How to treat pinworms in adults?

Pinworms are the most common type of parasite that can live in the human body. They are found throughout the world, but are mainly seen in people who live in temperate climates. Most often, infection occurs in children under 12 years of age. Let's figure out where pinworms can live in the human body and what consequences infection with these helminths brings.

Specifics of the disease

The disease that occurs when pinworms appear in the intestines is called enterobiasis. This pathology is also called the disease of dirty hands, since most often it appears due to non-compliance with personal hygiene rules. The name pinworm appears due to the fact that the body of the female parasite near the tail is very pointed.

Young children who put dirty objects in their mouths and do not always wash their hands before eating are at risk. This disease also occurs in adults, especially if there is a child in the family or basic hygiene rules are not followed. Parasite larvae cannot be seen without a microscope, but they can be found on any surface in the house or outdoors. Their eggs are not picky about climatic conditions. They survive well in temperate climates, humid environments and direct sunlight.

The main cause of enterobiasis is direct contact with the patient, because microscopic larvae can be on his hands and clothes.

Enterobiasis has the only obvious symptom - itching in the anal area. It occurs due to the fact that the female, having laid eggs, sprays them with a special substance that irritates the skin. It is quite easy to become infected with pinworms; it usually occurs in the following ways:

To understand the process of development of enterobiasis and methods of combating it, you need to know about the entire life cycle of pinworms.

Symptoms of enterobiasis

The main sign of pinworm infection is itching in the anal area. In the initial stage of the disease it is very weak and does not cause discomfort, but later it intensifies significantly. Typically, itching occurs at night, when female worms lay eggs.

The child is bothered by itching

The cause of itching is a special acid that the worms secrete during laying. With severe infection, you can see the pinworms themselves in the feces or around the child’s anus: they look like thin white threads up to 7-10 mm long.

Pinworms in feces

There are other symptoms of enterobiasis:

• restless sleep, nervousness, sudden mood swings;
• loss of appetite, nausea, weight loss;
• increased salivation;
• pain near the navel;
• bad breath;
• bowel disorders for no apparent reason;
• pale skin, dark circles under the eyes;
• frequent ARVI, runny nose.

Frequent runny nose and ARVI when infected with pinworms

Girls may additionally experience bedwetting due to urethral irritation and vulvar discharge. In infants, the disease manifests itself as weight loss and frequent crying; they become more capricious, may refuse to breastfeed, and sleep poorly.

Babies infected with pinworms sleep poorly and often cry

The existence of pinworms in humans

Pinworms cannot exist and fully develop in pets, but animals can be their carriers. Humans are the only true carrier of pinworms due to the suitable intestinal microflora they feed on.

The journey of each egg begins where the life of the female pinworm that carried it ends. A person touches them, after which he eats food with unwashed hands. In nature, pinworm larvae can develop at temperatures from 23 to 30 °C. At low temperatures, eggs can exist from 15 to 20 days, and at temperatures above 35 ° C they die earlier, before the larva is formed. These indicators once again prove that the larvae are resistant to natural conditions, so anyone can become hostage to infection.

Pinworm eggs, after entering the human body, begin their development in the small intestine, because this is where the larvae hatch. Then they reach sexual maturity.

Sexually mature males fertilize females and are removed from the body. And the females stick to the intestinal mucosa and wait for the eggs to fully form. When the eggs increase in size and begin to compress the pinworm's esophagus, its suction function is disrupted. After this, the female, under the influence of intestinal peristalsis, is sent to the large intestine. At the same time, the eggs that are in the uterus continue to mature into larvae.

Having approached the anus, females wait for the right moment when the anal sphincter does not offer resistance. This usually occurs while the patient is sleeping. It is at this time that the females crawl out and, under the influence of oxygen, lay eggs in groups of 100-300 pieces. The total number of eggs can range from 5 to 17 thousand. After this, the pinworm sprays them with a special substance that causes itching in the patient. It provokes scratching of the anus, thereby leading to re-infection of the patient, which continues at intervals of 20-30 days.

Treatment of pinworms in adults: drugs

The mechanism of action of most modern drugs to eliminate worms is to act on their nervous system and muscles. If you are not sure exactly what medications you need, you should contact the doctor who diagnosed you. Speaking of recognizing the type of helminth, it is very difficult to do this on your own, since in addition to pinworms, there may be other parasites in the human body.

After the medicine enters the body, it causes paralysis in the helminths located there, which is why they lose the ability to move and die. In the future, you need to remove the already dead helminths using laxatives. If this is not done, the body may experience temporary intoxication. However, adults tolerate this intoxication quite easily.

But for children this condition is very dangerous, since severe intoxication can provoke fever and shock, accompanied by elevated temperature.

Many anti-pinworm medications that are sold in pharmacies can be purchased without a doctor's prescription. However, this does not mean welcoming self-treatment, since the dosage of the medicine can only be selected by a doctor after diagnosing and determining the severity of the disease, as well as the age, weight and general health of the patient.

An experienced parasitologist is responsible for selecting tablets that eliminate nematodes. These tablets are capable of destroying both adult parasites and eggs. The most popular drugs from this class are:

• Vermox is a remedy for the treatment of all types of intestinal invasions, including enterobiasis. Accepted once. The dosage depends on a number of factors and is therefore prescribed by a doctor. The course is repeated after a week;
• Metovit - the drug has a wide spectrum of action and is used to eliminate a wide range of helminths. Capable of eliminating helminths with subsequent cleansing of the body from its waste products. The course of therapy lasts two days and consists of taking two capsules;
• Decaris – taken once in the evening. Dosage: 0.15 g;
• Helmintox – has a dosage form of suspension. Taken in a dose equal to 6 tablespoons per day;
• Nemozol - also has the form of a suspension. It has a wide spectrum of action and neutralizes many worms, including pinworms. To destroy the latter, you should take 20 milliliters of the drug once;
• Albendazole is a broad-spectrum agent. It is taken once in a dosage equal to 20 ml of suspension or 1 tablet.

We emphasize that not only the infected person, but also all family members need to take the course of these drugs.

In the environment

One of the life stages of pinworms is that they enter the environment through bedding or underwear, unwashed hands or objects. Their lifespan directly depends on the climate in which they are located. Under favorable conditions, larvae can survive from 30 to 60 days if the air temperature is from 20 to 30 ° C and the humidity is at least 70%. In other cases, the viability of eggs is noticeably reduced, most often this happens:

1. At low humidity levels. The larvae slow down in development and then die completely. Therefore, pinworm infection is a rare occurrence in countries with hot climates with low air humidity.
2. At high temperatures, namely more than 35-40°C, and when the larvae are exposed to sunlight. As a result of a decrease in air temperature to -15°C, the larvae die within 40 minutes.
3. When exposed to strong detergents.
4. When washed in water above 55 °C, the parasite eggs die within 10 minutes.

Parasites are quite resistant to natural conditions, so they can easily retain their properties before they enter the human body. When infected, it is very important to take all possible measures to prevent the spread of larvae.

In summer or winter, you can take household items that cannot be cleaned to the balcony. This will help kill the larvae due to solar radiation or temperature. The remaining items should be washed at the desired temperature and ironed thoroughly. It is necessary to take into account everything that the patient could touch, including the carpet, curtains, pillows. After all, eggs can be located anywhere and cause re-infection.

Pinworms in adults: treatment with folk remedies

It is important to note that folk treatment against pinworms is very effective. Plus, it's much more affordable. Let's talk about the most popular folk methods of treatment for these helminths:

• Pumpkin seeds + milk. The decoction consists of 1 glass of milk and 10 pumpkin seeds. Course of treatment: 2 weeks;
• Herbal decoction. Prepared by mixing 100 g of blueberry leaves, 100 g of caraway seeds, 100 g of wormwood herb, 50 g of chamomile flowers, 50 g of St. John's wort, 50 g of yarrow and 50 g of cones. After this, you need to pour 4 teaspoons of this mixture into a glass, pour 0.5 liters of water into it, bring to a boil and cover with a lid, letting it brew for 10 minutes. Strain the resulting broth. This remedy is taken 2 times a day in a dosage of 7 tbsp. l. For adults, the proportions are the same, but the amount of herbs and liquid should be twice as large;
• Elecampane and blueberries. The product is prepared by mixing 5 grams of blueberries and elecampane roots and then adding 1 tablespoon of honey. For adults, double the dosage is used. The medicine should be taken before meals;
• Garlic with milk. Recipe: 2 crushed cloves of garlic are mixed in 0.5 liters of milk. This liquid can be drunk either once or several times a day. The same drug can be used as an enema. There is one nuance in preparation here - in this case you need to boil the garlic in milk, then strain;
• Pickled cucumber brine. The best option for adults and children;
• Lemon-based drinks. Easy to prepare. You need to mix lemon juice, water and sugar. However, it is important to understand that it is dangerous only for adult helminths; the drug will not eliminate eggs;
• Enemas from a decoction of tansy and chamomile. Recipe: mix 100 g of tansy flowers, 50 g of chamomile and 1 cup of boiling water. The mixture is boiled for 3 minutes, then filtered;
• Chinese recipe. As follows. You need to mix 25 g of chamomile, 25 g of tansy flowers, 25 g of buckthorn bark and 25 g of wormwood. 1 tablespoon of the mixture is poured into a glass of boiling water, then infused for 2 minutes. The product is used for 4 days, 1 glass. The Chinese recipe is strictly contraindicated for pregnant women;
• Castor oil with cognac. The components effectively eliminate worms from the body. Adults should use a medicine consisting of 50 ml of cognac and castor oil. The mechanism of action of the product is that cognac significantly reduces the mobility of parasites, while castor oil actively removes them. In most cases, the worms come out the next day after taking the drug. If this does not happen, the course should be repeated. However, it is important to understand that the number of course completions is limited to 4 times. You can use this type of treatment for a child, but do it gradually and using another means. The child should be woken up at night and given an extremely sweet drink such as tea, syrup or compote mixed with two tablespoons of cognac. Castor oil should be given to him after 30 minutes in an amount of 15 to 30 ml (the specific figure depends on the age of the child);
• Alcohol infusion of wormwood. The infusion is prepared as follows. Take 100 g of crushed leaves of wormwood grass and the same amount of grass seeds. They are mixed and filled with 0.5 liters of vodka. Next, the liquid is placed in a dark and warm place, where it remains for 10 days. The medicine should be taken 2 times a day 30 minutes before meals in a dosage of 50 ml. It is important to note that the medicine should be drunk in its pure form, without washing it down with anything. The effect will occur in a week;
• Pumpkin and its seeds. The medicine is prepared as follows: you need to mix 40 grams of pumpkin seeds and mix them with honey. Must be taken on an empty stomach. After an hour, you need to take a mild laxative;
• Herbal enema. The liquid is prepared by mixing 1 tbsp. l. herbs celandine, wormwood and tansy flowers. 4 teaspoons of this mixture are boiled in 0.5 liters of water for three minutes. Next, the decoction must be infused for 10 minutes. The enema should be performed after bowel movements. In this case, the broth should be warm. These procedures must be carried out within 10 days;
• Herb tea. Effective in eliminating pinworm eggs, as well as waste. It is prepared like this: you need to mix 50 g of thyme herb, calamus rhizome, elecampane root, mint leaves, walnut leaves and 25 g of wormwood. You need to pour 2 tablespoons of the resulting mixture into a thermos and pour 2 cups of boiling water over it, then let it brew for an hour. You need to take 0.5 cups once a day for 7 days;
• Sauerkraut juice. You should drink 1 glass after meals 2 times a day.

In the vagina

Parasites such as pinworms in the human body can live not only in the intestines, but also in other organs that provide favorable conditions for the development of eggs. One such habitat is a woman's vagina. The process of infection and development of parasites is very dangerous for the patient and can cause many complications. Therefore, you should carefully understand how this happens.

It happens that the laying of pinworm eggs is delayed. This can be caused by increased humidity near the perineum, provoked by basic untidiness or violation of hygiene rules. This is what can cause the pinworm to move into the vagina and even into the uterus, after which it can enter the fallopian tubes. This can cause many problems in the female reproductive system.

Parasite eggs can also get there if a woman, after scratching her anus with her hands, touches her vagina, thereby transferring them to the genitals. Here are the symptoms that may indicate intimate invasion:

When enterobiasis occurs, treatment should be carried out carefully and pinworms should not spread throughout the body.

Such processes are especially dangerous for girls, because they can have a great impact on incompletely formed genital organs and cause serious complications in the child. If the above symptoms occur, it is very important to promptly contact not only a pediatrician, but also a pediatric gynecologist, who will help prevent the consequences.

Pinworms in adults: prevention

Effective prevention of pinworms includes:

• maintaining personal hygiene;
• daily wet cleaning;
• regular change of underwear;
• control of the cleanliness of beds and towels;
• washing fruits and vegetables before eating;
• regular use of anthelmintic drugs (2 times a year);
• hand treatment with antiseptics (for catering workers);
• a categorical ban on biting nails.

Pinworms are much easier to remove than roundworms or lamblia. If the latter are eliminated through complex therapy using several types of drugs, pinworms are eliminated using only one drug. One way or another, the best option to cure a disease is to prevent its occurrence. And the only correct method to prevent relapse is to carefully follow the preventive recommendations.

How to avoid getting infected with pinworms?

Prevention of enterobiasis should include careful hygiene. The most important thing is to prevent self-infection again. In addition to washing your hands and body, you will need to wash your genitals and anal area not only before going to bed at night, but also in the morning, as well as after defecation.

At night you will need to wear thick underwear to prevent pinworm eggs from getting into your bed.

For preventive purposes, it is recommended to wash children's toys, maintain cleanliness and order, and bathe pets that may have pinworm eggs on their fur.

The child’s personal belongings should be washed, ironed, the potty washed with laundry soap, and then doused with boiling water.

In children's groups, it is recommended to regularly examine and promptly detect infestation in children so that it does not become widespread.

At home you need to do wet cleaning, wash dishes, fight flies and maintain order.

Vegetables and fruits should be washed well, and meat and fish products should be thoroughly cooked. Drinking raw water and contact with stray animals are not recommended.

By following all these simple rules, you can easily get rid of enterobiasis and not become infected again.

Video from the famous pediatrician Dr. Komarovsky about enterobiasis:

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