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Intestinal Worms - Causes, Symptoms And Home Remedies For Intestinal Worms

The worms and other intestinal parasites which infest human beings are more common in tropical and subtropical areas. Most of these worms and parasites gain entry into the body either through the mouth or through the skin of the feet Children are more prone to infection from these worms than adults.

There are several types of intestinal worms: The most commonly noticed parasites in India are roundworms, hookworms, threadworms and tape-worms. Roundworms are giant intestinal parasites measuring 15 to 25 cm's. in length. They are off-white in color and are most frequently infect children. Eggs produced by them are passed in stools. Roundworm eggs may remain alive in the soil for many months.

Hookworms are small worms measuring one cm. long. They attach themselves to the walls of intestines within the bewel. They cause serious bleeding, and poison the patient as well. Pinworms 3re small white worms about 6.35 cm's in length.

Threadworms are small thread-like creatures which can be noticed in the stools of children. The female worm, one cm. in length, moves at night to anal canal to lay its eggs. More than 30 different types of tapeworm infections may affect the human body. Some tapeworms are only a few inches long, others measure from ten to 30 feet or more in length.

Symptoms of Intestinal worms.

• The usual symptoms of intestinal worms are diarrhea, foul breath, dark circles under the eyes, constant desire for food, restlessness at night with bad dreams, anemia and headache. Infants and young children are likely to be irritated all the time and are prone to throw tantrums at the slightest excuse.
• Roundworms may give rise to inflammation of the intestine and lungs. The usual symptoms are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, loss or weight, fever, nervousness and irritability. Children with bookworm disease appear pale and are often weak. Them may give rise to nutritional disorders. Threadworms may cause an intense itching in the areas around the anus. Tapeworms and roundworms may cause convulsion in children.
• Threadworms infection which is very common in children, may cause periodic bouts of diarrhea, itching around anal area, alternating with constipation, loss of weight, cough and fever.

Causes Of Intestinal worms

The eggs of these parasites are introduced into the human system through the medium of food or water, especially. under cooked or badly-cooked meat. Roundworms are caused by eating contaminated foods. If the soil in which children play becomes contaminated with the eggs of these parasites, they are easily transferred to the mouth through dirty fingers, particularly by children living in unhygienic conditions. There is always a greater. danger of contamination where human wastes are used in fertilizing vegetables. Great care should therefore be taken to ensure that all foods are thoroughly cleansed and properly cooked before use.

Hookworms enter the human body through skin from infected water. Pinworms and threadworms transmission result from dirty fingers and food. Tapeworms are transmitted to the body through undercooked flesh foods.

The real cause of intestinal worms, however, is the use of contaminated food or water. The eggs of these worms, can breed in the intestine only if they find a suitable medium for their propagation. This medium is an intestinal tract clogged with morbid matter and systemic refuse due to wrong feeding habits.

Home Remedies For the treatment of Intestinal worms.

• Soak 3-4 crushed, fresh garlic cloves in one-fourth cup of milk at night. Next morning press the cloves, remove them and drink the filtrate.
• Soak 8-10 crushed cloves of garlic in a cup of water overnight. Next morning use this water to give an enema. This is especially beneficial for pinworms .
• Take a tablespoon of dry neem flowers. Fry them in a teaspoon of ghee and eat them with boiled rice twice a day for 3-4 days.
• Have a teaspoon of dried neem leaf powder with milk or hot water twice a day for a week.
• Have a half a cup of fresh cabbage juice every morning for 3-5 days .
• Crush and powder 3-4 dried papaya seeds. Mix in a glass of warm milk and have every night for two days. Papaya seeds have a substance called carisin that destroys worms. Eating ripe papaya is also a healthy way to keep clear of worm infestation.
• Have a tablespoon of bitter gourd juice with a glass of buttermilk once a day for three days. Te most effective home remedy.
• Slice an unripe papaya and collect the juice. To a tablespoon of this juice, add a tablespoon of honey, and mix it in one-fourth to half a cup of boiling water. Cool it to an acceptable warmth and have it in one gulp as a draught. After one-and­a-half /two hours, take a tablespoonful of castor oil with a teaspoon of fresh lime juice. Some people may have colic or pain in the abdomen after this-have milk sweetened with honey or sugar. Children need to be given half or one-fourth of the dose for this remedy, as it is awful in taste and the castor oil causes purgation .
• Half a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds, fired and powdered, taken thrice a day two days is efficacious.

SPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN: TAKE A TABLESPOON OF FRESH NEEM FLOWERS OR TENDER, NEEM LEAVES, ONE-FOURTH OF A TEASPOON OF OMUM, 2-3 BLACK PEPPERS, ONE-FOURTH TEASPOON OF FRESH GRATED GINGER, A TEASPOON OF FENNEL, WITH JAGGERY TO TASTE. GRIND ALL THESE TOGETHER, FRY IN A TEASPOON OF OIL AND EAT IT WITH RICE.

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