The main sign of enterobiasis specialists call a strong itch in the anal area, which worsens at night. Causes an itch of pinworm, or rather the female of these parasites, which lay eggs in the folds of the skin in the perianal region. Skin irritation is not caused by the process of laying eggs or the movement of a female helminth, but by the caustic fluid released by the female. Getting on the skin, this substance provokes burning and severe discomfort. Even an adult can often not cope with the desire to scratch. And for children this test becomes too heavy, because the combs of the anus in babies are inevitable.
As during the combing of the anus, the eggs of the worms are on their hands, under the nails and on the underwear, from where they then spread to larger areas, it can be argued that the caustic liquid emitted by the helminth female during the laying of eggs is a tool for transferring the larvae. More precisely, a means to promote the spread of enterobiasis.
Itching with enterobiasis
As already mentioned above, with enterobiosis, pinworms creep out from the anus. The process of laying eggs is accompanied by the release of fluid that causes itching and irritation of the mucous membrane and the skin.
In addition to combing the affected area becomes an indirect factor in the spread of parasitic disease, microscopic wounds appear on the delicate skin of the anus and perineum, through which the risk of entering a bacterial infection is high.
Itching in the anus in pinworms in children, less often in adults, provokes combing not only the anal opening, but also the nearby zones. Thus, girls intensively act mechanically on the external genital organs, causing their irritation and microtraumatism. In especially severe cases, pinworms develop incontinence caused by irritation of the urethra, and even vaginitis, since the risk of penetration of the female pinworm into the external genitalia and vagina is great. In boys, worms rarely crawl to the foreskin, which causes irritation of the skin of the glans penis.
How to relieve itching with pinworms?
The main way to remove the itching of the anus at pinworms is the treatment of helminthiosis. To do this, the doctor prescribes anthelmintic drugs aimed at the destruction of pinworms in the gastrointestinal tract. Unfortunately, modern drugs against pinworms affect only adults, without affecting the larvae. That is why itching can resume after two weeks after treatment. During this period, the larvae left in the gastrointestinal tract grow and begin to multiply. The cycle repeats, the symptoms return.
How else can you remove the itch with pinworms? For these purposes, enemas with soda or milk-garlic solution are used. The procedure is aimed at "washing away" worms from the intestine, as a result of which the number of parasites in the body is significantly reduced.
With a strong nighttime itch, triggered by the activity of pinworms, you can lubricate the area of the anus with vaseline or salicylic ointment. This method prevents the movement of helminths along the skin and the penetration of caustic substance on the skin when the female lays eggs.
Enema is recommended for several days against the background of anthelmintic medication to reduce the risk of self-infection and alleviate the most unpleasant symptoms.