Posted by Caroline Collard on Apr.12, 2009

The realization that their child (or themselves) has worms comes as a shock to parents. However, worms are very common, and one theory says that we all have them, although often we don’t know this.  Over the counter medication is often quite effective and works by paralyzing the creatures, but many of us don’t want to be taking something of that nature. Worms are usually quite harmless, the main problem being lack of sleep since they tend to come out more at night, and so a natural method might be considered more appropriate.

The most common symptoms of worms are an itchy bottom, but cystitis, bedwetting and vaginitis are also common as well as various abdominal problems. They can often be diagnosed simply by looking at the child’s bottom when it is itching or by looking at the feces.

There are a range of natural treatments that can be used. I have found the Black Walnut and Wormwood Tincture to be very effective, but there are many other herbs that can help including cloves, which have been used since ancient times to kill parasites and their eggs, and garlic which has long been used for expelling worms. Something else that has worked well for me is citricidal which is grapefruit seed extract and is easy to be given even to small children since it can be disguised in drinks.

Most, if not all of the complementary treatments may make the itching worse in the short run since the worms are escaping an unpleasant environment. There may also be discomfort and fatigue due to toxin release as they die. Therefore I recommend starting with a small dose and increasing it slowly.

Foods that can help are garlic, a cup of grated carrot first thing in the morning, coconut, chewing a couple of teaspoons of raw brown rice first thing in the morning and pumpkin seeds. Foods to avoid are those with a high sugar content, overly processed foods, caffeine and alcohol, since these can make the digestive system more comfortable for the worms.

Threadworms are by far the most common type of worm. They are also called pinworms and look like small pieces of white thread being about 1 centimeter long. They are very easy to catch. The eggs are easily passed on by touching hands, door handles or other infested surfaces. When the egg is put into the mouth it takes about four weeks to grow to adult size and reproduce. The eggs are laid around the anus as the worm dies, this causes itching then the scratching leads to eggs on the fingers and under the nails which are then transferred to the mouth and the whole thing starts again.

It is recommended that whatever treatment you follow, you take it for two weeks, which should kill off all the existing worms and then have a break for two weeks and then follow again for two weeks to kill off all those which were just eggs before.

There are also hygiene rules to follow to minimize the risk of reinfecting yourself. These include showering every morning to remove eggs from the bottom, washing hands thoroughly first thing in the morning, after going to the toilet and before meals. Ideally you should use a nailbrush to ensure that everything is removed from under the nails. Wear underwear at night and change it every day and don’t share flannels and towels. Try to eliminate nail biting and thumb sucking. If these rules are followed strictly it should be possible to eliminate the parasites without any further intervention but using other methods will probably make it easier.

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Posted under Health & Fitness, Health Facts.