The tapeworm (or tapeworm) is a parasite that you can catch by eating the raw meat of an infected animal. It is generally quite easy to eliminate, but it can cause serious health problems if no action is taken to expel it. If you think you may have tapeworm, the best thing to do is to go to the doctor as soon as possible. You can also try to understand if you have any symptoms that may indicate the presence of this disorder, but in any case a medical diagnosis is necessary to be sure.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Identifying the Symptoms
Step 1. Look for common symptoms
The tapeworm can cause a wide range of different symptoms that mimic other conditions and in some cases it may not even cause them at all, so it can be difficult to tell if you have contracted it by simply observing the body's signals. Be that as it may, knowing what the most common symptoms are can help you determine if you need to see a doctor. Disorders that may indicate the presence of the tapeworm include:
- abdominal pain;
- nausea and / or vomiting;
- dysentery;
- weight loss;
- dizziness
- insomnia;
- malnutrition;
- jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).
Step 2. Examine the stool
One way to tell if you have tapeworm is to check for traces of the parasite in your stool. If you notice any fragments resembling white rice grains, you may have been infected. Those little particles contain the worm's eggs.
Step 3. Pay attention to your appetite
A common symptom caused by the tapeworm is loss of appetite, but some people experience the opposite effect and are hungrier than usual. The latter possibility is more common if the infection occurs from eating undercooked beef or pork. Be that as it may, try to notice if your appetite has changed abnormally.
Step 4. Look for symptoms of anemia
If you got sick from eating undercooked fish, you could develop a vitamin B12 deficiency, as the parasite could absorb all of that in your body. As a result, you may become anemic because the body needs vitamin B12 to make red blood cells. Symptoms of anemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency include:
- feeling of being stung by pins and needles in the hands and feet;
- loss of sensation in the hands (loss of sense of touch);
- staggering and unstable gait;
- joint and muscle stiffness (index of spasticity);
- decreased mental faculties.
Step 5. Look for symptoms of a maggot infection
In some cases the eggs can hatch and the larvae can burrow into the intestinal walls and reach other parts of the body. This fact can cause several symptoms which include:
- frequent and painful coughs;
- migraine;
- convulsions;
- fever;
- allergic reactions such as asthma, itching, skin irritation, swelling and sneezing.
Part 2 of 3: Receive a Diagnosis
Step 1. Make an appointment with your doctor
Although tapeworm can cause clear symptoms, the only way to be sure you are affected by this specific type of parasite and not another or a virus is to visit your doctor. You will be tested and the results will be analyzed in the laboratory to accurately determine the nature of the disease.
Step 2. You may need to collect a stool sample
One of the ways your doctor can tell if you have tapeworm is to have your stool analyzed in the laboratory. When making an appointment, ask if you need to provide a sample.
Step 3. Take blood tests
If tests on your stool sample give a negative result, but symptoms indicate you may have tapeworm, you can do blood tests. This way you will know if you have really been infected with the parasite.
Step 4. Get an ultrasound
If you have tapeworm, your doctor may want to check if the parasite has caused damage elsewhere in your body through an imaging test, such as a computed tomography, ultrasound, or MRI. These tests are painless, but they can be uncomfortable and take a long time.
Part 3 of 3: Cure the Lone Worm
Step 1. Take the medications needed to expel it
Your doctor will prescribe medicines that will help you get it out of your body. Strictly follow his instructions regarding the method of recruitment. The drugs most commonly used to facilitate the expulsion of the tapeworm include:
- Droncit and Tremazol (active ingredient "praziquantel"). These drugs work by killing certain types of worms. They should not be used if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have an allergy to any of the ingredients and are taking an antibiotic that contains rifampicin or if the parasitic infection has affected the eye.
- Zentel (active ingredient "albendazole"). This drug prevents the larvae from growing inside the body. It is used to treat some specific parasitic infections, including those you can get from eating pork and coming into contact with an infected dog.
- Alinia (active ingredient "nitazoxanide"). This drug is mainly used to treat parasites that can be contracted by accidentally ingesting contaminated water, such as swimming in a lake or swimming pool.
Step 2. You may experience abdominal cramps and pain
If you have to expel a large worm, the process is likely to be a little painful. Unfortunately it is inevitable, in any case call the doctor immediately if the pain becomes acute.
Step 3. Go to the doctor for a later check-up
To make sure you are completely cured, you need to provide a stool sample again for testing in the laboratory one month after the end of the drug treatment and then again after three months. Do not neglect this important check even if you feel physically well.
