How to Prevent and Treat Pinworms

Pinworms are parasites that can infest the body’s lower digestive system. Pinworms are the most common type of worm infection in the U.S., with children facing the highest infection rates. Each is about half an inch long, though their eggs, which are responsible for their spread, are not visible to the naked eye. Their eggs can get on hands or under fingernails, on clothing, or onto food or utensils and they enter the body through contact with the mouth. Symptoms of pinworms are usually recognizable once they mature into their adult form and begin laying eggs. They can cause itchiness around the anus, discomfort around the lower digestive system, and possibly restlessness or insomnia, per the Mayo Clinic. While the symptoms are not often intense, the idea of having worms is often a far more haunting psychologically than physically, but pinworm treatments are simple and effective.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Practice good hygiene:
   Since they are usually contracted as a result of neglected hygiene or dirty surfaces, prevention of pinworms centers on cleanliness. Wash your hands thoroughly and often. The hands and fingernails are usually how pinworm eggs get picked up. Change into different clothes every day, especially undergarments, since pinworm eggs are laid around the anus. An infected person’s clothes, sheets, towels, and other objects that have made contact should be washed to prevent reinfection and prevent them from spreading to others.

2. Take showers instead of baths:
   Taking baths with a pinworm infection can be counterproductive. According to the Centers for Disease Control, their eggs are more easily washed down the drain in the shower, but they can remain in the water in a bath which can lead to their infection. To prevent and treat pinworms, take showers instead of baths.

3. Take the prescribed antibiotics:
   If diagnosed, in order to treat pinworms, an anti-parasitic medication is given to the infected person, according to the Hershey Medical Center at Penn State University. Pinworms treatment involves two doses: one is taken immediately and the other is taken two weeks later. Even if they seem cleared up after the first dose, finish the full course of treatment. Antibiotics to treat pinworms are important for both the infected person and any roommates because they spread so easily from person to person. If one member of a household is infected, all members should take pinworm medication to prevent further infections.