Pinworms, or threadworms (enterobius vermicularis), are the most common parasitic worm, infecting approximately 500 million children worldwide. Pinworms are white worms that are one-quarter of an inch in length and live around the upper part of the colon, feeding on intestinal contents, according to Kevin Pederson of Home-Remedies-for-You.com. When a mature female pinworm lays eggs, she migrates from the intestine to the anal region.
The most common symptom of pinworm infections is anal itching, but pinworms can also cause more serious problems in children, including loss of appetite, insomnia, bed wetting, weight loss, appendicitis, nausea and vomiting, Pederson says.
Although you should always consult a doctor before trying any worm treatment, you can try the following herbal remedies to get rid of pinworms.
Instructions
Follow These Steps to Get Rid of Pinworms the Natural Way
1. Combat pinworm infections with good hygiene. The most important key to preventing pinworm infections from spreading--and helping to eliminate pinworms--is impeccable hygiene. Keep your child's anal area as clean as possible. Pour water on the anal area or wipe your child's bottom with a wet cloth, Pederson advises. Just make sure to wash the cloth and your hands thoroughly after use.
Also, you must keep your child's bed linens and clothing (especially undergarments) clean and wash them thoroughly, warns FatFreeKitchen.com.
2. Eat a few small garlic cloves daily or add the garlic cloves to your meals, recommends Pederson. Garlic is a common natural remedy to combat pinworms. "Grind garlic to make a paste and mix less than one-half pinch of it with Vaseline. Apply this on the anal region to deal with the itchiness and kill the eggs," he advises.
3. Use cloves in every meal, recommends FatFreeKitchen.com. Cloves will help kill the parasite eggs in the intestinal tract.
4. Add six to seven lupine seeds to a glass of lukewarm water, offers GoHerbalRemedies.com. Drink this concoction at least four or five times a day to eliminate pinworms from your digestive tract. "It works slowly but efficiently in fighting this parasitic infection," according to GoHerbalRemedies.com.
5. Consume a diet of papaya and watermelon and pumpkin seeds, GoHerbalRemedies.com advises.
To eliminate pinworms, you can also try eating bitter melon (bitter gourd, karela), says FatFreeKitchen.com.
Tags: pinworm infections, your child, anal area, anal region, eliminate pinworms, garlic cloves