Giardia refers to the simplest flagellar parasites that settle in the human body, causing dysfunction of the gastrointestinal system and a decrease in the motility of bile production. Treatment of giardiasis in adults is carried out by medical and folk methods.
The causative agent of the disease and the causes of infection
Giardia (lat. Lamblia intestinalis) were discovered by the scientist who created the first microscope, Anthony van Levenguk, back in the early 18th century. Then, in 1859, they were examined by a professor from Kharkov, Dushan Lyambly, in whose honor they got their name.
These tiny parasites of 8-18 microns in size have a pear-shaped shape with several flagella and a disk-shaped suction cup that helps them attach to the intestinal walls (their structure can be seen in the photo below). Symptoms of giardiasis in adults and its treatment are possible after an accurate diagnosis. The main nutrition of parasites is food splitting, which helps them to multiply quickly by division. In a few hours, they are able to create a millionth colony and block the walls of the small intestine.
Active parasites of giardia (trophozoites) penetrate the small intestine, then migrate to the thick, where they are covered with a special membrane, turning into cysts, i.e., inactive form. The consequence of their mass reproduction is a violation in digestion and intestinal motility, there are foci of inflammation and erosion.
They are excreted along with feces, maintaining their viability in favorable conditions for up to 3 months, from where they can re-enter the human body in order to continue their destructive function.
Ways of infection with giardia
Any adult or child who does not clearly follow personal hygiene rules and does not handle foods can be infected with such parasites. The disease is especially acute with the penetration of a large number of parasites and low acidity of the stomach in humans.
Ways of infection with giardia:
- through water bodies (open or insufficiently cleaned);
- eating unwashed berries, herbs and fruits;
- through household items (dishes, linen, etc.);
- in contact with a sick person, with a handshake and other interactions;
- Giardia cysts carry flies, rodents, dogs and cats.
Giardiasis in adults: symptoms and treatment
The first signs of the disease do not always look clear, they are often confused with poisoning or pain in the stomach. Perhaps the usual feeling of discomfort in the abdomen. Accurately identify the presence of giardia in the body is possible only after special tests and regular physical examinations. The doctor after specifying the diagnosis prescribes treatment.
Symptoms of giardiasis in adults:
- general deterioration of health, headaches;
- white coating on the tongue, the skin on the nose of the patient looks unnaturally pale;
- decreased appetite and weight, nausea;
- heaviness and pain in the abdomen and on the right near the ribs, a feeling of bloating;
- periodic constipation and diarrhea, sometimes the stool foams;
- often heartburn and belching;
- increased sweating;
- dry skin, chapping on the lips, cracks and jams;
- insomnia or drowsiness, fatigue;
- depression and anxiety, irritability;
- allergic reactions, bronchial asthma is possible.
Chronic giardiasis and possible complications
Quite often, giardiasis begins without acute symptoms, and the patient is a carrier of such an infection, then the disease becomes chronic. Parasites secrete toxins that provoke various negative disorders in the patient's body.
Forms of chronic giardiasis:
- cardiovascular is accompanied by an increase in pressure, heart rate, etc .;
- nervous - causes vegetative dysfunction, and also manifests itself as weakness, decreased blood pressure, poor mood and lacrimation;
- gastric - accompanied by symptoms of an ulcer or gastritis.
Treatment of chronic giardiasis in adults is carried out in several stages after analysis and consultation with a specialist.
Diagnosis of giardiasis
If you suspect this disease, you should contact the therapist who makes the appointment for an accurate diagnosis:
- analysis of feces for the presence of cysts and trophazoids, also the method of sensing takes the contents of the upper section in the intestine (such a study should be carried out weekly for 2 months, since parasites are not always present in the feces in the chronic form of the disease);
- intertest - swallowing a capsule with a gelatin base, inside of which lies a kapron thread: when it enters the stomach, the membrane dissolves, and parasites are attached to the thread, which come out with feces, then a microscopic analysis of the contents is carried out;
- blood tests for antibodies;
- to exclude giardiasis, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay is used (Giardia test system AT-strip);
- A biopsy is used to detect protozoa in the intestine and to diagnose volumetric formations inside.
Stages of treating a disease
Treatment of giardiasis in adult patients is carried out in stages:
- The purpose of the initial cleansing phase is to correct metabolic processes and increase immunity, and a special diet is selected, enzyme therapy (Festal, Creon) is carried out, enterosorbents (activated carbon, Polysorb, Enterosgel) and antihistamines are prescribed.
- At the next - antiparasitic drugs are added to the listed drugs: "Furazolidone", "Trichopolum", "Tiberal", etc.
- At the restoration stage, a diet is used to increase the body's resistance, adaptogens are used to improve intestinal contractions, with dysbiosis probiotics and prebiotics (Bificol, Acidophilus, Enterol, Bifidumbacterin), enzyme preparations (Mezim, Pancreatin) are prescribed , "Hilak-forte", "Festal").
The duration of the treatment process depends on the severity of the disease and the manifestations of negative symptoms.
Diet for giardiasis
During the treatment of giardiasis in adults, patients are prescribed a special diet, which helps to reduce the level of reproduction of parasites. It is recommended to eat vegetables (fresh and boiled), dried fruits, various cereals, low-fat varieties of meat and fish, vegetable oil, dairy products.
It is forbidden to use a large number of foods high in carbohydrates (sweet foods, flour and confectionery), as well as fatty foods.
Antiparasitic drugs in the treatment of giardiasis
Anthelmintic drugs are essential in the treatment of giardiasis.
- "Nemozol" is a drug that destroys giardia, their cysts and other parasites. During treatment, the dosage is 1 tablet daily with meals, the duration of administration is 5 days. Contraindications for use: eye and liver disease. When treating giardiasis in adults with Nemozol, unpleasant side effects can occur: dizziness, pressure surges, rashes and itching on the skin, kidney problems.
- "Ornidazole" - taken every 12 hours for 1 table. three times or once at night immediately 3 tablets. Unpleasant side effects: drowsiness, headache and dizziness, nausea, allergic reactions, convulsions, taste change.
- "Tinidazole" - 4 tablets are taken. once, a negative reaction similar to the previous drug is possible.
- Effective treatment of giardiasis "Macmirror" in adults is carried out by a course of 7 days in 2 tablets. per day 3 p., side effects when taking are minimal (2%): bitterness in the mouth, allergy, slight nausea.
- "Albendazole" - 1 tablet is prescribed. per day after meals, the duration of the course is 7 days; side effects: abdominal pain, nausea, increased pressure, dizziness, impaired liver and kidney function, rashes on the skin.
After completing the main course, the treatment of giardiasis does not end, you need to take a break for a week to rest. Next, a second course should be carried out, in severe cases, the appointment of a third is also necessary. Each time an antiparasitic drug is prescribed a different one.
Alternative methods of treatment
Due to serious and unpleasant side effects in the body when taking medications, as evidenced by reviews of the treatment of giardiasis in adults, many patients often prefer to use folk remedies that do not have negative effects. With this method, the intestinal microflora is also preserved.
The main principles of treatment of giardiasis in adults with alternative methods: the use of anthelmintic drugs and the creation of high acidity in the stomach. For this, the patient is recommended to eat acidic foods: sauerkraut, tea with lemon, cranberry and lingonberry fruit drinks, as well as the use of herbal infusions and decoctions. Fatty and sweet foods are excluded from the diet.
Popular folk recipes:
- Therapeutic infusion of horseradish. 2 roots are cleaned of small roots, the skin is left, then crushed and poured into a 3-liter jar, cold water is poured on top. The infusion is done for 3 days in the room, then honey is put in it (1: 1), it is well stirred and put for another 3 days. Infusion should be taken 3 p. a day before meals, course of 9-10 days, then a break for a week, then a second course. At the same time, horseradish is eaten in various dishes throughout the day.
- Garlic tincture is made from crushed cloves (250 g), filled with 1 liter of vodka. Insist in the dark for 10 days, take 3 p. per day for 1 tbsp. spoon.
- Pumpkin seeds. Can be consumed raw on an empty stomach and throughout the day. It is also recommended to consume 3 p. a day a mixture of honey and seeds (1: 1) before meals.
- In the treatment of giardiasis, birch tar is widely used , which helps to get rid of parasitic infections, thanks to the organic acids and other useful substances contained in it. It has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects. For medicinal purposes, it is necessary to consume carrot or any vegetable puree at the rate of 1 g of tar for 1 tsp. mashed mass, which is rolled into a ball and swallowed.
- Oat tubing. It is made from carefully selected oat kernels, which are poured into a thermos, brewed with boiling water and insisted for 12 hours (preferably at night). A filtered broth should be drunk on an empty stomach, after which it should lie down on the right side with a heating pad for 1 hour.
- Cucumbers are also used in the treatment of giardiasis. Overripe brown fruits are suitable for this, which must be finely chopped and filled with water. Store in the refrigerator and drink instead of water during the day.
- Milk-garlic mixture allows you to create an environment that is unacceptable for parasites to survive in the body. For treatment, it is necessary to boil 1 liter of milk, put 200 g of chopped garlic and keep it in a boiling state for 2 minutes. Cool and drink the resulting cocktail, after a short rest, you need to normalize the acid balance using milk porridge or cottage cheese (300 g), the course is 7 days.
Herbal infusion treatment
Treatment of giardiasis with folk remedies in adults is also carried out with the help of herbs.
- Tansy tincture is made from 1 tbsp. l flowers and 0.5 l of boiling water, set aside for 2 hours, then filter and drink 1/3 tbsp. 15 minutes before meals three times a day.
- Lotions of wormwood are made of steamed twigs, which are wrapped in a piece of tissue and put overnight on the liver area.
- Wormwood infusion is an excellent anthelmintic, allowing you to get rid of many types of parasites. You need to drink it 5 p. per day for 1 tbsp. l
- Herbal collection of mint, elecampane and saber (1: 1: 1) is prepared in a thermos: 2 tbsp. l pour ½ liter of boiling water over the mixture, close and put overnight, filter in the morning and drink 100 g of 3 r. per day for 30 days.
- A decoction of birch buds is a powerful and effective remedy against parasites due to the flavonoids and phytoncides contained in it. For its preparation, 5-6 pieces (about 10 g) must be filled with 200 g of hot water, boiled for 15 minutes, cooled and filtered. Take within 15-20 days, for which an environment containing a specific bitterness that expels all giardia is formed in the stomach.
Prevention of Giardia infection
In order not to conduct a long and difficult treatment of giardiasis in adults, it is always easier to prevent the disease with the help of simple rules:
- maintain hygiene, wash hands thoroughly;
- use only clean or filtered water;
- wash vegetables, berries and fruits before eating.
If you suspect infection with lamblia, you must consult a doctor to conduct timely diagnosis and start treatment so that the disease does not go into the chronic stage and does not cause serious health complications.