Pinworm infections are a very common phenomenon, especially among children. While issue may not pose a serious health threat, these infections are very contagious. Understanding their spread, effective Pinworm medicine, and most importantly, effective pinworm treatment can improve a family’s health substantially.

Key Facts About Pinworms

Over 40 million people suffer from from pinworm infections in United States alone.
Pinworms are most common in children from ages 5 to 10, however, people of all ages may get infected.
During the night, female pinworms lay eggs which causes the infected person to have anal itching.
Pinworm eggs have the capability of surviving on various surfaces for 21 days.
The average treatment period consists of two doses of medicine, to be taken 14 days apart.
Reinfection is best managed through the practice of good hygiene.

What Are Pinworms?

Pinworms, or scientifically known as Enterobius vermicularis, are one of the common types of parasitic worms. They can be located in the human digestive tract and are approximately one inch long. Adult worms are easily visible but their eggs are microscopic and hence, cannot be seen with the naked eye.

As mentioned earlier, children are at a higher risk of contracting these types of parasites, however, they can be transmitted to anyone through contaminated surfaces or food, fingers, and in some cases, direct contact.

How Do Pinworms Spread?

In order to contract a pinworm infection, an individual has to consume pinworm eggs quite accidentally. Like mentioned earlier, this is usually caused due to direct contact. Once infected, the cycle of infection is rather simple. Once the eggs are ingested, these worms are able to thrive in the digestive tract.

Here’s a simplified process of infection:

A child consumes pinworm eggs.
Eggs develop into adult worms within a month and are hatched inside the intestines.
Every night, the female worms exit the body from the rectum and release a thousand eggs around the anus.
The resultant reaction itches, which leads to scratching, and eggs get trapped under the nails.
The eggs get transferred to things the child touches like toys, doorknobs, and bedding.
Other individuals can then collect the eggs from these surfaces and get infected.
Pinworms are very contagious, particularly in places like homes, schools, or daycare centers.

Symptoms of a Pinworm Infection

In a great number of cases, people do not know they have pinworms because the symptoms are mild, or not perceptible. When symptoms arise, the most common are:

Anal itching, especially at night
Itchy sleep disturbance or increase in irritability
In some cases from scratching too much, skin inflammation could happen
Small white worms can sometimes be observed in the stool or around the anus

The symptoms do itch and are irritating, however, the symptoms do not have long-lasting effects on a person’s health.

Diagnosing Pinworms

To identify a pinworm infection, doctors often rely on a straightforward technique known as the tape test. You will need to:
Tap a strip of clear tape on the anus region in the morning before showering or freshening up
Bring the tape to your doctor, who will check it under the microscope for pinworm eggs
In some cases, the test may need repeating for precise outcomes.

Best Pinworm Medicine

The bright side is that over-the-counter or prescription drugs can easily treat pinworms. And these medications tend to work really quickly.

Reese’s Pinworm Medicine is an example of Pyrantel Pamoate which is an OTC option, safe for children, and no prescription is needed.

Mebendazole and Albendazole (Albenza) can be prescribed if pinworm infection is more stubborn or recurrent.

The treatment is generally based on two doses of the medicine that need to be taken two weeks apart. This way, any eggs that make it past the first dose will be killed before they hatch.

Always check with your doctor first if you need to treat infants under two, pregnant, or nursing mothers, as some medications may not be safe.

How to Prevent Reinfection

To avoid getting reinfected, proper hygiene is important, particularly because the pinworm eggs can live on surfaces for 2-3 weeks. Here’s how to make sure your home is safe:

Wash your hands often, especially after the toilet and before meals.
Keep fingernails short. Do not bite on fingernails.
Do not scratch the anal area. Put gloves on while sleeping to avoid the area.
Change and wash undergarments, and bedsheets, on a daily basis.
Have a shower in the morning to remove any eggs laid overnight.
Wash towels, clothes, and bedding frequently, and dry them after thoroughly drying.
Disinfect frequently touched surfaces like door knobs, toilet seat, and toys.

If one family member is infected, it is more effective for the entire household to be treated at the same time.

Conclusion

Pinworms are easy to get, and easy to treat. Make sure to keep personal hygiene, and treat them as soon as the family members are able to. Family members suffering can heal a lot faster. Make sure to notice the early signs and treat them for pinworms early the way they are supposed to.

To treat pinworms best, make sure to use safe, effective, and easy medicine for the entire family.