Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Taking Medication
• Part 2 of 3: Cleaning the House
• Part 3 of 3: Diagnosing worms

Worms or pinworms are tiny worms that parasitize the human intestines. Infection, as a rule, occurs after the accidental ingestion of eggs into the gastrointestinal tract, after which they reach the intestines and adult worms grow from them. Females move closer to the anus (fecal-oral route), where they lay more eggs, continuing the cycle. Medical treatment combined with hygiene and sanitation is key to getting rid of worms.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Taking Medication

1. 1 Take one dose of the anthelmintic. Your doctor will prescribe (or recommend an over-the-counter) antihelminthic or antihelminthic medicine. These drugs include Pirantel, Dekaris and Praziquantel. You will need to take a dose of one of these drugs (as directed by your doctor) and then wait two weeks.
   • These drugs kill adult worms. When the worms die, only their eggs will remain in the body.
2. 2 Take another dose two weeks later. After two weeks, you will need to take another dose of the same anthelmintic. The second dose is needed to kill the worms that hatch from the eggs. This two-week period is extremely important as it affects the right phase in the worms' life cycle so that you can kill them all without having to take another dose.
3. 3 Give the medicine to the whole family. Because worms are very easily spread from one person to another, your doctor will advise that each person in the home take two doses of anthelmintic drugs. It is better to play it safe and avoid difficulties with the manifestation of symptoms of infection immediately after the first patient is cured.
4. 4 Understand that medicine is the most effective remedy. This is especially true if you want to cure a child's worms. While it is technically possible to get rid of worms if you stick to good hygiene for six weeks (this is the life cycle of a worm), it can be difficult to do at home, especially if you have children.
   • The advantage of drugs is that they can kill the infection in two weeks.
   • Subsequently, sanitary and hygienic measures can be applied to prevent re-infection with worms.

Part 2 of 3: Cleaning the House

1. 1 Learn how worms are transmitted. Worms can be spread through contact with an infected person, as well as from touching objects that are infected with eggs, such as a toilet seat, sheets, and other items. Therefore, if you want to prevent the spread of worms in the house, as well as speed up the recovery of the person who originally contracted them, keep the house clean.
2. 2 Clean the toilet seat daily. Since eggs are deposited in the anus, the toilet seat must be washed at least once a day to avoid re-infection and to prevent others from contracting worm eggs. Wash the seat with water and a household cleaner (it is not necessary to use a special cleaner for cleaning). Wear gloves when washing the seat to protect your hands.
3. 3 Wash your hands regularly, especially if you are infected with worms. Pay particular attention to hand washing before meals and / or while preparing food, and after using the restroom. This will help you get rid of the worms faster, thereby preventing their spread.
4. 4 Change your sheets at least twice a week. To get rid of worms, you need to change and wash the sheets to kill the eggs present on them. You should also wash your pajamas (or whatever you sleep in) and the clothes you wear regularly. All this should be done for the same reason - to prevent re-infection with eggs. You will quickly get rid of the infection if you get rid of the eggs, which will simply continue the life cycle of the worms, and the healing process will be delayed.
5. 5 Do not scratch near the anus. As female worms move closer to the anus and lay their eggs there, you may experience irritation and itching in this area. People, especially children, may want to scratch around the anus to relieve itching. Try to resist the temptation, because otherwise your hands will immediately become carriers of eggs, which will remain everywhere you touch. To reduce the spread and transfer of eggs, do not scratch around the anus.
   • Also, do not try to relieve itching by applying cream or ointment to the anus. This can lead to the fact that females lay eggs further in the rectum or colon, which will only worsen the situation.

Part 3 of 3: Diagnosing worms

1. 1 Recognize the symptoms of a worm infestation. The sooner you notice an infection, the sooner you begin treatment and take the necessary hygiene measures. The most common symptoms include:
   • Itching and irritation near the anus.
   • Possible signs of irritation or infection on the skin near the anus (especially in children, who may scratch the skin, leading to infection through tears in the skin).
   • Sleep problems (caused by anal itching).
   • Irritability (due to itching and poor sleep).
   • Vaginal itching or irritation in girls (in rare cases, female worms can enter the vagina rather than the anus).
2. 2 Take a sample from the anus (using duct tape). If you suspect the presence of worms in yourself or someone close to you, seek medical attention as soon as possible.As mentioned earlier, if you want to get rid of the infection, you need to get a diagnosis and start treatment as soon as possible. For the test, your doctor will ask you to take a piece of cellophane tape and apply it with the adhesive side to the skin around the anus. Peel off the tape, place it in a plastic bag, and take it to your doctor, who will examine it under a microscope and check for eggs. Eggs can only be seen under a microscope. Infection with worms is diagnosed with a positive result for the presence of eggs.
   • Get an anal sample early in the morning, before showering and before going to the bathroom.
   • Be sure to wear gloves and wash your hands thoroughly to prevent the spread of eggs. Also, make sure the tape doesn't touch anything!
3. 3 Start treatment if you live in the same home as a person infected with worms. If you live in the same home as someone who has been diagnosed with worms, due to the high risk of infection, you will be asked to undergo treatment (and maintain hygiene) even without a formal diagnosis for the presence of worms. The benefits of treatment far outweigh the potential risks.