health

Ideally, treatment begins as soon as possible after the patient becomes
infected. Prompt treatment may not be possible, however, because the
disease can be difficult to detect in its early stages. When the diagnosis is
made, treatment may include:

• medication to kill the young worms in the bloodstream and stop the
  parasite’s life cycle (although the medicine cannot kill adult worms)
  
• exercising and moving swollen limbs to improve lymph flow
  
• bed rest and compression bandages to treat swelling
  
• medications to lessen swelling and discomfort
  
• hospitalization and intravenous(IV) antibiotics for secondary
  infections that might appear because the damaged lymphatic system
  is less able to assist in defending the body against infectious agents
  
• surgical treatment for deformities, such as enlarged limbs and scrotum,
  sometimes with several procedures and skin grafts to correct
  cases of disfigurement