In addition to hand-washing, there are a number of other ways to prevent or reduce the chances of exposure: In fact, it may be that you aren’t washing your hands enough. Most experts agree that washing your hands regularly - especially before eating and after visiting the bathroom - is key to disease prevention. Chief among them are washing your hands and proper food safety. There are a number of ways to prevent intestinal worms in humans. They can prescribe an over-the-counter medication and monitor your progress accordingly. Remember to see your doctor if symptoms do not improve after trying at-home treatments. With that being said, foods like coconut oil, raw garlic, and raw carrots are believed to be effective remedies for treating worms at home. Also, although medications work the majority of the time, in situations where a parasite infection is spreading, surgery or additional medications may be necessary.Īlthough there are at-home treatments available, there is no research to support their effectiveness. When treating stomach worms, it is important that everyone in the family gets treated, not just the person with symptoms, to avoid reinfection. Other common antiparasitic oral medications for treating roundworm infection include albendazole and mebendazole. Praziquantel forces tapeworms to detach themselves from your intestines and dissolve, eventually exiting your body through your stool. A blood test, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CT (computer tomography), or X-ray may also be needed to determine the location and severity of the infection.ĭepending on the type of intestinal worm you have, treatment can include oral medications or at-home treatments. There is also the “Scotch tape” test, in which you apply tape to the anus to capture pinworm eggs so they can be identified using a microscope. Your doctor will first test you, using either one or multiple stool tests to determine the presence of microscopic worms or larvae. It’s important to note that the study also found that symptoms of a parasitic infection may be the same as those of acute appendicitis, even if the person doesn’t have appendicitis. According to one study, in rare cases, they can cause acute appendicitis. However, they can sometimes cause infections in the uterus or the vagina. Pinworms are frequently passed between children and among adults in institutions like nursing homes.Īlthough they aren’t pleasant to think about, most cases of pinworms are minor and can be easily treated. They are so tiny, in fact, that they can become airborne and are easily inhaled. If you scratch the area, the eggs then travel to whatever is touched next. At nighttime, the female pinworm comes outside the anus to lay her eggs, which are microscopic in size. The pinworm, once ingested, makes its home in the rectum and colon area. Pinworm eggs can live on a variety of surfaces including bathroom furniture, linens, and toys for as long as 3 weeks. White, thin, and short (the length of a staple), pinworms are spread from feces to the mouth. They’re the most common type of worm infection in the United States. Whether or not you have symptoms, if infected with parasites, you are still a carrier who can infect others.Īlso called threadworms, pinworms are tiny roundworms (nematodes). It is also very possible to have intestinal parasites with no symptoms at all. Some worms, such as tapeworms, can also cause an allergic reaction, including bumps or lumps, along with fever and, in rare cases, neurological issues like seizures. Identifying worms involves looking for parasite symptoms, which include: They can also be caused by poor hygiene or sanitation. You can get worms from contaminated drinking water or food, bug bites, or exposure to feces. Worms are a type of intestinal parasite that can live in humans, and parasites are organisms that feed off their host, causing health problems.