Intestinal worms are parasites that feed on other living organisms, such as people. It is very common to get worms from consuming contaminated food or water. There are several types of intestinal worms. In this article you will find information describing the general symptoms caused by most of these parasites, but also those caused by tapeworms, pinworms, hookworms, whipworms and roundworms. Read on to learn more.
Steps
Part 1 of 6: Recognizing the General Symptoms Caused by the Presence of Worms
Step 1. Keep an eye out for any unexplained weight loss
When your body hosts a worm, you take in fewer nutrients than usual because the parasite consumes them for you. So, even if you eat normally, you may start to lose weight because your body is not getting the calories and nutrients it should, as they are taken away by the worm.
If you start losing weight unwittingly, keep an eye on how much weight you are losing. If you continue to shed pounds, see your doctor
Step 2. Notice if you are inexplicably suffering from constipation
If it doesn't seem to depend on something in particular, it could be caused by the presence of worms that irritate the intestine, compromising the proper functioning of the digestive system. This phenomenon can decrease the body's absorption of water, making you constipated.
For example, if you've eaten high-fiber foods, drank lots of water, or do things that don't normally stop you from going to the bathroom but still can't get rid of it, your body is likely harboring an intestinal worm
Step 3. Pay attention to the discomfort caused by meteorism after traveling to a new place
If you have recently been to a place where intestinal parasitosis is an endemic problem and suddenly you have severe bloating, consider that you may have contracted worms. This discomfort can be accompanied by abdominal pain.
If you have been to a foreign country and to fight diarrhea you have had to take an antidiarrheal drug, keep under control the discomfort caused by the excessive presence of gas in the intestine. If it continues even after you have finished taking the drug, it can sometimes indicate worm disease
Step 4. Keep in mind that worms can make you feel like you are never full or hungry
They can trigger a strong appetite right after meals or generate a feeling of satiety even when you haven't eaten anything.
This happens because intestinal parasites, by feeding on the food you ingest, leave you hungry, but they can also cause you to feel sick or air in the intestines and, consequently, make you feel full
Step 5. Notice if you feel a constant feeling of tiredness or exhaustion
If your body hosts an intestinal worm, it assimilates all the nutrients of the food you ate, causing you to become too hungry. At the same time, a lack of nutrients can drain your energy and make you feel exhausted. This phenomenon can:
- Always make you feel tired;
- Make you feel exhausted after making a little effort
- Get you to sleep even when you have other things to do.
Step 6. Be aware that some people have no symptoms
The presence of an intestinal worm can manifest itself in various ways depending on the person. It is always a good idea to visit the doctor upon returning from a foreign country where intestinal parasitosis is an endemic problem. In general, caution is never too much, especially in the case of intestinal worms.
Part 2 of 6: Recognizing the Symptoms of Tapeworm Infection
Step 1. Check your stool
If you've contracted a tapeworm infection, you may see worms in your stool after dejection or on the inside of your underwear. If you recognize them, contact your doctor immediately. Tapeworms present with:
- Very long filaments;
- A whitish appearance.
Step 2. Check if your eyes and skin have turned pale
If you are concerned that you have a tapeworm infection, look at your eyes and skin in the mirror. This parasite can cause an iron deficiency, because by feeding on blood it lowers some blood values. When these values are low, you notice that the skin and eyes are characterized by an accentuated pallor.
As a result of the lowering of some blood values, there is also the risk of suffering from anemia. Symptoms of anemia include unusually fast heartbeat, fatigue, wheezing, lightheadedness, and difficulty concentrating
Step 3. Notice if abdominal pain is accompanied by nausea and vomiting
Tapeworms can block intestinal ducts and cause perforations in the walls of the intestine. When there are occlusions, you may start to suffer from abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
Abdominal pain usually occurs in the stomach area
Step 4. Watch out for diarrhea
The tapeworm can invade and inflame the walls of the small intestine, causing the intestinal walls to secrete a liquid. When produced in excessive quantities, the body has more difficulty absorbing it and this phenomenon can lead to diarrhea.
Step 5. Notice if you feel lightheaded
It is very rare and typically only occurs in people infected with fish tapeworms. The fish tapeworm removes vitamin B12 from the body causing a form of anemia known as megaloblastic anemia. The resulting reduction in red blood cells can cause:
- Stunning;
- Memory loss;
- Dementia.
Part 3 of 6: Recognizing the Symptoms of Pinworm Infection
Step 1. Notice if your skin is irritated and itchy
Pinworms can cause skin irritation, because they disperse toxins in the blood. When these toxins build up in the skin, they can cause itchiness similar to that of eczema.
- Itching may get worse during the night hours, because worms tend to lay their eggs at night.
- The itch may also be concentrated around the anus, as this is where pinworms usually lay their eggs.
Step 2. Notice if you have trouble sleeping or have mood swings
You may have difficulty falling asleep or waking up more than usual during the night. This phenomenon is likely to indicate a pinworm infection, as eggs laid at night can release toxins which, traveling in the bloodstream, travel to the brain and disturb normal brain function.
In this case, you may also suffer from mood swings and then suddenly go from a feeling of serenity to an anxious state
Step 3. Watch out for muscle and joint pain
In addition to causing itching and sleep problems, the toxin released by pinworm eggs can also be carried to the muscles and joints and affect these areas, causing:
- Muscle and joint inflammation;
- Dull or stabbing pain.
Step 4. Notice if you have started grinding your teeth while you sleep
If you've suddenly begun to brux during the night and it has never happened to you before, this could be due to a pinworm infection. The toxins released by these parasites can cause anxiety-like agitation and cause you to grind your teeth while you sleep. Signs that may make you suspect you are bruxing include:
- More worn or flat teeth;
- Greater dentinal sensitivity;
- Pain in the jaw
- Feeling of tiredness in the jaw;
- Headache or earache
- Bite marks on the tongue and inside of the cheeks.
Step 5. See your doctor if you are concerned that you are having or have had seizures
In severe cases, pinworm toxin can cause seizures when it comes to disturb normal brain functioning. Signs of epilepsy include:
- Spasmodic movements of the arms, legs or other parts of the body
- Feeling confused or lightheaded
- Loss of bladder or intestinal muscle control.
- Unexplained confusion or memory loss.
Part 4 of 6: Recognizing the Symptoms of Hookworm Infection
Step 1. Check for itching and rashes
If you have a hookworm infection, the first symptom that occurs is itching, because the larvae of these worms begin to penetrate the skin. Additionally, you may notice some swelling and redness of the skin in the most irritated areas. This phenomenon is also caused by the introduction of the larvae into the layers of the dermis.
Generally, the itching caused by hookworms is felt mainly in the hands and feet
Step 2. Watch out for nausea and diarrhea
When hookworm enters the intestine, it can disrupt its regular functioning and lead to nausea and diarrhea. This parasite is also capable of releasing toxins that upset the digestive system. Nausea can occur with or without vomiting.
Look for any blood in the stool. They can be red or black
Step 3. Notice if you have cramps
Hookworms can inflame the colon and also irritate the walls of the intestine which, in addition to the colon, includes the cecum and rectum. In this case, you may be suffering from abdominal cramps.
Step 4. Notice if you suddenly experience an iron deficiency
This symptom occurs only in the most severe cases of hookworm infection. Hookworms feed directly on the host's blood, resulting in an iron deficiency. Signs of this imbalance include:
- Excessive exhaustion and general weakness;
- Pallor of the skin and eyes;
- Chest pain and headache;
- Dyspnea.
Part 5 of 6: Recognizing the Symptoms of Whipworm Infection
Step 1. Notice if you feel like you have to go to the bathroom all the time
This disorder is called tenesmus. As the immune system attempts to eliminate a parasite, the gastrointestinal tract can become inflamed. This inflammation leads to difficulty in passing stools and, consequently, can cause tenesmus, or the feeling of an urgent need to defecate, even when the intestine is empty. This phenomenon can cause:
- Press yourself;
- Pain in the rectum;
- Cramps.
Step 2. Look out for symptoms that indicate an intestinal blockage
Whipworms can obstruct or damage the intestinal walls and lumen (the complex of tissues that make up the intestine). When the intestines become clogged, you can suffer from:
- Abdominal cramps
- Nausea;
- He retched.
Step 3. Notice if you have diarrheal discharge accompanied by dehydration
Whipworms tend to hide their heads in the intestinal walls, leading to an increase in fluid secretion and / or a reduced absorption of fluids by the colon. When the colon begins to increase its production of fluids, the body has a difficult time reabsorbing them and, therefore, the following symptoms occur:
- Diarrhea;
- Dehydration or continual feeling of thirst
- Deficiency of electrolytes and nutrients.
Step 4. See your doctor if rectal prolapse occurs
In the case of whipworm infection, the rectum loses its internal support as the worms stick their thin heads into the intestinal walls. This results in a weakening of the muscles surrounding the intestine and, in some cases, a rectal prolapse. This medical condition occurs when:
Rectal prolapse occurs when the lower part of the colon, which is inside the anal canal, turns over and partially protrudes from the body
Part 6 of 6: Recognizing the Symptoms of Roundworm Infection
Step 1. Notice if you have severe abdominal pain
Since these parasites are quite large, they can clog the intestines and, in some cases, grow to the size of a pencil. If an intestinal blockage occurs, you may experience severe pain in the abdomen which presents with:
Pain in the stomach, similar to that of a cramp that does not seem to go away
Step 2. Pay attention if you start to feel itchy around the anus
The eggs laid by roundworms can release toxins which, dispersing throughout the body, cause itching in the anal area.
Itching can get worse at night, because worms tend to lay their eggs at night while you sleep
Step 3. See your doctor if you see worms when you blow your nose or go to the bathroom
As roundworms multiply, they may begin to leave the body in search of another host. In other words, they begin to exit through several orifices. Their release can take place through:
- Mouth;
- Nose;
- Anus.
