A condition in which parasites in the lungs are detected in a person requires immediate treatment. It is very dangerous, although it is rare. If a person has helminths in the lung tissue, it should be treated immediately. Otherwise, the quality of life will rapidly decline. The saddest outcome is disability, further disability or death.
How do parasites penetrate the lungs? What symptoms indicate this? Is it possible to withdraw them? This and much more will now be discussed.
Infection pathways
How are parasites in the lungs and bronchi? First, they penetrate the human body along with water and food, or through household items. It is also possible to become infected by contact with animals. As a rule, ascarias, echinococci, pork tapeworm larvae and toxoplasma are found in the human body.
Here, as a result of which infection with worms occurs:
- Ignoring personal hygiene.
- Close contact with animals and sick people.
- The use of unboiled water and contaminated products.
Toxoplasmosis is usually transmitted to the embryo from an already ill mother. But in this case, the lungs are affected very rarely.
The pathogen is also able to be transmitted by organ transplantation or transfusion of donated blood. It should be noted that children with helminthiasis are sick more often than adults. This is due to non-observance of personal hygiene rules.
How do parasites end up in the lungs?
What happens after worms enter the body? They bypass the digestive tract and end up in the intestines. From there, parasites enter the general bloodstream. Then, together with blood, they are transported to the lung tissue.
Once inside, the worms begin to multiply actively. In the lungs, parasites develop, the consequence of this is the beginning of the adhesion process and the further formation of scar tissue. Everything leads to the fact that the shape of the lungs changes.
The worst thing is that it can last for years. The disease for many years often goes unnoticed. And ignoring it, of course, affects the complexity of the treatment.
Symptoms
Having discussed how parasites in the lungs turn out, it’s worth talking about the signs by which you can find out about their presence in the body.
Worms rarely show their activity immediately after entering the bloodstream. Often from the moment of infection, a year passes before the onset of symptoms. Parasites in the lungs will develop and multiply for a long time, and signs of their presence will appear after weakening of the immune system. This, incidentally, is facilitated by a variety of factors - colds, stress, infectious diseases, etc.
But be that as it may, if there are parasites in the lungs, the symptoms will appear at one point. Here is what a person faces:
- Dizziness.
- General weakness.
- Prostration.
- Weakened appetite.
- Unreasonably elevated temperature.
- Shortness of breath, choking, panting.
- Headaches and migraines.
- Vomiting and frequent nausea.
- Pain in the chest and heart, tingling.
It is necessary to make a reservation that all of the above are not only signs of parasites in the lungs. Often, these symptoms indicate the presence of other diseases. Therefore, you need to see a doctor in any case.
Disease progression
The development of parasites in the lungs at one point ceases to be asymptomatic. A person begins to worry about shortness of breath, coughing, chest pains, as well as dry and wet rales of very different localization.
Worms do not just progress and multiply - they also grow. Because of this, blood vessels rupture as a result. The corresponding red impurities appear in the sputum.
If large vessels rupture, then pulmonary hemorrhages appear. There are signs of respiratory failure, mucous membranes and skin become cyanotic.
Due to parasites living in the lungs, allergic reactions also appear - bronchospasm, urticaria, itching. And if the shell of the Finnish Echinococcus ruptures, then anaphylactic shock can happen at all.
Also, with prolonged progression, purulent discharge begins to appear. A cyst begins to grow in the lungs. If it becomes large enough, it can even damage the pleura, bronchi, and then even the abdominal cavity, thereby violating the bile ducts.
When the cyst begins to rot, it is simply impossible not to notice. The temperature rises, a strong inflammation arises in the body. And on palpation, the doctor may even detect a lump resembling a tumor. The person himself complains of the discomfort felt by pressing on the chest.
Effects
As it was already possible to understand, parasites developing in the human lungs can cause a variety of diseases that will affect both the functional activity of the respiratory system and other internal systems.
Roundworms, migrating to the bronchi, can cause mechanical damage to tissues. They can also accumulate in the lumen of the trachea. This can lead to respiratory dysfunction, which is fraught with the development of an asphyxial state. In the most severe cases, death by suffocation is possible.
Worms also release toxic waste products in the tissue, which also has their consequences. Bronchial asthma and allergies develop, and the central nervous system is often affected. And progressive worms create all the necessary conditions for a person to be infected again. If this happens, the consequences will be dire - pneumonia, abscess, mediastinitis of the lung tissue.
Diagnostics
If any of the above symptoms appear, it is very important to go to the doctor. First, at least to the therapist. Timely detection of the disease is the key to a quick cure.
Of great importance in the diagnosis of helminthiases is the history of man. The risk group includes people to whom one of the following is related:
- Staying in a region with poor environmental conditions.
- Work in a medical institution.
- Contact with animals.
- Once upon a time, teniosis.
The presence of parasites in the respiratory system can be detected by X-ray or CT. The following procedures are also prescribed:
- General blood analysis.
- Sputum delivery for the detection of worm eggs in them.
- A blood test for antibodies to helminths toxins.
To evaluate how badly the helminths hit the lungs, a study of the function of external respiration is carried out. In the blood, an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, as well as the level of eosinophils, is detected. This is the name of the white blood cells responsible for protecting the human body from multicellular parasitic creatures.
Still sometimes it is possible to diagnose a strong leukocytosis, in which young forms of cells enter the bloodstream. But this is in those cases when there is suppuration of the Finns.
Principles of Therapy
Much has been said above about the symptoms of parasites in the human lungs and the diagnostic process. Now we should talk about how this condition is treated.
Which drugs the doctor prescribes depends on the type of pathogen. The doctor should choose medications, based on the results of the diagnosis - self-medication is fraught with consequences.
That medicine that can destroy one type of pathogen will be completely powerless in the fight against another. Taking a useless drug, a person will only make himself worse.
Drug List
A combination of Pyrimethamine and sulfanilamides will help cope with toxoplasmosis. Sulfadimezinum, Chloridinum and Aminoquinolum can still appoint. If the chronic presence of parasites in the lungs is diagnosed, the treatment will necessarily be supplemented with specific therapy with toxoplasmin, which helps strengthen immunity.
To eliminate ascariasis, sulfonamides are taken. Such drugs as Biltricid, Vermox, Nemozol and Pyrantel are also effective, but they have increased toxicity. Therefore, doctors prescribe them only in especially severe cases - when the benefit will be more likely than possible harm.
Even in the process of eliminating parasites in the lungs of a person and treating helminthiasis, immunostimulants, vitamins and drugs that purify the blood from toxins secreted by these creatures must be used.
Surgical intervention
Much has been said above about indications of the presence of parasites in mild symptoms and the treatment of this condition. There was not considered yet another method of therapy. And it's about the operation.
Often, surgery is the only way to correct the situation. Because, due to the thick membrane of the Finns, parasites (in particular, echinococcus) are insensitive to anthelmintic drugs.
You can remove worms from the lung tissue by various methods:
- Removal of the parasite along with the capsule.
- Hatching the worm from the shell without violating its integrity.
- Removal of the worm by opening the capsule and subsequent aspiration of its contents.
Having performed the operation, the doctors will be sure that there is no longer any parasite in the human lungs.
Treatment, however, is sometimes difficult. If the patient is diagnosed with an extensive inflammatory process or a secondary disease is detected, a resection is prescribed. They can remove part of the lung, or the whole. After surgery, a person is prescribed serious anthelmintic therapy. During its implementation, it is necessary to control the state of the bone marrow, kidneys and liver.
Folk remedies
Some people decide to resort to their use. Folk remedies, according to many, not only help get rid of parasites, but also significantly strengthen the immune system.
The use of ginger is highly recommended. It increases the body's defenses and helps to cope with the symptoms of pulmonary diseases. They can be seasoned or added to tea.
Cilantro and coriander are also seasonings that can help in the fight against parasites. It is only necessary to dry their seeds, and then crush thoroughly. Take 1 gram after a meal.
Wormwood is also known for its healing properties. It has a disinfecting, disinfecting and restorative effect. It is recommended to do inhalation with it. You just need to make porridge from fresh wormwood sprouts, and then inhale the outgoing vapors.
They also say that natural pumpkin oil helps a lot. It must be drunk before eating 40 drops.
However, in no case should you take any folk remedy in the presence of allergies or other contraindications.
Prevention
The first sign of recovery is an improvement in the appearance and overall condition. But, nevertheless, after removing worms from the body, it is necessary to undergo a whole course of restorative procedures. They are prescribed by a doctor.
It is also necessary to take control of your diet, and be sure to keep the body clean. Hygiene is very important, you need to remember this. It is important to pay special attention to the processing of food products, and always filter the water. Mandatory and timely treatment of diseases.
Following these simple recommendations, it will be very difficult for a person to again become infected with parasites.