Today, more than 400 types of parasites are known that can comfortably exist in the human body. However, the vast majority of them choose the intestinal tract as their place of residence, and not other organs and tissues. Do worms live in the stomach? Parasites rarely select such a "house". In general, helminths settle here in case of its defeat by diseases that cause a decrease in the acidity of gastric juice. The second important fact is that parasites can get into this organ only by chance. If your stomach is healthy, functioning normally, then no helminth can live in the environment that forms hydrochloric acid. She will simply dissolve its outer shells.
Worms living in the stomach
We have established that the gastric region is an abnormal habitat for parasites that infect the human body. Can there be worms in the stomach? They can get there only by chance - helminths are still looking for a comfortable place of residence for themselves.
Small parasites (such as pinworms, roundworms, etc.) die even in a slightly acidic environment, so being here is deadly for them. Only large worms remain in the stomach. They are able to survive in his environment for a relatively long time. In particular, these are the following helminths:
- Pork chain. Belongs to tapeworms. The ultimate host of the parasite is just the person. The length of an adult (sexually mature) individual can reach 3 meters. The main habitat of the worm is the intestinal tract.
- The chain is bovine. Like the previous one, refers to tapeworms. The ultimate host of the parasite will also be a man. Helminth is widespread in Eastern Europe, the Philippines, Africa and Latin America. Its adult representatives choose the small intestine of a person as their place of residence. The size of a mature individual is amazing - from 4 to 10 meters!
- Ascaris is human. This is a roundworm. Its length does not exceed 40 cm. It accidentally enters the stomach, as well as tapeworms - when patients cough up sputum from the lungs and swallow this mass (through the esophagus into the stomach).
- Toxocara cat or canine. Helminth, as the name implies, is not at all typical of humans. It can accidentally get into the stomach after contact with a sick animal - if you kissed, stroked a cat or a dog. The length of his body can usually not be more than 12 cm.
- Whispers. The parasite belongs to roundworms. The habitual habitat for him is the human colon. The main nutrition is tissue fluid and blood. Dimensions - 3-5 cm.
It should be noted that only small (baby) specimens of tapeworm (pork and bovine) can exist in the stomach. Matured representatives simply do not fit in it. The remaining worms in the stomach can be of completely different ages. If the patient’s gastric juice contains even a small amount of hydrochloric acid, this is already an unfavorable condition for helminth. At any opportunity, he will try to change his place of residence.
How can I get infected?
Worms in the human stomach can be one of the following methods:
- Primary swallowing. So in the human stomach can be eggs and larvae of helminths. Their important feature is a solid outer shell. It is it that allows you to survive the negative effects of hydrochloric acid without consequences and to "travel" further - to the intestines that are comfortable for living. There the parasite develops and lives.
- Secondary ingestion. This is the entry into the stomach of sputum from the bronchi, lungs, in which either eggs or vegetative forms of small helminths are contained. By the way, the respiratory system is a popular place of residence for intermediate forms of parasites.
- Hematogenous pathway. How do worms in the stomach turn out in this way? The parasite enters with a blood stream. Coming out of a blood vessel, he catches on the wall of the organ and remains in it. Such a path of movement is most characteristic of helminths “armed” with auxiliary hooks.
- Movement of vegetative forms. As a rule, this is a consequence of improper treatment of helminthiasis. As a result of the effects of drugs, the worm does not die, but sets in motion, trying to get to a less aggressive habitat. The method is typical for the movement of large worms - in particular, bovine and pork tapeworm.
The passage of cysts and larvae through the stomach passes in most cases painlessly for the patient. Only the “journey” of adult forms can cause discomfort - pain, bloating and other symptoms occur.
Signs of helminths in the stomach
When worms settled in it, does the stomach hurt? Even experienced experts cannot give a definite answer to the question - this is too individual an indicator, depending on many factors.
Here are the main symptoms of worms in the stomach:
- In the epigastric zone, the patient will feel heaviness or other discomfort.
- The person has signs of intoxication.
- Violation of the usual regime of bowel movements, fecal characteristics.
- Flatulence.
- Anemia.
- Sleep disturbance.
- Chronic feeling of tiredness.
- Nervousness.
- Exacerbation of chronic gastrointestinal diseases - gastritis, stomach ulcers, etc.
You see that there are no specific symptoms on the basis of which it can be argued that the worms in the stomach. Therefore, external manifestations to the attending physician are not enough to establish this fact. Specialists in this case resort to endoscopic examination.
Diagnostic Methods
Are there worms for stomach pain, only a comprehensive diagnosis will help to establish. Her methods in this case include the following:
- Biochemical and general analysis of patient blood samples.
- Studies on the complex "antigen-antibody."
- Endoscopic examination.
I would like to dwell on the last diagnostic method. Endoscopy is the introduction of a special thin probe into the patient’s stomach through the esophagus, at the end of which there is a video camera. This research method helps to determine a lot:
- Visual detection by a specialist of large helminths.
- Detection of traces of waste products that settled in the stomach, parasites.
- Assessment of the general condition of the stomach.
- The basis for determining a particular treatment is from stopping bleeding to extracting a settled parasite.
Contraindications to endoscopy
As you noticed, the endoscopic method is associated with the mechanical penetration of the probe into the patient’s stomach. And such a manipulation can be contraindicated in a number of cases:
- Hypertension
- Angina pectoris.
- Myocardial infarction.
- Esophageal ulcer.
- Hemophilia.
- Esophageal spasm.
- Aortic aneurysm.
- Varicose veins passing through the esophagus, stomach, etc.
If the patient has contraindications to gastroscopy, then this manipulation is replaced by ultrasound and radiography. But these methods will be inferior in their information content and the functionality of endoscopy.
Treatment methods
The therapy in this case will be aimed at the destruction of parasites that have settled in the stomach, as well as at the restoration of the patient’s organ and the whole organism, affected by their vital functions.
Treatment consists of three areas:
- Drug therapy.
- Ethnoscience.
- Reception by the patient of biologically active additives - dietary supplements.
We will consider each of the methods in detail. However, such methods of conservative treatment are used only for cases when there is a small parasite in the stomach. When this is an individual of large sizes (the same bull tapeworm), then only surgical (surgical) intervention is prescribed to the patient.
Drug therapy
All drug treatment for helminthic invasion will be divided into two areas:
- Mebendazole group. These are drugs such as Vormil, Albendazole, Vermox. They are distinguished by greater toxicity compared to the second group. Hence, many experts believe that the use of such drugs to get rid of worms in the stomach is unreasonable.
- Levamisole group. It includes the following funds - "Dekaris", "Pirantel", "Helminthox". Less toxicity to the human body, but at the same time a good antihistamine effect.
Drugs are usually prescribed at a rate of 10 mg / kg of human body weight. The patient takes the remedy in the morning, after a light breakfast.
ethnoscience
Since worms in the stomach are considered one of the easiest forms of helminth infestation, many people believe that in this case simple folk remedies can be dispensed with. We advise, when applying this method of treatment, not to ignore the recommendations of a professional doctor.
What can be used from this category:
- Onions or garlic. It is enough to periodically eat this product for its negative effect on the worms settled in the stomach. Garlic or onion is eaten both in its pure form and in combination with raw pumpkin seeds or milk - for the best effect.
- A herbal decoction of three components - chopped tansy flowers, which are mixed with wormwood and cloves. But be careful - the method is not recommended for pregnant women and nursing mothers.
- Walnuts and a decoction of birch leaf. Mild effects that are just right for pregnant and young children.
Reception of dietary supplements
A universal tool that combines the effect of the two previous ones - the effectiveness of the first and the safety, environmental friendliness of the second. The basis of dietary supplements is herbal remedies with antihistamine action. These are mint, ginger, cloves, birch leaf, wormwood, tansy and so on.
The most effective dietary supplements of this group include Troika, Intoxic, Baktefort and so on.
Prevention
Preventive measures against worms in the stomach are the same as for counteracting any other helminthiasis. First of all, this is the observance of the rules of personal hygiene:
- Washing hands before eating, after the street and visiting the toilet room.
- Mandatory washing of fresh vegetables and fruits, herbs under running water.
- Heat treatment of meat, fish, eggs before eating.
Worms in the stomach are a rare occurrence. Identify it helps endoscopic diagnosis. Treatment, prevention do not differ from the fight against other helminthic invasion.