How to understand that you have worms

Personal hygiene has improved significantly over the past century, but the worm problem is still relevant not only for rural residents, but also for urban residents. Statistics explain how high the risk of getting a helminthic attack is: every third person on the planet suffers from helminthiasis. But the disease does not always manifest itself clearly, and in some cases, the sick person is unable to interpret the symptoms correctly and remains in the dark for a long time without taking any measures. The question of how to understand that you have worms arises both with helminthiasis and with other pathologies with similar symptoms.

Worms are a broad group of parasitic worms, the main signs of their presence in the human body are similar to each other. Doctors believe that everyone at least once in his life is exposed to helminthiasis. In addition, the presence of helminths in the body can trigger the development of other diseases, sometimes very dangerous, so the issue of diagnosing this disease is very important.

Mechanisms of infection

Infection with worms occurs in four main ways:

• Water, soil or sand. Soil and water provide ideal conditions for the storage of parasite eggs. Someone who bathes in open water is always at risk of swallowing an egg, which then turns into an adult. Not infrequently as it seems, people also ingest earth particles, exposing themselves to the dangers of infection. Some types of parasites can enter the body directly through the skin.
• Food.On the skins of fruits and vegetables that have not been washed or cooked properly, there may be worm eggs. Consumption of raw or lightly processed meat, dried fish, dairy products, etc. is associated with no less risk.
• Contact with the patient. Direct contact can occur with sick people and with infected animals. Joint activities, living in common areas, close communication contribute to the rapid entry of parasites into the intestine and their further development.
• bite.Worms can be spread through insect bites. This is one of the rarest modes of infection in temperate latitudes, but sometimes it is the cause of the disease. In hot countries, this route is more common, which should be kept in mind when going on vacation to hot countries.

symptoms

For those who want to know how to understand that you have worms, you should understand the principles of identifying symptoms. Any symptoms of helminthiasis do not appear immediately after infection, but only when the parasite stops migrating through the gastrointestinal tract and begins to develop into adulthood.

Some of the symptoms are due to the uptake of toxins released by the worms during life. All waste products enter the intestinal lumen, from where they are absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to all organs. There are usually more signs and it is stronger under conditions of multiple infections, when the number of worms becomes significant. In people who are immunosuppressed or have other chronic conditions, symptoms get worse in a relatively short period of time.

All signs are divided into two major groups: explicit and hidden. The explicit ones can be assessed independently at home, while the hidden ones can only be determined on an outpatient basis with the help of appointments for specific tests and examinations.

explicit

The obvious ones include the understandable symptoms that worms are present in the body. Their presence does not cause overly obvious symptoms, as, for example, occurs with the development of viruses. Parasites are destined for life in the body, so too much deterioration in the condition of an infected host will be a threat to their lives. For this reason, symptoms do not require emergency care.

You may suspect or understand the presence of helminthic invasion with the following signs:

• Weight loss is gradual for no apparent reason, lasting for several months, and sometimes for several years in a row. The rate of weight loss is not a disaster, often it is 2-5% per month. With a high intensity of infection in people with reduced immunity, this figure can reach up to 10%.
• Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Some worms can block the bile ducts or intestinal lumen, which causes stable constipation. With high intensity of toxin release, on the other hand, recurrent diarrhea may occur. Due to inflammation of the upper wall of the small intestine, increased bloating and gas formation are often observed, and bloating is possible.
• Severe pain in joints and muscles. Often such manifestations are associated with the development of arthrosis, but in the case of helminths, this is due to the migration of parasites. In addition, such pain may be due to the influence of toxins on joints and muscle tissue.
• Itching near the anus. This phenomenon is due to the fact that a large number of parasitic worm species crawl out of the lumen of the rectum to reproduce and lay eggs. This causes severe itching, which tends to get worse in the evening and at night.
• manifestations of allergies. Often occurs in response to the appearance of large amounts of toxins in the blood or due to damage to the intestinal mucosa, which leads to an increase in the immune system and allergic reactions.
• Pulmonary manifestations. Probably in a wide range, ranging from persistent cough and ending with pneumonia. Characteristic for intense ascariasis that occurs within a period of not less than three months from the moment of infection.
• High temperature. Such manifestations can have different intensities. Often, low temperatures of about 37 ° C persist all the time, but in rare cases, fever can be observed.

Hidden

The hiding signs can only be revealed by a doctor who will adequately assess the clinical picture and be able to understand that worms may be the cause. Preventive measures for the diagnosis of helminthiases are:

• Fecal analysis for worms. It must be presented in two stages, therefore, experts do not consider the results of one analysis as reliable. This is due to the reproductive cycle, so it is far from always possible to understand from a fecal analysis that the patient is suffering from helminths.
• Clinical blood tests. High levels of eosinophils indicate that parasites may be present in the body. Often such assumptions arise after testing during treatment or diagnosis of other diseases.
• Antibody analysis. Currently, it is one of the most reliable diagnostic methods that helps to understand whether a person has worms. Despite the fact that it is more expensive than similar drugs, recently doctors are increasingly choosing to prescribe it because of its high information content and reliability.

Antiparasitic or laxative medications should not be taken before any clinical trial for parasites, as this complicates diagnosis.

Symptoms in children

In children, the presence of worms is diagnosed more often than in adults. This is facilitated by poor hygiene, close contact with domestic or street animals, and the development of an incomplete immune system. Growing organisms typically respond more acutely to the presence of parasites, and as a result can be more global than adults. But to understand that children have worms is not so easy. The symptoms may be the same as in adults, but often they are more acute.

In most cases, the signs that indicate helminthic invasion in children are:

• Rapid weight loss. With the picture in progress, such manifestations can cause delays in physical development;
• Hair and nail loss. It occurs due to long -term lack of nutrients and vitamins caused by violation of the absorption of digested food in the intestine.
• Sleep disturbances. Pathology can cause children to wake up more often at night, cry, spin and talk in dreams.
• Irritation. Nervous system poisoning and poor health can affect a child’s emotional state, causing increased excitement, exaggeration, tears, etc.
• The desire to constantly scratch the anus. Children do not control external manifestations, so these symptoms often help to understand the cause of the disease and physical changes.

Some parents tend to give their children broad-spectrum antiparasitic medications for prevention, but experts do not recommend doing this, as most of these medications are quite difficult to accept. It is better to understand in advance whether the child is infected and the type of treatment he needs, because the therapy of different types of worms is significantly different and not always effective for helminths of other groups.