Threadworm: Tips To Fighting The Infestation

I’m guessing you’re here because you’re up stressing over wtf threadworm is and tips for fighting the infestation. Don’t worry, you are NOT alone! By the way this is a safe place and I will not be sharing any pics of the arse lurchers, you can check the NHS site for that!

What is Threadworm?

Threadworm, also known as pin worm are small (roughly 1 cm long) worms, commonly found in your poo. Yes commonly, most people at some point will have had them. Just as their name would suggest they look like pieces of white thread. Usually coming out at night (to lay their eggs), you may see them around your child’s anus while they’re asleep or first thing in the morning. Frustratingly or conveniently depending on how bad your infestation is most doctors will not see you as it is believed that threadworm can effectively be treated with guidance from your pharmacist. And in all honesty most, people only need to take the medication (normally called Ovex) once, twice max before it passes.

Make sure to tell the pharmacist if you are pregnant or your child is under the age of 2.

What are The Symptoms?

Bloating

Aggrivated behaviour

Sleepless nights and night terrors

Itching: we were actually prescribed an eczema cream for this, which is well worth asking your pharmacist and/or GP about.

Nausea

Weightloss

Increased appetite

Low energy

Bed wetting

However, a lot of the time and most commonly in males no symptoms may show a all. Also known as asymptomatic.

Tips To Fighting The Infestation

Humans are considered to be the only hosts of E. vermicularis which is also known as the human threadworm. But with only one type of medication on the market (currently), that incidentally only tackles the issue within the gut and is not absorbed into the blood stream, food is your best source of back up.

Threadworms hate:

•Pommegranite

•Coconut

•Carrot

•Pumpkin Seeds: The seeds of pumpkins and many other vine crops are believed to contain a deworming compound called cucurbitacin

•Garlic

•Cloves

•Apple cider vinegar

•Thyme

Top tip: grate up all the above and make a worm busting salad with a garlic and apple cider dressing.

Foods to stay clear of:

•Yogurt

•Sugar

•High fructose fruits like grapes

Add clove oil to every liquid soap you have in the house. From hand wash to laundry detergent. Do NOT apply the oil directly to the skin, but watered down in your soap will help to kill off the eggs.

Massaging the anus with coconut oil, is said to work as a repellent but will also sooth the irritated skin. Alternatively, or if like me you just want to zap the sucker make a garlic balm using garlic puree, coconut oil and honey.

If The Drugs Don’t Work

I’m not going to lie to you, if all of the above still has not worked you have a rough road a head! The medicine kills the threadworms, but it does not kill the eggs. Eggs can live for up to 2 weeks outside the body. This is why you must treat everyone in your home and how re-infestation occurs. You possibly have a brutal 9 weeks a head of you but doing the following should go a long way to reducing the issue, if not erradicating it once and for all.

•Fight for a doctors appointment and get yourself tested. It’s vital that if this is an ongoing issue you find out exactly what the issue is and that it has not caused any further issues such as iron deficiency, water infection, extreme weight loss etc. Have them send a sample of your stools off for testing. They may even suggest doing a tape test

•Washing is vital and I’m not being patronising! No baths, only showers and twice a day. Once when you get up and once just before you go to bed! This should help wash away new eggs, which are laid externally in the folds of the bottom hole. – No easy way to say that is there!?

•Launder everything in your house at 90 degrees; from toys to towels, bedding and rugs. Anything you can’t wash in the machine, I’d suggest getting a steamer for

•Consider upgrading your hoover

•Make sure to regularly treat your pets! It might be that you’re fight the wrong infestation. A rise in raw food diets in pets may be increasing risk to children’s health from parasites

•Use a damp cloth to clean ALL surfaces daily, sweep and mop all hard floor surfaces daily

•Don’t share towels and launder every one after every single use!

•Change bedding daily and do NOT shake it out

•Wash hands regularly and keep nails short

Support

Check out Doctor Rachel, the Worm Whisperer. The site has a lot of solutions and tips as well as extensive (but not published in the UK) trials on chondroitin sulphate; normally found in joint supplements.

Remember it is so normal for small children to pick up threadworm because of their tendency to put everything in their mouths. So please don’t keep mum and feel free to offload your rants and tips in the comments below. We’re in this together!

Much love,

Berrit x

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