Elephantiasis – causes, side effects and treatments at NaturalPedia.com

Thursday, March 15, 2018 by Michelle Simmons

Also known as lymphatic filariasis, elephantiasis is a parasitic infection that leads to extreme swelling in the arms and legs. This condition is a result of filarial worm infection, which is spread from person to person through the female mosquito when it bites a person to take blood. The parasite grows into an adult worm and lives in the lymphatic system. There are three different types of parasitic roundworms that cause the condition – Wuchereria bancrofti, which is the most common cause, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were more than 120 million people infected with lymphatic filariasis in 2000, with around 40 million disfigured and incapacitated by the disease.

Known side effects of elephantiasis

The most common side effect of elephantiasis is swelling of body parts, which typically occurs in the legs, genitals, breasts, and arms. The swelling of body parts can result in pain and mobility problems. The skin can also be affected and may be dry, thick, ulcerated, darker than normal, or pitted. In some cases, fever and chills may also occur. Furthermore, since it affects the immune system, people with this conditions are also at a higher risk for a secondary infection. Lymphatic filarisis also leads to complications such as lymph system damage, kidney damage, pain, disfigurement, sexual disability, and social rejection.

Body systems harmed by elephantiasis

The main body systems harmed by elephantiasis are the lymphatic and immune systems as it affects the functioning of the systems. Other body systems harmed by the condition include the digestive, integumentary, and reproductive systems.

List of foods or nutrients that prevent elephantiasis

The foods that help prevent and/or treat elephantiasis include cloves, agar wood, black walnut oil, butterfly pea, horse gram, Brahmi leaves, sesame oil and Eclipta Alba, and a mixture of seeds, including castor, mustard, damiana, and horseradish, according to an entry published on the website MavCure.com.

Treatments, management plans for elephantiasis

Treatment options for elephantiasis include bed rest, elevation of the affected limbs, and wrapping the limbs in compression bandages in order to bring down the swelling. Treatment for the disease may also include taking drug medications such as diethylcarbamzine that kill the microfilaria and some of the adult worms.

Where to learn more

Summary

Elephantiasis is a parasitic infection that leads to extreme swelling in the body parts, most commonly in the arms and legs.

Elephantiasis causes pain and mobility issues.

Elephantiasis causes the skin to be dry, thick, ulcerated, darker than normal, or pitted.

Elephantiasis results in complications such as lymph system damage, kidney damage, pain, disfigurement, sexual disability, and social rejection.

Elephantiasis harms the lymphatic, immune, digestive, integumentary, and reproductive systems.

Elephantiasis can be treated with cloves, agar wood, black walnut oil, butterfly pea, horse gram, Brahmi leaves, sesame oil and Eclipta Alba, and a mixture of seeds, including castor, mustard, damiana, and horseradish.

Elephantiasis treatment options include bed rest, elevation of the affected limbs, wrapping the limbs, and taking medications.

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