Symptoms

The presence of worms may trigger no recognizable symptoms, or may cause local irritations, especially at the anus. Worms may also cause weakness, fatigue, lack of vitality, grinding of teeth at night, loss of appetite, irritability, frequent colds, brittle and hard fingernails with rigid longitudinal lines, anemia, and loss of weight.

What Are Worms?

From Modern Western Medicine

Several types of parasitic worm and their larvae can live inside human intestines, blood, the lymphatic system, bile ducts, or organs, such as the liver. Worms are more common than many people realize, and can live within the system for years without a person realizing it. Worms can cause severe reactions, including chronic and debilitating illnesses.

Two main classes of worms are most common: roundworms, which have long, cylindrical bodies, and the platyhelminths, which have flattened bodies. The platyhelminths are further subdivided into the cestodes (tapeworms) and trematodes (flukes).

Worms can be transmitted to humans via undercooked or infected meat, soil, water, and contact with other people—especially children—who have been infected themselves.

The diagnosis of a worm infestation can be easily eradicated with anti-helmintic drugs.

From Traditional Medicine

Drug therapy is usually rapid and effective, while dietary measures are usually much slower, but can be helpful in preventing reinfestation. As with any infection, worm will develop best if immune function is weakened. Those people who eat diets of refined carbohydrates and sugar are going to be more susceptible. Therefore, increasing the immunity of the host is invaluable in dealing with this long-term.

Remedies

Food to Eat

  • Miso soup
  • Whole grains
  • Raw brown rice: Have on an empty stomach for breakfast. Chew very well (continue for a few weeks in case eggs continue to hatch).
  • Mugwort tea: have two or more hours after the last meal of the day
  • Leafy, green vegetables
  • Green cabbage
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Garlic
  • Onions
  • Figs
  • Raw pineapple

Foods to Avoid

  • Sugar
  • Refined carbohydrates
  • Dairy products
  • Pomegranate

 

Herbs to Treat Worms

  • Wormwood (for pinworms, roundworms): take 1 tea-cup infusion morning and evening
  • Wormseed: This is useful with tapeworms. Use small dose frequently, ½ to 1 ½ grains.
  • American wormseed, Jerusalem oak (for roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms): Children take 20 to 30 grains powdered seeds or 3 – 10 drops oil. Adults take 1 to 2 tsp. powdered seeds or 10 – 20 drops oil.
  • Pomegranate (for pinworms, roundworms, tapeworms): decoction of root bark used
  • Bitterwood: enema or decoction. Used wood and bark. 1 tsp. to 1 cup water; boil 30 minutes. Dose 1 tsp. in 1 cup of water, one to two cups per day.
  • Corcsican tea: especially for pinworms and roundworms

 

Homeopathy

The following are for pinworms. Take 3 times daily for up to 14 days. See a homeopath if no improvement:

  • Cina 6C: for itchy bottom; if child is irritable, picks nose, grinds teeth, is very hungry, or has dark rings under their eyes
  • Teucricum 6C: for itchy bottom and itchy nose; if it’s worse in the evening; if you are restless in sleep, or there is a crawling sensation in rectum after passing stools
  • Santonium 6C: a stand-by remedy if above remedy fails

 

Physiotherapy

  • Garlic clove inserted rectally at night
  • Garlic foot compresses at night