Please bump if you find this post useful. -- Caitlin
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Pinworms are parasites that reproduce using the human digestive tract. One-third of Americans have pinworms, and 30-80% of children have them because they put their fingers and toys in their mouths. Little girls are particularly susceptible to vaginal pinworms, which causes itching and pain especially at night when they go to bed. One-third of pinworm infections have no symptoms.
*** Children's symptoms of infection (from Aviva Jill Romm's book): night-waking, nighttime bottom itching and pain, bedwetting, tummy-ache, changes in appetite, irritability at bedtime or even during the day, constipation, nose picking, dark circles under the eyes, chronic dry cough, strong appetite for sweets, whininess. "These symptoms may come and go in cycles every few weeks to months." (Romm 2000: page 345).
*** Understanding of Pinworms: Treatment of the whole family takes over a month due to the worms 4-6 week life cycle. Worms exit the anus to lay 10,000 eggs each on the skin. Their wiggling producing itching, and scratching results in the sticky eggs getting lodged under a child's nails. Microscopic eggs become airborne, traveling from the hosts' fingers to whatever they touch, where they can live for 2-3 weeks awaiting their new host. Once ingested, the eggs hatch in the intestines (and elsewhere). Worms look like wiggling lint under a flashlight at night or first thing in the morning. The worms and their eggs will stick to transparent tape applied to the skin around the anus, and the tape can be examined under a magnifying glass. Pinworms may be more common among middle-class and affluent communities, but there is scant evidence for this claim.
*** Topical Treatment at Night ***
Spread over inflamed skin to reduce discomfort and itching. Works immediately and within 3 days.
Salves (i.e. Black Walnut Hull salve from WiseWays Herbals), unsweetened plain yogurt with active cultures (apply and wash off), aloe vera gel, and calendula gel or lotion. Petroleum jelly works too, but I do not recommend it for any use on skin because it is toxic at low levels.
*** Medicines ***
Western pinworm medicines (i.e. Vermox and Pipn-X) kill the adult worms only, allowing reinfection from eggs, and thus requiring multiple treatements for all family members. Black walnut tree leaves (1-2 leaves) steeped as tea daily. Black walnut oil, wormwood tincture, and clove essental oil taken in olive oil 3 times daily works to kill the worms at all life stages. Homeopathic Cina kills worms in the intestines. Grapefruit seed extract takes over a month to work, but can be safe and effective. Fresh garlic helps, and can be taken with honey. Pineapple juice taken twice a day for a month worked for some families. 10-15 raw pumpkin seeds per day will help children (20-30 for adults), and should be taken for 2 weeks. You should follow your treatment plan for 10 straight days, take a break for a 1-2 weeks, and then follow it again for 10 days to prevent reinfestation.
*** Lifestyle ***
* Clip children's nails short. Wash hands at wake-up and through-out the day. Keep children's hands away from their face. Discourage scratching, nail-biting, nose-picking, eye-rubbing.
* Wash bed sheets every 3 days for a month. Change all-cotton underwear at rise and bed. Note that Lysol and similar disinfectant sprays do not kill pinworm eggs. Clove may be effective as a spray, and could be placed in a mister as a few drops of clove essential oil diluted with water, vodka, and pure Castille soap or pure liquid detergent. Oregano oil may also be effective, but could be too strong for young children.
* Bathe in Epsom Salt daily, especially Colonics, such as enemas, can flush out worms and reduce symptoms.
*** Diet ***
* Eat fewer finger foods. Don't share food off each others' plates.
* Eat foods with less sugar, less carbohydrates, and less refined flour.
* Emphasize salty foods.
* Add apple cider vinegar to the diet (1 tspoon in a cup of water, up to 3 times daily) and probiotics (i.e. acidopholus- 4 billion organisms one per day, can be put in a dropper bottle)
* Try to eat: raw carrots, pumpkin seeds, squashes, seseame seeds, sesame seed oil (e.g. 1 tspn. daily), pickles, garlic, asafoetida (an Indian spice), black cumin seeds, fresh pineapple, calmyrna figs and juice, cloves, fennel seed tea (3 cups daily for a week or so), coconut (1 tablespoon at breakfast), papaya seeds (sold in chewable tablets), dark green leafy vegetables, beets, pomegranates, hot peppers, onions.
**********
Pinworms are parasites that reproduce using the human digestive tract. One-third of Americans have pinworms, and 30-80% of children have them because they put their fingers and toys in their mouths. Little girls are particularly susceptible to vaginal pinworms, which causes itching and pain especially at night when they go to bed. One-third of pinworm infections have no symptoms.
*** Children's symptoms of infection (from Aviva Jill Romm's book): night-waking, nighttime bottom itching and pain, bedwetting, tummy-ache, changes in appetite, irritability at bedtime or even during the day, constipation, nose picking, dark circles under the eyes, chronic dry cough, strong appetite for sweets, whininess. "These symptoms may come and go in cycles every few weeks to months." (Romm 2000: page 345).
*** Understanding of Pinworms: Treatment of the whole family takes over a month due to the worms 4-6 week life cycle. Worms exit the anus to lay 10,000 eggs each on the skin. Their wiggling producing itching, and scratching results in the sticky eggs getting lodged under a child's nails. Microscopic eggs become airborne, traveling from the hosts' fingers to whatever they touch, where they can live for 2-3 weeks awaiting their new host. Once ingested, the eggs hatch in the intestines (and elsewhere). Worms look like wiggling lint under a flashlight at night or first thing in the morning. The worms and their eggs will stick to transparent tape applied to the skin around the anus, and the tape can be examined under a magnifying glass. Pinworms may be more common among middle-class and affluent communities, but there is scant evidence for this claim.
*** Topical Treatment at Night ***
Spread over inflamed skin to reduce discomfort and itching. Works immediately and within 3 days.
Salves (i.e. Black Walnut Hull salve from WiseWays Herbals), unsweetened plain yogurt with active cultures (apply and wash off), aloe vera gel, and calendula gel or lotion. Petroleum jelly works too, but I do not recommend it for any use on skin because it is toxic at low levels.
*** Medicines ***
Western pinworm medicines (i.e. Vermox and Pipn-X) kill the adult worms only, allowing reinfection from eggs, and thus requiring multiple treatements for all family members. Black walnut tree leaves (1-2 leaves) steeped as tea daily. Black walnut oil, wormwood tincture, and clove essental oil taken in olive oil 3 times daily works to kill the worms at all life stages. Homeopathic Cina kills worms in the intestines. Grapefruit seed extract takes over a month to work, but can be safe and effective. Fresh garlic helps, and can be taken with honey. Pineapple juice taken twice a day for a month worked for some families. 10-15 raw pumpkin seeds per day will help children (20-30 for adults), and should be taken for 2 weeks. You should follow your treatment plan for 10 straight days, take a break for a 1-2 weeks, and then follow it again for 10 days to prevent reinfestation.
*** Lifestyle ***
* Clip children's nails short. Wash hands at wake-up and through-out the day. Keep children's hands away from their face. Discourage scratching, nail-biting, nose-picking, eye-rubbing.
* Wash bed sheets every 3 days for a month. Change all-cotton underwear at rise and bed. Note that Lysol and similar disinfectant sprays do not kill pinworm eggs. Clove may be effective as a spray, and could be placed in a mister as a few drops of clove essential oil diluted with water, vodka, and pure Castille soap or pure liquid detergent. Oregano oil may also be effective, but could be too strong for young children.
* Bathe in Epsom Salt daily, especially Colonics, such as enemas, can flush out worms and reduce symptoms.
*** Diet ***
* Eat fewer finger foods. Don't share food off each others' plates.
* Eat foods with less sugar, less carbohydrates, and less refined flour.
* Emphasize salty foods.
* Add apple cider vinegar to the diet (1 tspoon in a cup of water, up to 3 times daily) and probiotics (i.e. acidopholus- 4 billion organisms one per day, can be put in a dropper bottle)
* Try to eat: raw carrots, pumpkin seeds, squashes, seseame seeds, sesame seed oil (e.g. 1 tspn. daily), pickles, garlic, asafoetida (an Indian spice), black cumin seeds, fresh pineapple, calmyrna figs and juice, cloves, fennel seed tea (3 cups daily for a week or so), coconut (1 tablespoon at breakfast), papaya seeds (sold in chewable tablets), dark green leafy vegetables, beets, pomegranates, hot peppers, onions.
:
Should I assume it is pinworms anyway?
but i kept looking and finding none. now im not itchy anymore, but i was a few months ago. i swore I had them, but i never found any. anyway, this is gross. lol.
: so I may look for an alternative if we have to do this again.
