Despite the current development of civilization and modern medicine, various microorganisms remain in this world to live, multiply and harm. These include: bacteria, germs and worms. 70-80% of people in the world are infected with helminths. They are the most terrible enemies of man, which must be fought.
Helminths and their larvae use the human body for their own development and reproduction, while extracting nutrients from it, depriving the carrier of the opportunity to receive all the necessary micro and macro elements. They can live not only in the intestines, but also in the muscles, lungs, liver, joints, which not only leads to the destruction of organs, tissues and systems, but also causes a number of diseases leading tothe death. That is why, each person needs the prevention of various types of worms in order to prevent complications caused by helminthiasis.
Methods of penetration of helminths into the human body
Given the number of helminths that can live in the human body, they have many ways to get inside the carrier. It is children who are most often infected, because they often play in the sand, come into contact with the ground and animals, and do not always eat well-processed berries. Adults are most often infected precisely by their children or due to non-compliance with basic hygiene standards.
Experts have recorded the following ways of penetration of helminths into the body:
- If a person after an active day sits down to dinner without washing his hands, he will consume with food the microbes, bacteria and helminth eggs collected during the day, which will lead to infection. Also, an invasion can occur if a person puts dirty hands in their mouth.
- Unwashed vegetables or fruits come into contact with the soil or the limbs of infected people. Insufficient processing of these products leads to infection as described above.
- Improperly processed meat and fish products. Processing of meat products is necessary to destroy the helminth larvae in them, preventing them from entering the body and beginning to develop.
- Using untreated water can also be a source of infection, as worm larvae can be present in the water.
- Flies and insects come into contact with soil containing helminth eggs, which allows them to carry worm larvae on their feet and place them on food consumed by humans.
- When swimming in open water, a person is able to swallow water containing parasite eggs and thereby cause infection.
- In case of direct contact with contaminated soil, helminth invasion can also occur, since some helminths can enter the human body through microcracks in the skin.
- Regular treatment of pets is necessary, since animals absolutely do not follow a nutritious diet and often eat raw meat from tapeworm-infected mice.
- Exotic cuisine, water from an unverified source, foreign insects and animals can instantly strike a person, because in exotic countries it is not customary to treat each product well (there are countries where a raw diet ormeat with blood is welcome).
Symptoms of helminth infestation
Sometimes the disease can occur without symptoms, therefore an annual examination of the body for helminthiasis is recommended. The diagnosis must be made by the whole family, because the infection of one person endangers the rest of the family. When signs of helminthic invasion appear, it is urgent to consult a doctor in order to receive timely medical care.
Helminths cause the following symptoms:
- Physical weakness and high thermometer readings.
- Pain in the head and whirling.
- state of apathy.
- Pain in the abdomen.
- Itching sensation in the anus.
- Splenic and hepatic hypertrophy.
- Skin rashes, in the form of dermatosis or urticaria.
- Nausea, diarrhea alternating with constipation, vomiting.
- Anemia, hypovitaminosis.
- Bad smell from the mouth.
- Sudden weight loss or sudden hunger can occur leading to obesity.
After listening to your complaints, the parasitologist will prescribe remedies to eliminate helminthic symptoms and their pathogen, depending on the severity of the invasion. If during the examination the larvae of the worms were not found, he will advise drugs that can be used prophylactically.
Pros and Cons of Worm Prevention
Many wonder if it is still necessary to take measures and use remedies specially designed for worms for the purpose of prevention? Here, expert opinions diverge. Some believe that it is not necessary to carry out preventive treatment, since a non-specific technique to prevent invasion and the use of folk remedies is enough.
And others argue that only drugs serve as a barrier between large-scale invasion and health, so only pharmacological drugs will help prevent an epidemic of helminthiasis in the population.
It is known that it is easier to prevent a disease than to get rid of it later, and the prevention of various types of worms helps to prevent large-scale invasions by timely destruction of individual helminths.
Helpful tips. In order to prevent infection of the whole family, it is recommended to drink a course of tablets from worms in spring and autumn, periodically use folk remedies that allow you to create microflora in the body that is not suitable forthe life of helminths, and also apply non-specific preventive measures that protect against the accidental entry of parasites into the body . This is especially true for people who have pets and eat poor quality food.
Nonspecific anthelminthic prophylaxis
These preventive measures allow you to protect yourself from the attack of helminths without financial costs.
This will require:
- Regularly observe hygiene standards: change beds and underwear in a timely manner, carry out water procedures, wash your hands with soap and water before eating (especially after visiting public transport). common, toilets and shops).
- Visit the beach in beach shoes. There are many helminth larvae in the soil, which penetrate the sand from the animal's feces and enter the human body through cracks in the legs. Even after walking on the beach in slippers, it is recommended to wash your feet with soap to prevent worms from settling in your body.
- It is good to wash fruits and vegetables, fry meat and fish in order to destroy all available helminth larvae in these products.
- Strengthen the immune system so that the body can more easily cope with helminth infestations and diseases caused by parasites.
- Conduct anthelminthic therapy in pets, as they are also infected with helminths and transmit them to humans.
- Do not drink water from unverified sources. Worm larvae can live for a long time in water. Before drinking it, therefore, they must be boiled, and it is better to completely replace them with purified water.
Sometimes a person does not have the opportunity to apply these security measures, for example, during a long journey by train, bus, etc. Then the parasites have the opportunity to enter the unprotected body and attack it, therefore it is necessary to carry out prevention of worms in children and adults.
Prevention against helminths in humans: drugs
Currently, there are many antihelminthic drugs, but it is not recommended to self-prescribe treatment. This should be done by a specialist who knows the characteristics of drugs and knows how to choose the dosage that suits your body. Preventive treatment of worms in humans should be aimed at the destruction of young worms and the maintenance of the organism.
As you know, it is forbidden to take many drugs with alcohol. This reduces the effect of the drug and increases side effects. If you want to achieve a positive result from treatment, you should exclude alcohol from your diet for 1 week before taking medication and for 30 days after preventing helminth infestation.
Folk methods for the prevention of worms in humans
Traditional medicine also shows good results in the prevention of helminthiasis. Some herbal remedies create an uncomfortable atmosphere in the digestive system in which the worms live, forcing them to leave the host's body. Before using these recipes, you should consult a doctor, because due to their bitter properties, they can further injure a person with diseases of the digestive system or kidneys.
- Walnut tincture on alcoholprepared as follows: take a glass of chopped walnut partitions, pour a glass of vodka. Ready infusion can be taken in a day, 5-7 drops on an empty stomach, for 10-15 days.
- A decoction of wormwood and tansy: initially you will need to grind the herbs, after which 2 tbsp. Pour boiling water over spoons of the collection, insist and take 100-150 ml. within one month.
- Garlichas no contraindications and is available to everyone. For the prevention of helminthiasis, you need to eat 2-3 cloves of garlic per day.
- pumpkin seedshave good antiparasitic activity. You should eat 2 cups of pumpkin seeds on an empty stomach, at least once a week. Also from this product you can prepare healing anthelmintic tinctures.
- carrot rootwill be useful for the prevention of helminths in the form of juice. You will need to mash 1 carrot, strain the juice and drink before meals.
- Ashes of linden branches: ash has long been known for its healing properties. Ash from linden branches has anthelmintic properties, which is why it is also used today. For the prevention of helminthiasis, you need to add 1 teaspoon of ash to a glass of milk and drink on an empty stomach.
Medicines according to the above recipes should be consumed 1 time per week. If a person has not had protection against helminths for a long time, these funds will need to be drunk daily for 2 weeks, and then switch to weekly use.
Traditional medicine has many antihelminthic agents to combat parasitic worms. In the past, grandfathers and great-grandfathers used these means, because they act on worms and do not harm the human body. Therefore, prevention with folk remedies does not require much effort and expenditure on drugs, but you also cannot do without drug prevention, especially if you suspect the presence of an initial stage ofinvasion.