“Diseases of civilization” are well known to every modern person - these are difficult-to-treat allergies, frequent acute respiratory viral infections, runny nose and bronchitis, chronic fatigue and asthenia, stomach and intestinal problems, abdominal pain.Obsessive symptoms that force you to change your lifestyle and cause a lot of discomfort, which often become the reason for countless medical appointments.The treatment ends, but the symptoms remain.
What might these violations indicate?
Health problems, increased symptoms, inexplicable manifestations of various body systems - respiratory, immune, nervous, digestive and others - are generally “attributed” to the modern hectic pace of life, constant emotional and physical overload, which provoke general fatigue and decreased immunity.In fact, the reasons for this condition can be many, and often the malaise is caused by just one negative factor, for example, a helminth infestation.To accurately determine the cause of the malaise, and also find out if there is an infection with parasites, it is necessary to consult a doctor - therapist, gastroenterologist or immunologist-allergist.
If the presence of parasites is suspected to be the cause of the disease, the doctor prescribes tests to detect the presence of parasites.There are several tests available to determine helminthiasis.Treatment for the most part is quite simple: specific anthelmintic (anthelmintic) drugs are selected.If you ignore the problem, the presence of parasites in the body can lead to serious illnesses and sad consequences.
Symptoms of Parasitic Infection in Adults
Most adults associate helminth infection with children, and there is an explanation for this well-established opinion: helminth infestations are in fact widespread in childhood, because young children may not follow hygiene rules, are in large groups of children, and so on.However, helminthiasis also occurs in adults!Additionally, parasites in the body can cause symptoms that a non-medical person would never associate with helminth infestation.
For example, parasites can contribute to the development of allergies, since they themselves (and their metabolic products) are allergens, and they also disrupt the functioning of immune defense mechanisms, which leads to a decrease in immunity.Various allergic reactions develop (runny nose, watery eyes, rash, swelling, diarrhea) to familiar foods, pollen, house dust and quickly intensify.Against the background of changes in the immune system, frequent acute respiratory viral infections are observed and general health worsens.
On the part of the digestive system, when infected by parasites, there are
- pain in the upper part of the abdomen, near the navel,
- swelling occurs frequently
- diarrhea,
- painful cramps in the lower abdomen,
- constipation,
- itch
These symptoms may indicate infection with roundworms, which live mainly in the small intestine, which is why the listed unpleasant sensations develop.Painful cramps in the lower abdomen, constipation, and itching in the anus are more common when infected with pinworms, as they are located in the large intestine.With all helminthic infestations, appetite is impaired and may not only disappear but also intensify.
Some helminthic infestations, e.g. echinococcosis, opisthorchiasis, are asymptomatic.
Complications of helminthiasis that develop without treatment include the following (some of them are listed):
- anemia occurs due to impaired absorption of nutrients from the intestine, absorption of vitamins and proteins;studies show that even a mild degree of helminthic infestation can cause such disorders;
- intestinal obstruction - mechanical blockage of the intestine, most often occurs in children under 10 years of age, but adult patients also appear in world statistics;intestinal obstruction can cause death;
- blockage of the bronchi (with ascariasis) and corresponding manifestations of the respiratory system;
- jaundice (with ascariasis) due to blockage of the bile ducts.
Important!An adult can become infected with parasites by consuming thermally unprocessed foods (fish, meat) or insufficiently washed vegetables.Dangerous helminths can enter the human body from pets - dogs, cats, turtles, etc.This is why even adults need to undergo periodic testing to detect helminth infestations, especially if persistent digestive system symptoms are observed.
Diagnosis of helminthiasis
Some helminthic infestations are extremely difficult to detect in feces due to the peculiarities of the life cycle of parasites, for example, in ascariasis, in these cases it is necessary to determine antibodies in the blood to helminths.When identifying pinworms, the analysis is informative (accurate).
Blood test to determine antibodies against helminths
These studies are prescribed to determine the presence of pathogens such as roundworm, toxocara and others in the body.The tests are accurate and allow you to determine the presence of a parasitic infection.
Important!At the end of the treatment, it is necessary to verify its effectiveness (elimination of parasites) through repeated studies.
Frequently performed tests – specific tests for helminth infestations, as well as general and biochemical blood tests – help identify more dangerous health problems that require immediate treatment and can be fatal.For example, in conjunction with tests for helminth infections, tests are prescribed to identify hidden viral infections that cause serious harm to the body and weaken the immune system - for the Epstein-Bar virus, cytomegalovirus and others.That is why any examination prescribed by a doctor can provide him with important information about the reasons for the patient's health problems and allow him to start targeted treatment in a timely manner.
Treatment of helminthiasis in the clinic
Despite the discomfort of the situation, most helminthiasis is treated with special medications.Modern anthelmintics are well tolerated, do not have serious side effects, and if the treatment regimen is followed, it is selected individually by the doctor, taking into account the state of the organism.Strict adherence to the rules for taking medications guarantees the complete elimination of parasites from the body.
However, the treatment does not end there.It is necessary to eliminate the consequences caused by helminthic infestation in the body, which is why the doctor can prescribe medications that improve digestion (enterosorbents, probiotics, anti-inflammatories), antiallergic, expectorant, antianemic (iron supplements), vitamin-mineral complexes and others.I would especially like to note that therapy is always strictly individual and depends on the characteristics of each patient's body, therefore it is best to carry out treatment under the supervision of a doctor.
The clinic offers patients a unique opportunity to further improve their body's health with herbal medicines.A gastroenterologist, also certified as a herbalist, will individually select a herbal mixture based on medicinal herbs with anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic and anti-allergic effects.Phytotherapy courses help to normalize digestion and eliminate discomfort - heartburn and belching, bloating and stool disorders, restoration and support of the body are as comfortable as possible for the patient.The clinic also uses homeopathic treatment as supportive treatment, as these medicines have a mild and complex effect on various body systems.