Why should you be thinking about getting rid of pinworms? Because a pinworm infection is quite possibly the most disgusting thing you've ever heard of. Okay, so your child goes to school and somehow breathes in pinworm egg. Don't scoff, because pinworms are the most common worm infection in the United States. Then, anywhere from two to six weeks, those pinworms will mature and crawl out of your child's butt and lay eggs near their anus.
It gets better! The pinworm eggs cause your child's butt to itch, so they scratch at it, and the pinworm eggs get everywhere: under your kid's nails, on your kid's clothes, on the bedding, and even in the dust that hangs around your home. Once this happens, your entire family and your kid's friends and classmates are almost guaranteed to get the same infection. Are you grossed out enough to take pinworms seriously now? Well, here are some things you should know if you want to get rid of pinworms and prevent a pinworm infection.
Pinworm Treatment
The first step in getting rid of pinworms is getting tested for pinworms. There are two types of tests for pinworm infections: you either get the butt paddle, which is then examined under a microscope, or you get the butt tape, which is then examined under a microscope. But, this is important, because you shouldn't go on trying treat pinworms if you don't have them. A positive test is your first step to getting rid of pinworms. If you test negative you may just be suffering from hemorrhoids or piles, which are probably more painful and itchy.
Vermox is the most common prescription medicine used to get rid of pinworms. If you test positive for pinworms, chances are your doctor is going to give you a prescription for Vermox (otherwise known as mebendazole), the most common of all prescription drugs used to treat worm infections. Another prescription anti-worm drug is called Albenza. It may be wise to ask your doctor or pharmacist which is least expensive because both are equally effective.
Reese's Pinworm Medicine is a very common and very effective OTC pinworm treatment. If prescription medications aren't your thing, or they're too expensive, or you don't have insurance, there are plenty of over-the-counter pinworm medications available that are just as effective as their prescription cousins. The important thing is to treat each member of the family with pinworm medicine to ensure there isn't an recurring infections caused by a second, third, or fourth family member.
To make sure you get rid of pinworms, wash your bedding and clothing regularly during and after pinworm treatments. Pinworms are an extremely contagious worm infection. The eggs can lay dorman for up to 2 weeks if they're kept at room temperature, and you'll find them just about everywhere. This is why it's important to clean anything and everything the infected person has come into contact with, which includes mopping floors to avoid kicking up dust that may contain worm eggs--causing yet another worm infection.
To avoid getting pinworms again, make sure to wash your hands regularly. Washing your hands and keeping them away from your butt and the butts of others is probably the most effective way to avoid getting a pinworm infection. Pinworm eggs aren't a particularly resilient worm egg, and any anti-bacterial soap will usually insure a worm-free existence. Remember to wash your hands after visiting public places like schools, gyms, and any large institutions.
More Pinworm Cures
The list of pinworm medications and treatments is plenty long. As I mentioned before, most pinworm medications are equally effective, and are often used to treat other types of worm infections as well--sometimes three or four worms with one stone, or pill, as the case may be. Of the prescription medications available for pinworm infections the two most common are Vermox and Albenza. Those are good, but there are plenty of over-the-counter medications that may prove to be cheaper and more readily available. The following is a list of OTC worm medications:
- Pin-X
- Pin-Rid
- Antiminth
- Reese's Pinworm Medicine
- Anything with Pyrantel pamoate.
Of course, if western medicine or commercial pharmaceutical solutions to pinworm infections aren't your cup of tea, well, there are some natural remedies for pinworm infections found in the sidebar to your right.
