AboutTina Expertise I can help on all aspects of the condition, treatment, support. I cannot diagnose but only give my personal expertise, and refer you to others who can help. I am in touch with doctors, therapists, and professionals on a regular basis. I can help with disability issues pertaining to lymphedema or cancer.
Experience 13 year cancer survivor, Lymphland Support group owner, Owner of Lymphland.com website, writer for Butterfly Gazette, forums coordinator for ELymphNotes online lymphedema magazine, patient and advocate for 10 years, Yahoo answers advanced level answerer.
Organizations Lymphland Support Group Owner, Lymphland.com website owner, National Lymphedema Network member, American Society of Lymphology member, ELymphNotes forums coordinator and writer, member of many online support groups. Rainbow Bridge Pet Loss Grief Counselor, former bank loan rep, pharmacy ass't
Education/Credentials college graduate, volunteer in pet loss grief counselling.
Expert: Tina Date: 2/22/2008 Subject: guinea worms
Question can the guinea worm kill you in any way?
Answer Greetings, Sean
Death from the worm is very unlikely, unless there is some other complication such as the worm settling in the heart. Usually the worms migrate with gravity to the lowest level in the body, most common is the leg or foot. Worms can grow up to 3 feet long and people get infected with them through contaminated drinking water. The worm is actually a parasite. The cycle keeps on going because after time the worms will burn and cause blisters. To soothe the pain and burning, patients will go into water, which erupts the blisters sending the larva back into the water to reinfest others.
There is no medicine and no cure, the only way to get the worm out is to slowly pull it out little by little over time taking care not to break it off. At one time there were a few million infected with the worm but over time, with education, in 2004 there were only around 16,000 and even less today.
