parasites – Hello Doctor

How to keep worms out of your stomach

March 20th, 2019 by The Hello Doctor Team

The thought of having a parasite crawling around in your body can be quite scary, but you’re not alone; parasites are more common than you think.

Parasites are animals or plants that can only survive by living in another plant or animal. Parasites vary in size and type and feed off different things. There are several parasites that, if left unmanaged, can cause health problems.

How do you get parasites?

Some live off the food you eat and mainly exist in your digestive tract. Other parasites attach themselves anywhere on the body and feed on the nutrients and energy from your cells. Common parasites include roundworms, tapeworms, pinworms, whipworms and hookworms. Some eat your food, leaving you hungry after every meal. You may notice you’re losing weight without even trying! Others feed off your red blood cells which can cause anaemia. Some lay eggs that trigger irritation, and itching. You can also get parasites from:

Drinking contaminated water.
Eating foods from contaminated soil.
Being in contact with contaminated faeces.
Poor sanitation.
Poor hygiene.
A bug bite.
Sexual contact.

Prevention

Parasites and germs need three things:

An environment or source to live.
An animal or person to carry it around.
A host: which is the person or animal that gets infected with the germ or parasite and gets sick.

Lower your risk of contracting a parasitic infection:

Wash your hands regularly, especially after handling uncooked food or faeces.
Always use a condom during sex.
Cook food up to its recommended temperature.
Drink clean water.
Avoid swallowing water from lakes, streams, or ponds.
Avoid cat litter and faeces when you’re pregnant.

Change your diet

Both fibre and probiotics are important to keep your bowel movements regular and help empty out parasites from your intestines. Yoghurt is a good source of probiotics, while fresh vegetables, wholegrains and nuts are your best choice of fibre. In addition:

Go easy on sugar and fat.
Cook all meat thoroughly.
Wash fresh vegetables carefully.
Wash your hands before and after using the toilet.
Wear gloves when gardening or working with soil.
Deworm your pets regularly and handle kitty litter with gloves.

Treatment

Your doctor will prescribe medication depending on the type of parasitic infection They might also include :

A blood test.
An exam where a sample of your stool will be checked for parasites and their eggs.
X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or computerised axial tomography (CAT): These scans are used to check for signs of injury to your organs caused by parasites.

Your doctor may also do tests to check for bacteria or other things that cause infections.

References

https://www.healthline.com/health/trichinosis
https://medlineplus.gov/parasiticdiseases.html#cat_93
https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/references_resources/diagnosis.html
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324042.php
https://www.healthline.com/health/parasitic-infections#symptoms

Is your skin condition caused by parasites?

April 20th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Hear the word parasite and your first reaction is probably “Eww!’’ And with good reason. A parasite is an organism which eats, reproduces and secretes just like other organisms. They are an advanced species, which can survive and breed while remaining undetected. It makes sense, then, that these little critters can make your life very difficult, causing different health issues.

There are more than one thousand parasite species. Depending on their type, they eat different things. There are large parasites which are usually worms and small parasites which are microscopic. Some of them live off the food we eat and mainly exist in the digestive tract. Other parasites attach themselves anywhere on the body and feed on the nutrients and energy from your cells.

These parasites often eat the nutrients and energy before you can get to them, which means your organs and skin don’t get the nutrients they need.

Who’s at risk?

Anyone can get a parasite infection, but some people are more at risk than others.

Having an illness or a weak immune system.
Living or constantly travelling in tropical or subtropical regions of the world.
Lacking a clean supply of drinking water.
Through sexual contact.
Through the skin or nose.
Via a mosquito, flea or housefly.
Eating contaminated food.
Swimming in lakes, rivers or ponds where parasites are common.
Working in childcare or with soil regularly.

How parasites affect your skin

As your skin is the fastest way to get rid of an infection, parasitic infections may also cause breakouts and swelling while your body tries to get rid of it. This can cause any of the following symptoms:

Small, itchy bumps
rashes
blisters
reddening & inflammation of the skin

Tissue damage

The most common systemic effects from parasites include:

difficulty gaining or losing weight,
digestive problems,
food sensitivity,
joint and muscle pains
bacterial or viral infections.

Left untreated, health problems caused by parasites may become chronic and cause parasitic infections. Malnutrition may occur, specifically in children, as parasites rob the body of food or prevent food from being absorbed properly. This causes kids to be underweight or their growth to be stunted. Intestinal worms like the hookworm can cause anemia, a condition where there’s a lack of red blood cells.

It gets worse.

If parasites stick around for a long time, they contribute to the development of food allergies, and even death in severe cases, as they drain all the resources your body needs to survive.

Parasite-proof yourself

The best way to protect yourself from parasites is to make your body a bad host. Do this by creating an environment a parasite wouldn’t want to live in. Your gut is filled with bacteria and a healthy gut has about 85% good bacteria that keep your gut in check. The good bacteria protect you from the bad guys (viruses, parasites and harmful bacteria). To keep your gut in top condition, fill up on probiotics. Probiotics help produce good bacteria that support your body, by closing gaps in your gut’s barrier cells.

Good gut tips:

Include probiotics like yoghurt, kefir and sauerkraut in your diet. Ask your doctor about a probiotic supplement.
Balance your diet with enough fibre, vegetables, fruit, wholegrains and nuts. Fibre helps empty parasites from your intestines and a healthy diet improves your immune system.
Limit dairy, sugar and fat as parasites thrive on these.
Cook fish, beef, chicken and other meats thoroughly.
Wash your hands before and after using the toilet.
Wear gloves when gardening or working with soil.
Wash fresh vegetables carefully.
Deworm your pets regularly and handle kitty litter with gloves.

Treatment options

Your doctor will prescribe medication depending on the type of parasitic infection. If you experience any symptoms of an infection and have reason to believe you were exposed to parasites, talk to your doctor immediately.

References

You have worms!?

October 1st, 2016 by The Hello Doctor Team

Let’s flip a coin. Heads or tails? What are your chances of guessing correctly? 50%, right? Well, that’s about the same chance of you having worms in your gut at this very moment.

We know, it’s disgusting, and you’d rather not think about it. But think about it: if they’re in there right now, sharing your lunch, wouldn’t you want to get rid of them – heads and tails?

Continue reading “You have worms!?”