic substances.
Flax against parasites
To properly treat worm parasites, traditional medicine recommends taking flaxseed. They can be consumed in pure form or as a decoction. It is necessary to grind the raw materials in a coffee grinder and add the resulting powder to food, ready meals or to the dough for homemade bread. Such a product is an excellent prophylactic agent for any family member. You can also eat whole seeds with purified water - two tablespoons every morning and evening.
Attention!Linseed oil also has anti-parasitic properties but is less effective than seeds.
Cleansing herb collection
It is recommended to cleanse the intestinal system, liver and other organs from parasites with the help of natural medicinal herbs. The collection includes the following plants: sea buckthorn bark, oak bark, wormwood, tansy, feverfew. All of these products are mixed in equal proportions. To prepare the broth, use a tablespoon of the mixture and half a liter of boiling water. The tool must be kept in a closed container for about 10 hours - it is better to do it at night, and in the morning you can drink. Consumption recommendation: 100 ml daily for 14 days on an empty stomach. Herbal tea helps expel parasites, strengthen the body and improve the condition of the liver.
pumpkin seed
The fight at home will be effective with pumpkin seeds. They are known for their anthelmintic properties, as in their composition they contain cucurbitin, a component toxic to parasites. There are several recipes that use pumpkin seeds. The most effective is the composition of seeds and honey.
To obtain the medicine, 300 grams of seeds are used, crushed to the consistency of powder, and honey is added - 2 large spoons. Some recipes also add garlic. The product must be mixed well and consumed in the morning on an empty stomach. Then you need to wait three hours and take an enema or take a laxative so that the intestinal parasites leave the body.
Sbiten
Sbiten is a medicinal drink that helps remove worms from the body. It is suitable for both adults and children. It also strengthens the immune system and cleanses the body. For boiling, you need to take 200 ml of high-quality honey and dilute it in 1 liter of water. Boil the mixture, add a teaspoon each of ginger root, cinnamon, cardamom, grated bay leaf. All of this is infused for half an hour. Then the product must be filtered and drunk warm.
Soda treatment
Soda helps fight infestation quickly and effectively. If they have settled in a child's body, it is recommended to make enemas with a soda solution - 1 small spoon dissolves in a liter of water. Before such an enema, it is necessary to empty the intestines with natural stool or a normal water enema. Soda water must be kept in the intestine for up to 30 minutes. These procedures are repeated every other day for a week.
Aloe juice treatment
The aloe juice-based product has a dual effect - it helps to heal a person and strengthen the body. The course of treatment is quite long - at least three months. To prepare the mixture, use 10 ml of olive oil or castor oil, the same amount of juice from aloe leaves, a tablespoon of lemon juice. During the first month, you need to take the remedy in the morning and evening - twice a day. And to maintain the effect for the next two months, the remedy is only taken in the morning.
Garlic and kefir
The effectiveness of garlic has long been proven. It's pretty easy to use. You need to eat ten small cloves of garlic in the morning on an empty stomach, and then drink them with kefir or any other fermented milk beverage. The main thing is that this liquid is slippery, so that a person can easily swallow the cloves of garlic.
Important!When cleaning the body with garlic, it must be swallowed whole. You can not chew, otherwise the plant will be digested in the stomach and will not bring the expected result. If the clove is intact, it is only processed in the intestine, where the worms live.
Pomegranate peels
Pomegranate peel therapy has an excellent effect, but in this case it is important to observe the correct dosage, as this antiparasitic agent can lead to poisoning in large quantities. Take 10 grams of dried bark and fill it with a glass of boiling water. The product is kept in a water bath for about 10 minutes. It is then cooled and filtered. Take one teaspoon three times a day before meals. This tool will not only help remove unpleasant guests, but also cleanse the liver. It should be remembered that this remedy is not suitable for children.
Prevention methods
In order for parasites to bypass your body, you need to adhere to generally accepted preventive measures:
- Monitor your personal hygiene at all times. Eggs and larvae of parasites do not remain on the surface of the skin after washing with warm water and soap. Hand washing should be done every time after visiting public places, transports, shops and on the street, as well as after using the toilet and always before eating. Don't forget to change your bed and underwear. These things need to be washed and ironed in hot water - after this process, the eggs of the parasite will not survive;
- Pay attention to the processing of the products. This doesn't just apply to meat and fish. The larvae can be found on all vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Therefore, they need to be washed thoroughly and poured boiling water over them.
- Don't drink tap water. There are large numbers of larvae in tap water. This liquid should only be drunk after cooking;
- Avoid swimming in untested fresh water bodies. Many of them are inhabited by parasites that can penetrate human skin. Sometimes, when infected, it is enough just to wet your feet or wash your hands in such water;
- Include in the diet foods that fight worms: garlic, hot peppers, raw carrots, pumpkin seeds, etc.
- Take control of all insects that enter the house. Often it is they who carry the larvae of harmful parasites. For example, flies, prusaks, mosquitoes, wood lice carry eggs on their bodies;
- If there are pets in the house, such as dogs and cats, you need to monitor their hygiene and regularly disinfect the animal's toilet.
If the parasites have entered the body, then you need to start fighting them immediately. You should not use only folk methods for this. With such a problem, it is necessary to consult a doctor so that he can prescribe an effective complex treatment.