Worms in the body act as parasites, feeding on your nutrients and blood, leading to symptoms like fatigue, abdominal pain, weight loss, and anemia, with severe cases causing malnutrition, bowel obstruction, or organ damage, especially in children. Common effects include itchy bottoms (pinworms), poor sleep, and digestive issues, while some, like tapeworms, can affect the liver, lungs, or brain, causing serious complications.
Once they have entered humans by penetrating the skin, the larvae of some worms, for example dog hookworm (ancylostoma caninum) or strongyloides, can migrate under the skin. This can cause diagnostic pink or red curving tracks known as larva migrans or larva currens. The tracks may be raised and cause intense itching.
See a GP if you:
find a large worm, a piece of worm or worm eggs in your poo. have a red, itchy worm-shaped rash on your skin. have sickness, diarrhoea or a stomach ache for longer than 2 weeks. are losing weight for no reason.
Anti-parasite medicines can help the body get rid of roundworms that cause ascariasis. The most common medicines are: Albendazole. Mebendazole (Emverm).
Depending on the parasite, untreated infections can lead to: Dehydration (from severe diarrhea). Malnutrition. Iron-deficiency anemia.
In addition to worsening the problems associated with chronic undernutrition, worms can cause illness, pain, and even death. Other symptoms of intestinal worms include: Abdominal pain and distention. Fatigue or lethargy.
Threadworms are small, thin, white, thread-like worms between 2mm and 13mm long. They infect human guts (intestines). They are common in children, but anyone of any age can be affected. Threadworms live for about 5-6 weeks in the gut, and then die.
10 FOOD TO KILL INTESTINAL WORMS NATURALLY:
Tapeworms are a common intestinal parasite that can affect dogs. They are long, flat and segmented parasites. The segments can look like grains of rice, and they are passed through an infected dog's feces, where they may be seen in the stool, the fur around the dog's anus or in their bedding.
You can buy a medicine called mebendazole for threadworms from pharmacies. This is usually a chewable tablet or liquid you swallow. Treat everyone over 2 years old in your household, even if they do not have symptoms.
Conduct a "tape test". Press the sticky side of clear tape against the skin near the anus to collect pinworm eggs. First thing in the morning is the best time, before the person washes, goes to the bathroom, or gets dressed. Do this three mornings in a row.
Baby worms develop in cocoons. They are babies for 60 to 90 days and it takes them about a year to become an adult. Worms can live for up to 10 years. Worms don't have a stomach.
The most common symptom of infection is anal itching, particularly at night, as worms migrate to the host's anal area to lay their eggs.
Ascariasis can cause symptoms such as stomach pain, vomiting, fever and cough. Serious health issues called complications can happen if many worms grow inside the body. But most people with ascariasis have no symptoms. Ascariasis treatment includes medicines that help get rid of the worms.
Threadworms live about 5-6 weeks in the gut, and then die. However, before they die the female worms lay tiny eggs around the anus. This tends to be at night when you are warm and still in bed. The eggs are too small to see, but cause an itch around the anus.
You know you might have parasites through digestive issues (diarrhea, bloating, pain), fatigue, unexplained weight loss, skin problems (rashes, itchiness), sleep disturbances (insomnia, teeth grinding), increased appetite, muscle aches, or even seeing worms or eggs in your stool; however, many infections have few or no symptoms, so a doctor's diagnosis via stool sample, blood tests, or other imaging is needed for confirmation.
Sometimes you can see the worms moving in your stool. You might also feel the worm coming out of your anus as you make a bowel movement. Contact your healthcare provider if you see worms in your poop. While most infections are mild, treatment can help you avoid complications.
Although adult tapeworms in the intestine usually cause no symptoms, some people experience upper abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and other symptoms. Occasionally, people with a tapeworm can feel a piece of the worm move out through the anus or see part of the ribbon-like tapeworm in stool.
Parasite Cleanse Diet Changes
Some natural medicine providers also suggest a gut cleanse or detox. This involves pairing a high-fiber diet with supplements to clear out your intestines. These supplements include psyllium, beetroot, and flaxseeds.
Worms have five hearts, shaped like arches. These arches help pump blood through the worm's body – a pretty simple task due to its shape. Worms are cold blooded, meaning they can't control their body temperature, which will be the same as their surroundings.
Pinworms are small white worms about 1/2 inch long and as thin as a thread. They can sometimes be seen in and around the child's bottom (anus) and in bowel movements. These worms live in the intestine. The adult female worm crawls out of the infected person's anus at night and lays her eggs in the surrounding skin.
Some mattress worms are simply parasitic worms, and will remain in their worm-form their entire life. Some common worms that might appear in your home are pinworms, roundworms, and hookworms. If you see tiny white worms crawling on your bed sheets, they could be any of the following: Bed bugs.
Worms are mainly spread in small bits of poo from people with a worm infection. Some are caught from food. You can get infected by: touching objects or surfaces with worm eggs on them – if someone with worms does not wash their hands.