{"id":4009,"date":"2019-02-18T08:13:51","date_gmt":"2019-02-18T08:13:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=4009"},"modified":"2021-05-27T13:34:50","modified_gmt":"2021-05-27T13:34:50","slug":"15-signs-that-you-have-pinworms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/15-signs-that-you-have-pinworms\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Signs that you have Pinworms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Pinworms are the most common type of worm infection in the United States, and approximately 20% of people will be infected with pinworm at least once in their lives according to statistics issued by the Center for Disease Control (CDC); you\u2019re more at risk for contracting pinworm if you work with small children, or work in a close-quarters environment compacted with many people where some of them might not<\/em> have washed their hands \u2013 or someone has already contracted pinworm and has spread the infection around the area.
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Since it\u2019s such a common infection, there isn\u2019t much you can do to prevent picking it up, but there\u2019s a lot you can do to prevent a secondary infection \u2013 and there\u2019s a lot that you can do to treat pinworm if it were to happen to you at any point.
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Here are the 8 sure signs that you might have contracted pinworm.
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1. A generally lowered immune system.<\/strong>
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One of the most common signs and symptoms that you might have picked up a pinworm infection is a generally lowered immune system<\/a>. Because your immune system functions as the body\u2019s first line of defense against any infections that might enter the body, your immune system will be naturally affected if you were to pick up any type of infection which affects it \u2013 and it\u2019s likely that you will get sick more often.
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A lowered immune system can be improved just with a few small dietary and lifestyle changes that help your immune system to recover, and supplements combined with a healthy diet can usually help your immune system to recover after you\u2019ve picked up something like a pinworm infection.
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If your immune system doesn\u2019t improve with time, make an appointment with your doctor so that the actual cause behind your lowered immune system could be and this can be treated as a symptom on its own.
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2. A regular and painful itch of the anus and surrounding area.<\/strong>
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One of the most common symptoms that you might experience if you have contracted a pinworm infection is a regular, persistent and uncomfortable itching <\/a>around the anal area that can\u2019t be explained by anything else (such as a simple allergy to washing power) \u2013 and it most often occurs at night.
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This is usually the first warning sign that you should start looking at a potential pinworm infection as the cause \u2013 and this symptom occurs in the majority of cases. The reason it occurs is because of the pinworm\u2019s habit of laying eggs within the skin around the anus, and then going back to the inside of the body once it\u2019s laid the eggs.
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It\u2019s the moving around of the worms that one feels as the uncomfortable itch, and scratching it only risks spreading the pinworm\u2019s eggs \u2013 and the chances of affecting everyone else that\u2019s in the area with pinworms, too.
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3. A rash appearing around the anus.<\/strong>
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Scratching, pain, and discomfort <\/a>around the anus as the pinworm moves around and lays its eggs isn\u2019t the only symptom that you might experience as a result of a pinworm infection \u2013 and you might also experience a painful or uncomfortable around the anus that accompanies the itching sensation.
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The best thing you can do about the rash around the anus if you spot it, is to sanitize the area as soon as possible and to ensure repeated cleanliness as time goes on. You should also consider speaking to your doctor or drug store about the use of an anti-inflammatory cream that can take care of the most severe discomfort associated with a pinworm infection, and ask your doctor for antibiotics to bring the infection under control.
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Remember that pinworm eggs are still likely to be present in things like underwear even if the initial infection in the body has been brought under control.
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4. Frequent and recurring nausea and vomiting.<\/strong>
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Pinworms lay the majority of their eggs within the skin that surrounds the anus, but for the rest of the time they spend their days moving around the digestive system \u2013 and this can cause a huge amount of discomfort within the body that accompanies the rash and itching, and this can last as long as the infection itself.
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Frequent and recurring vomiting <\/a>and nausea that can be combined with the other symptoms on this list makes for a sure sign of a pinworm infection, and it means that you should make an appointment with your doctor as soon as you can so that the treatment can be started and the risk of further infection can be brought to a minimum.
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The nausea and vomiting are likely to last as long as the infection itself, although it can be controlled as a separate symptom to make it easier while the body heals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Pinworms in the stool.<\/strong>
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Pinworms are most commonly found surrounding the anus if you have a pinworm infection, although pinworms can also generally be found in the underwear and in the stool; this is because they do most of their moving within the body through the digestive system<\/a>, and they are occasionally expelled through the same digestive system and into the stool.
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Careful examination of the stool is vital to see if there\u2019s any presence of pinworms (or their eggs) in the stool, and it needs to be monitored when treatment for a pinworm infection has been put into motion \u2013 your doctor might even ask for a stool sample to ensure that the infection has been entirely eradicated once the treatment has been completed.
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In pinworms in the stool are spotted, the first course of action should be to sanitize everything in the area \u2013 and to make an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible.
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6. Pinworms around the anus.<\/strong>
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Pinworms aren\u2019t just found in the stool if you have a pinworm infection, but it\u2019s also common for them to appear directly within the anus, wriggling about \u2013 and this is one of the first things you should look for if you suspect that you or your child might have contracted a pinworm infection.
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They occur around the anus more frequently during nighttime, and it will most usually accompany the characteristic discomfort, pain<\/a>, itch and the feeling of wriggling worms within the anus \u2013 which is, more or less, exactly what it is.
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The most important thing when pinworms appear in this manner is to clean the area properly and seek medical attention \u2013 there isn\u2019t much else that can be done until the infection subsides and the pinworms have been completely eradicated from the system.
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It\u2019s important to remember that pinworm eggs can still be present within the environment, and re-infection is a very possible danger.
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7. Recurring stomach pain and abdominal discomfort.<\/strong>
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Stomach pain can usually mean one of any number of things when it comes to medical diagnostics, and stomach pain can point to everything from a severe nervous condition through to issues with your digestive system that encompasses a range of different disorders.
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But yet, sometimes stomach pain as a symptom <\/a>can be a lot more specific \u2013 and it can tell your doctor a lot if you\u2019re able to tell them what kind of stomach pain you are experiencing, just where in the body you are experiencing it and what other symptoms you are experiencing along with it.
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Recurring stomach pain and discomfort always warrants an appointment with your doctor, and if this happens to you, then you combined with any other symptoms on this list, a pinworm infection could be very likely.
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The good thing is that a pinworm infection is one of the most common ones, and therefore also one of the easiest ones to treat.
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8. Sometimes it\u2019s almost entirely asymptomatic.<\/strong>
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It\u2019s true that you should take note if you are experiencing any of the symptoms on this list in combination with one another, and if you are experiencing more than two of these symptoms along with one another than it\u2019s likely that you have a pinworm infection. But there are a few exceptional cases that didn\u2019t present with the same symptoms, and a case of pinworms can be almost entirely asymptomatic<\/a>.
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Even if you don\u2019t present with the common symptoms mentioned in this list, showing just one of them could mean that you have pinworms and that you should make an appointment with your doctor sooner rather than later so that the cause of the infection can be treated.
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Asymptomatic cases are very rare, but this isn\u2019t to say that they can\u2019t happen \u2013 and any exposure to pinworms means that you should make an appointment with your doctor just in case you might have picked it up and you aren\u2019t presenting with symptoms at all (or yet).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Frequent Itching<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pinworms are literally little worms and eggs, which of course can make them somewhat ticklish or itchy. You might find that you experience itching around the anus therefore, as the female pinworms lay their eggs in the folds of skin that surround it. They then return to the colon but the eggs themselves can cause itching and irritation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important that you try not to scratch the skin directly. This is actually a key part of the \u2018cycle of infection\u2019 \u2013 as patients will scratch the itching anus and then go on to touch surfaces and shake hands where the eggs can transfer and remain for up to three weeks! This is then how someone else might come along and pick them up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is common for children to get pinworm, given that they often fail to follow basic hygiene rules and will also play with toys and put them in their mouths. Because pinworms can survive on the contaminated surfaces, they will travel fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, you should also avoid scratching the area as this can cause irritation and break the skin!
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10. Contagion<\/strong>
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If you\u2019re looking for signs that might point to pinworms as the cause of your itching and discomfort, then one red flag is contagion. In other words, if other people begin to exhibit the exact same signs and symptoms, then there is a good chance that they may have contracted the pinworms from you and that this is therefore what might have caused the issue. Were the itching caused by something else, then it would not have spread!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, pinworm eggs can live on surfaces for over 3 weeks. Therefore, if you at any time touch your anus and then touch a work surface or similar, there is a high chance of the condition spreading. Note as well that over 20% of the population is thought to experience<\/a> pinworm at some point in their lives. While a lack of spreading doesn\u2019t rule out pinworm, the presence of spreading makes it more likely!
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11. The Tape Test<\/strong>
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If you\u2019re still unsure as to whether or not you might have pinworm, then one way to find out is by taking the \u2018tape test\u2019. This involves using a piece of tape in order to look for the worms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simply take a piece of cellophane tape and then press the adhesive side against the skin of the anus. Pull away, and then keep that piece of tape. Take this to a doctor, or even consider using a microscope, and you\u2019ll be able to check for pinworms on the tape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to take the test as accurate as possible, then it is a good idea to use the tape first thing in the morning when you wake. This is because a number of your morning routines such as washing or even using the toilet can brush the eggs <\/a>off and thereby make the test less likely to show a positive result.
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12. Bleeding and Rash<\/strong>
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Pinworm eggs themselves are invisible to the naked eye: otherwise, no one would ever be so foolish as to touch them when they were waiting on surfaces!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But while that is true, it\u2019s also true that you can often see the side effects of pinworms. That\u2019s because most of us will want to scratch the area around our anus due to the itchiness, and this can then cause cracked and broken skin. A very red anus and bleeding<\/a> can be a sign therefore of the condition in young children.
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13. Restless Sleep<\/strong>
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Pinworm can cause irritation of the skin that leads to redness and soreness <\/a>even without scratching. This and the itchiness can be enough to cause restless sleep. This is again very useful when trying to spot the condition in young children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is something to try and remedy as quickly as possible: seeing as the lack of sleep will only lower the immune system and slow recovery even further. You should, therefore, try to get as much sleep as possible, and to use creams etc. to try and make this easier.
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14. Tiredness<\/strong>
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The lack of sleep, stomach pain, and attempt of your body\u2019s immune system<\/a> to fight the infection, all can lead to tiredness and general lethargy. This can again further exacerbate symptoms, as well as creating new ones and making many activities less enjoyable or even dangerous in some cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try to get as much rest as possible while recovering from Pinworms and make sure that you take measures to make yourself more comfortable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To aid with their recovery, cut their fingernails, and make sure that you keep the house as clean as possible.
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15. Risk Factors<\/strong>
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There are many risk factors<\/a> that can increase the likelihood of getting pinworm. Knowing what these are can be helpful when considering the likelihood of you having contracted the condition and thereby it can improve your ability to correctly diagnose it in yourself and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many people who are at higher risk of pinworm. These include children who attend daycare or preschool \u2013 as they are likely to come into contact with many other children with the condition and then share toys. This then means that adults who have those children are also more likely to develop the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep in mind as well that children who suck their thumbs and fingers have a slightly higher chance of developing pinworms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In adults, living in very crowded areas \u2013 and especially areas with poor sanitation \u2013 can increase your chances of picking up pinworms. That also means that you may contract it when traveling to such areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news for animal lovers is that
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