How to Get Rid of Pinworms ( and Itchy Anus)
93Pinworms are human parasites that live in the intestine and in females, they sometimes (rarely) migrate to the vagina. Pinworm infection occurs worldwide and across all economic and social levels. It's estimated that at any given time, 10% of the U.S. population is infected with pinworms and an even higher rate of populations in other countries are infected. Getting rid of a pinworm infection can be daunting and there are many different approaches to its treatment. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive guide to treatment and perhaps save you some time, trouble, and discomfort as you try to rid yourself and your family of pinworms.
Scroll down to the paragraph on treatment if you’re already familiar with the lifecycle and cause of pinworm infection and are anxious to know how to get rid of them.
What is a Pinworm?
Pinworms are small white, round worms that range from one-tenth to two-tenths of an inch in size for males and from three-tenths to half an inch for females. The lifecycle of a pinworm is 2 to 8 weeks.
How Does Someone Become infected with Pinworms?
A person becomes infected with pinworms by ingesting the pinworm egg after contact with a contaminated person, contaminated food, or a contaminated surface. The pinworm egg is translucent and so small that it is invisible to the human eye except when a lot of them are clumped together.
The swallowed pinworm egg hatches in the small intestine and travels to the large intestine where males and females mate. The male dies after mating and is passed out in the bowels. The female becomes filled with eggs (11-16 thousand) and makes her way to the opening of the anus in order to get the oxygen she needs to complete reproduction. Her presence at the anal opening causes the itching experience by an infected person. After the female pinworm deposits her eggs at the anal opening, she dies. The infected person’s clothing, hands, toilet seat, bathroom fixtures, toys, etc. may all become contaminated. For that reason, thorough washing of hands, clothing, and surfaces are all important in treatment. Through contact with contaminated hands, surfaces, or food, the pinworm eggs enter a human host and begins a new lifecycle.
A pinworm infection can last indefinitely unless you interrupt the pinworm lifecycle with drug treatment and strict hygiene. With proper treatment, some are cured in 4 weeks. Others may require up to a year.
What are the Symptoms of a Pinworm Infection?
Many people infected with pinworms show no symptoms at all, but most do show one or more of the symptoms below.
- Itching around the anus is the most common symptom of a pinworm infection. If you have children who are complaining about their butt itching, check for pinworms (see next paragraph). Sometimes the itching is intense and sometimes it may feel like something wriggling or tickling on the skin. Itching occurs mostly at night, but may occur during the day.
- Insomnia and restlessness due to the incessant itching.
- Vaginal discharge. This is rare. See the Wikipedia and Mayo Clinic websites for more info.
- In some children: loss of appetite, weight loss, irritability, and inability to control urination.
How Do You Diagnose a Pinworm Infection?
The most certain method of diagnosis is to visually confirm pinworm presence around the anal opening. Check toilet paper after wiping the anus to see if any adult pinworms are present. Alternatively, take some scotch tape and stick it to the anal opening, then pull it away and look for adult pinworms (recall that the eggs are too small to see without a low power microscope). It's best to use the tape test at night when the female pinworm tends to travel to the anal opening.
You will not be able to see pinworms in stool or in the toilet bowl.
How Do You Treat a Pinworm Infection?
The key to treatment for a pinworm infection is interruption of the pinworm lifecycle. Pinworms are a hearty breed and difficult to kill. Over-the-counter and prescription drugs, combined with strict hygiene, are the most effective way to treat an infection of this parasite. It’s important to treat the entire household, even those persons who aren’t infected. If you're pregnant or breast feeding, talk to your doctor before taking over-the-counter medication.
1. Take pinworm medicine as directed (entire family, including those not obviously infected).
There are over-the-counter and prescription drugs available at the pharmacy. Pin-X and Reese's are just two of them. Pinworm drugs generally require you to take a second dose 2 weeks after the first dose. The instructions caution against taking more than two doses, but some people take 4 doses (one dose at a time, each two weeks apart) to have the best chance of preventing re-infection. Consult your doctor before deviating from the instructions that come with the pinworm drug.
2. Improve bowel movement.
Eat a handful of pumpkin seeds (shells and all) with each meal and in between meals. It will keep your bowel movements regular, taking many or most of the pinworms with it.
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is another natural way to help rid yourself of this and other parasites. It helps bowel movement and is said to be lethal to microscopic parasites. DE is harmless to humans. Be sure to buy food grade diatomaceous earth.
3. Bathe twice daily.
Take a bath or shower in the mornings (a shower may be best because any pinworms present are immediately washed off the body and down the drain) and again in the evenings before bed. Pay particular attention to the anal opening, using soap and allowing water to wash soap and pinworms away. Be sure to use fresh, clean bath cloths and towels. Store used cloths and towels for later washing in very hot water with a good laundry soap.
4. Clip fingernails really short and practice strict hand washing hygiene.
Keep your and your child's nails short and wash hands using a nail brush EVERY TIME you use the bathroom. Hand contamination is a key component of the pinworm lifecycle and hand de-contamination is a major part of treatment.
5. Wash hands before every meal
You never know when you’ve contacted a contaminated surface (the eggs are microscopic and translucent, remember). Do not break this rule. Always wash your hands before each meal and teach your children to do the same.
6. Change and wash bed sheets every day for the first month.
At night, the pinworm eggs that were deposited at the anus opening may be spread to pajamas and bed sheets. Changing nightclothes every night and bed sheets every day is an important step in interrupting the pinworm lifecycle and preventing re-contamination. Use HOT water. Pinworms are not easy to kill and HOT water is the only confirmed way to get rid of them. Check your washer to ensure the setting is on HOT, not warm.
7. Don’t scratch!
Nighttime is when the itching usually occurs because that’s when the pregnant female pinworm travels to the anus opening for oxygen. This may cause sleeplessness for the infected person and scratching while asleep. If your children are infected, you may want to use one of the relief methods below and cover their hands at night to prevent scratching in their sleep.
The incessant itching can be maddening, but resist the urge to scratch. When you scratch, you’re helping the pinworm complete it’s lifecycle. They get under the fingernails and spread to other surfaces from there. Also, scratching can cause a rupture in the pregnant female pinworm, causing her eggs to spill out and begin their lifecycle.
Relief from itching can be had. The itching is caused by the wriggling female pinworms that have come to the anus opening in preparation for delivery of their eggs. Plug up the opening. Some people use a clove of garlic (apparently pinworms don’t like garlic) inserted into the anus opening. Others use toilet tissue pushed just into the anus. The garlic is expelled during a bowel movement, as is the tissue. If you use tissue, coat it with a little oil or petroleum jelly to prevent chafing. Desitin is another suggested product to help soothe chafing.
8. Clean your home top to bottom.
Even if the infection did not begin in your house, your home will be contaminated by the time you realize someone in the family is infected. Use a good soap and hot water. You could try a germicide or antibacterial soap, but it is not certain that even a 50% bleach and water solution (or any other germicide) will kill pinworms and their eggs. Soap and really hot water are sufficient.
When you first realize there’s a pinworm infection:
Clean the entire home top to bottom. Clean the bathrooms (toilets, fixtures, counter tops, door knobs, light switches, and floors). Clean the kitchen (fixture, floors, counter tops, appliances, cabinets, etc.). Clean the bedrooms (change bed clothing, vacuum carpets, wipe all furniture surfaces, etc). Clean all your children’s toys with soap and hot water.
Daily for the first month of infection:
Change bed sheets every day. Change to fresh, clean nightclothes every night. Clean the children’s toys every day. Vacuum carpets and sofas daily. It’s probably a good idea to clean sink fixtures and counter tops daily as well, especially if you have small children who have not yet learned to wash their hands frequently. After the first month, relax and return to weekly cleaning of your home and bed sheets.
More Pinworm Information
- Pinworms - Kids Health
Pinworm is an intestinal infection caused by tiny parasitic worms. But pinworms don't cause any harm (just itching), and it won't take long to get rid of them. - Pinworm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Pinworm infection - MayoClinic.com
Pinworms Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, treatment and prevention of pinworm infection. - Pinworms-Treatment Overview
Pinworms can be successfully treated with medication. Both nonprescription and prescription medications are available in liquid, chewable tablet, and pill forms.
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Yea, right!!! and how exactly can we wash the douzens of toys in the house which are battery powered? Water is not allowed to touch these!!
It looks like a lost battle!
The only hope is that the child make sure not to touch his mouth and nose without washing first - although even that.. what are the chances of the eggs getting off and dying if we don't wash with very hot water? I mean one can't burn the poor kid's hands just to get rid of eggs..
Well. All is left to do is pray that the kid who visited us w/ the worms didn't manage to leave them around here during those 2 hours of play
Old remedies that work!!!!!
( had it as a kid 2x years apart
Medication from dr gave me side affects.
So elder in our family suggested items below,
And it knocked them out! It's worked for my kids too!)
Proven:
-absolute Best and easiest= is to ingest garlic or garlic capsules ( yes there r odorless ones!)
-cleanse with witch hazel and small drop of tea tree oil on cotton ball
-Strong probiotic
does clogging ya bumb really work?
I dig em out at night should I stop?
I have them for two days .Lol and im 12 i dont wanna tell my mom or go through the trouble of cleaning EVERYTHING , gosh its like lice all over, anyway pls help leave a natural remedy for me and something i can do to the house , ( something a twelve yr old can do pls )
This condition is an absolute nightmare!! It's ruining my life!
Medical Tape did it for me...well, it appears to be working thus far...
I had it for months, tried different medicines, tried different diets, disinfected myself and my house constantly until I felt I was going insane. I finally read somewhere that they come out to lay eggs because they need oxygen...and it got me thinking. OXYGEN! They can go days without food, and are resistant to medication, and are retroinfecting me, but they can't reporduce without access to AIR! So, I found the perfect medical tape - not too sticky, very flexible, and thick enough they couldn't possibly get through. At first, I wore it for a few days (replacing every time I used the washroom of course), then only evenings and overnight. Being a woman, I'm already used to pads, tampons, etc., so a little piece of tape was no problem - I didn't even notice it. I finally feel worm free! And, if I even think I feel the slightest tickle, the tape goes back on. I am sleeping peacefully and my mind finally feels at ease. Hope this helps you too :)
I hope this works because I got red of them once and now there back and I can't go to sleep and I have school tomorrow
Alright so I had them once then they went away and now there back can regular soap work by breaking off a piece or something and shoving it up there
I am 13 and have them plus I have Sokol 2morow I don't want to tell my parent and can't go to the doctors what do I do!!!!!!help me
Obviously the best choice is telling parents and doctors but if u can't
1st cut ur nails and put clear polish along the edge of each nail
2nd buy and use hand sanitizer and wash hands frequently
3rd change pjs every night
4th take pin-x or resses
5th wipe and wash bum regularly
6th wash surfaces ( toilet,sink...)often
7th eat pumpkin seeds to make u poop more so u poop more worms
This is going to help so much
iam 15 year old girl and i think i have them...i find out yesterday i scatch lol my ass well if ic an say like anus ..i feel so embarest to telling it even here but it was in my finger and it ws moving i nearly got a heart attack i was so scared.. and i just put water on it tht it can go away and.. then i went to see it in internet wth it is and i find this (pinworm) im so scared and i dont want to tell my mum about it or go to doctor cuz iam too embarest ...when i wake up today i went to see if i got some in my panties and i find one pineworm in front i dunnot know how tht get in there so i change mine in the mornng and then i wen tto see again and i find like tlike two egg i dunno if u can see them but they look like eggs or it was worm wth was growing so i change my panties and then i wen to see if i got it on me and i found two white stuff so i went and wash half of my bodie ..iam so scared tht it gone get worse or bigger or i duno wth ..please help me cuz i was having school today and i was feeling sick because of this just to think of it tht i got a stupid worm in my ass like it eww just help me what can i do i cleaned my hand today in the morning like 3 times nd put handjell.....i was reading u can get them from biting your nails and iam biting my nails all the time but tht gone stop cuz i dont want to have them again so tell me wth else can i do to stop them..than just wash my self and my hands and changing the panties
Hi, I believe I have pinworms which spread from my anus to my vagina. I've taken two regiments of Vermox with my last dose being yesterday. Other than using Clove Oil daily (which supposedly kills the eggs) I also take Pumpkin seed oil, a few garlic cloves a day, a Probiotic & bathe twice daily. I really don't want to become re infected do I'm trying to use all techniques
possible.
What kind of tape is bring used to cover anus?
I found out tonight that i have got them i bite my nails a lot but im trying to stop i need to know the best why of getting rid of them im 12 a girl and have school and i dont wanna tell me parents because im assamed and i dont wanna go to the doctors im so nervous i need to get rid of them im desperate anything and i dont know when i got them please help me somebody ...... i have never had them before and i need the quiest why to get rid of them...
i hope this is ture
this better works because i don't want people to get sick and that will sound awful when somebody has it what do you think? oh yes because i am going to wait i forgot ok aw!!!!!!!!!! i keep on forgetten!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so bye bye
I hope this does work I have had this for some time now and its bugging me and I hate it
thank you this helps
Hi um... i'm 12 and i by reading this(and all the comments) it came 2 me " I HAVE THE STPID PINWORMS" and i'm too scared to tell my mum.
P.S. what do you mean by tape and where do u put the tape? dou put it on ur vagina hole or ur butt hole? plz tell me coz these pinworms are driving me MAD!!! P.P.S. i think i've had these since i was little coz i felt itchy when i was like 6 and still... DRIVING ME MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've had these pinworms a lot. I just started freaking out about them today though, because I saw a lot more than usual coming out of the anus. They do itch like crazy, but when you poop ALOT I guess it helps. You loose them pretty fast. Btw. I'm 13. What scares me the most, are the female worms migrating into the vagina. So yeah. You get them sometimes also when you eat too many sweets. One time I stayed up ALL night because of these stupid things. Idk why they were ever created.
The best thing you can do is tell your parents. Better having a full Team up against these little bast@rds than one man. plus you wont be doing any of the insane amount of cleaning that is required in order to get rid of the eggs that move from your rectum onto underpants, sheets etc, your mom will. she wont hate you for having Pinworms, its is a very easy parasite to contract. Your parents will go on a full house lock down which will minimize reinfection by a considerable amount. i am 18 and i have Pinworms. trust me having more people help will be much much better.
can someone tell me whats the exact name of this tape to close my anus to suffocate this creature and where can i find it?i think that one works best.is it like i must spend 24hrs with the tape or there is a time when the worm moves towards the anus?
Man, i've had this infection too many times to even count /: I don't know how I get it; I avoid touching my mouth (anus too) and wash my hands frequently. I also don't hang around small children, and I can't work out who's giving it to me. It's beginning to really pi$$ me off!!!!!
After hearing everything, i'm scared i won't get rid of them! I hate it i'm 14 and its so annoying, i'm sl glad theres people out there with it and not just me to!!
Look I'm 12 and I have had these in the pat and I got them again but I really want to know any home remedies instead of going over to the pharmacy because I will just be embarrassed
I used to get rid of them as a child by plugging the anus with toilet paper day and night and then eventally at night. Seemed to work as I was too embarassed to tell my mum again. Have also had the infection too many times to remember seem to get it every 3 or 4 years so annoying!
im 14 and ive had these three times twice when i was 13 and now i got them again and im 14 going to get medication 2moz
I really think once you get them once you are susceptible to them cos I lived in a house with 4 other children and I seemed to be the one who was plagued with them during childhood nasty little creatures!!!
look im 11 and there driving me crazy helpp!
i am 11 i have had worms for like 2 years they go they come and i am just going to starv them from oxegen so hope it works
Im 12 and had them since I was 6 my family never beloved me and then finally my brother got them and then everyone beloved me they are really gross I hope this stuff works:/
Nottelling 21 months ago
omg this helps me so much!! :'( im infected with them and cant get rid of them and its hard to resist the urge to scratch but i never scratch no matter what .ive had some in my vagina but it only happens when im having my preiod.Why you ask idk.