How to get rid of pinworms? This question is asked by everyone with enterobiosis. Nowadays, there are many anthelmintic drugs. Each of them has its own characteristics, side effects and has its own field of application. To understand the full variety of drugs for parasites, you need to understand the principle of their action. It is also important to know for which patient what age group this or that remedy is intended.
What are pinworms
Pinworms are small white helminths. They belong to roundworms. Their length is not more than 1 cm. They parasitize in the human intestines. These worms do not live long, only 2 months, but manage to lay a huge number of eggs. Reproduction of parasites does not occur in the intestine. At night, the female crawls out of the anus into the perineum to lay eggs. This causes severe itching and skin irritation in humans.
How does infection happen?
Pinworm infection is very easy. These are the most common parasites. The invasion is transmitted through dirty hands. A sick child or adult combs the area of the anus, while the helminth eggs fall under the nails. With insufficient hand washing, a person can transmit invasion to others. Also, the patient leaves helminth eggs on all objects with which he is in contact. Then the flies can carry them to food. Thus, invasion spreads rapidly. Usually, if there is one infected person in the house, then soon the pinworms are found in other family members.
These worms are especially easily transmitted to children. A small child often has the habit of sucking a finger or pulling various objects into his mouth. In this way, parasites enter the body.
There are cases of self-infection, when a sick person passes pinworm eggs through dirty hands to himself. Often people get invasion from pets (cats and dogs). Pinworm eggs live on the wool of sick animals. And if a person stroked an infected cat or dog, and then washed his hands poorly, then he may receive an invasion.
Symptoms of Enterobiosis
Pinpoint disease is called enterobiosis. Within 2 weeks after infection, a person does not feel any changes in health. But then he has the first signs of infection, and he can transmit the invasion to others.
Enterobiosis is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- At night, severe itching is felt in the anus.
- Concerned about dyspeptic symptoms: nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea.
- Sometimes in the feces you can notice small white inclusions. It goes outside the dead individuals of helminths.
- In women, inflammation of the vagina occurs due to the penetration of parasites into the genitals from the rectum.
- In rare cases, a cough may occur due to helminths entering the respiratory system.
Enterobiosis can be complicated by appendicitis. Inflammation occurs due to the ingestion of worms in the process of the cecum.
Helminths should not be excreted without going to the doctor. Before getting rid of pinworms, it is necessary to undergo a diagnosis. It is important to determine the type of worm in order to choose the right drug. After all, different drugs can affect certain types of parasites.
Treatment methods
What to do with pinworms? First of all, you need to see an infectious disease doctor or parasitologist. He will choose the most suitable anthelmintic agent that will quickly remove parasites. However, it must be remembered that agents that are detrimental to worms are somewhat toxic to humans. Therefore, they often cause unpleasant side effects: headache and nausea.
The question often arises before the doctor: how to remove pinworms in young children and pregnant women? In this case, specialists try to choose the most gentle means with a minimum of side effects. But at the same time, the active component of the drug should be effective enough on pinworms.
You can use home remedies for worms. However, before using them, you must consult your doctor. Folk recipes should not completely replace medical treatment, they can only complement anthelmintic therapy.
As auxiliary methods of therapy, probiotics, enterosorbents and vitamins are used. This helps to eliminate the effects of pinworm parasitism in the body. Such drugs restore microflora, saturate the body with vitamins, and also remove helminth toxins.
Many patients are interested in how to get rid of pinworms in a short time and forever. It must be remembered that most drugs destroy only adult worms, but do not affect eggs and larvae. In addition, self-infection of the patient through poorly washed hands is not excluded. Therefore, it is not always possible to remove helminths the first time, and a repeated course of therapy is often required.
The dosage of anthelmintics is selected individually by the doctor. Depending on the age and weight of the patient. 7-10 days before the use of anthelmintic drugs, flour, sweet, fried and fatty foods, as well as fast food and pasta, should be excluded from the diet. During this period, you should eat more fruits, vegetables and dairy products.
The following will provide a brief overview of medications and folk remedies for pinworms.
Anthelmintic "Pirantel"
The medicine has the most gentle effect on the human body and causes the most minimal side effects. The active component of the drug does not kill, but paralyzes the body of worms. Therefore, this tool is not so toxic to humans. Immobilized parasites then come out with feces. Pinworm from pinworms can be given even to children from the age of 6 months. The dosage is calculated by the doctor individually, depending on the weight of the patient. The drug paralyzes only adult parasites, it does not act on eggs and larvae. Therefore, taking this remedy is repeated after 2 weeks.
The drug "Vormil"
The active ingredient in tablets or suspensions is albendazole. It disrupts the metabolism in the body of helminths, which leads to the death of worms. The drug can fight not only with adults, but also with larvae. However, it does not affect eggs. This pinworm medicine for children and adults can be used from the age of 2 years. However, pregnant women should not take this anthelmintic. Among the side effects of this medication are dyspeptic symptoms, as well as headache, dizziness and drowsiness.
Vermox tablets
The active ingredient in Vermox tablets is mebendazole. This substance does not allow the body of the worms to absorb glucose. As a result, parasites die from exhaustion within 2-3 days. This medicine has the same side effects as the drug "Vormil", but undesirable effects are noted more often than when taking drugs with albendazole. This medicine for pinworms in adults and children is prescribed from the age of 2 years. During pregnancy and lactation, the drug should not be taken.
Means "Dekaris"
Decaris is available in the form of tablets of 50 mg and 150 mg. Their active ingredient levamisole causes paralysis of adult helminths. Then the worms themselves leave the body under the action of intestinal motility. This is a fairly effective drug, it removes worms in 3-5 days, after 2 weeks the treatment is repeated. Like many other anthelmintic agents, this medicine is not used during pregnancy and lactation. When treating pinworms in children with Dekaris, only 50 mg tablets are used. An adult dosage of 150 mg can adversely affect a child’s health. The drug can be taken from 3 years.
The medicine "piperazine"
Often, women awaiting the appearance of the baby are interested in: what to do with pinworms during pregnancy? After all, most anthelmintic drugs are not allowed to be taken during this period. However, there is a cure for worms, which is not contraindicated in bearing a fetus, this is "piperazine". This is the only helminth drug that doctors allow pregnant and lactating mothers to take. This pinworm medicine for children and adults can be used from 3 years.
The active component of the drug only paralyzes the worms, but at the same time it does not ensure the exit of parasites from the body. Therefore, after taking "piperazine" you need to do a cleansing enema or take laxatives. Otherwise, there is a risk of intoxication with the decomposition products of helminths.
Anthelmintic "Vanquin"
The drug "Vanquin" acts exclusively on pinworms, it is not used against other types of worms. Its active component - pyrrhine embonate causes enzymatic disorders in the body of the worms, which leads to their death. This medicine for pinworms in adults and children is released in the form of tablets and suspensions. It can be taken from 3 months of age.
If you use "Vanquin" in the recommended doses, it rarely causes side effects. This medicine may stain feces red. The drug is taken once, if necessary, the therapy is repeated after 2-3 weeks.
Folk recipes with garlic
Many people are interested in how to get rid of pinworms at home. One of the products that can drive out helminths is garlic. You can use the following recipes:
- A glass of milk is poured into the pan and 5 garlic cloves are boiled in it. They must first be cleaned, but not crushed. This broth is taken 1 teaspoon 3 times a day on an empty stomach.
- Garlic from pinworms is also taken as a tincture. To do this, take 400 ml of vodka and pour 10 crushed garlic cloves. A container with tincture is placed for 7 days in a darkened place. This tool is suitable only for adults, as it is prepared for alcohol.
- You can put in a glass of yogurt 1 chopped head of garlic and 1 teaspoon of ground pepper. The drug is drunk at night.
Garlic can not only be ingested, but also make enemas with this vegetable. For this, 4-5 chopped cloves are placed in half a liter of warm boiled water. This composition is insisted for 1 hour. Next, the solution is filtered, and the volume is adjusted to 1 liter. An enema with this composition is done 3-5 days. However, such a remedy is not suitable for the treatment of pinworms in children, since garlic water can cause a burning sensation.
Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds are a good remedy for several types of parasites. However, the processed product from the store will not work. Only raw seeds can be used to control pinworms. They are eaten on an empty stomach of 30 g, and after a few hours they take a laxative or an enema. It is useful to mix seeds with olive oil.
You can boil 1 tablespoon of seeds in 1 cup of milk. This remedy is taken in the morning or afternoon for 2 weeks.
Tools with wormwood
The infusion of bitter wormwood is a good remedy for pinworms. 10 g of grass need to pour 500 ml of boiling water. The liquid container must be wrapped in a cloth and put to cool. This tool is taken in 2 tablespoons before meals. The broth has a rather bitter taste. You can also dry the grass, chop it and take it in powder form.
From pinworms helps and the infusion of another variety of this plant - wormwood citrate. But this tool is not intended for oral administration, but for anthelmintic enemas.
How to prevent re-infection
After expelling the parasites from the body, it is very important to prevent re-infection. After each visit to the toilet, wash your hands with a special antibacterial soap. It is necessary to change bed linen every 2-3 days, and underwear - daily, while it must be carefully ironed with a hot iron. Despite severe itching, you should still try not to comb the anus. It is useful to apply zinc ointment to the skin around the rectum. This will help reduce itching and irritation. Nails should be cut as short as possible so that worm eggs do not accumulate under them.