Here is some food for thought. When did you last go DEWORMING for yourself? Your most probable answer would be that you don’t remember, and there will be a rejoinder question saying that ‘deworming is for kids, right?’ This is a myth that we have been believing for the ages where deworming is concerned. However, the truth is that people of all ages need deworming. This becomes must if you have been experiencing some abdominal symptoms attributed to gastric issues. If these symptoms do not seem to relieve as expected and keep recurring, then maybe it’s time for a checkup for worms, and get a deworming done. Let us understand deworming and why everyone needs to do it periodically.
Understanding Deworming
The deworming process refers to the killing and eliminating of parasites or worms from our bodies through appropriate medication. Mostly, we follow this process judiciously for children till a specific age. However, we give up on it after the kids come into teens. Children are more prone to worm infections because of nutrition deficiency and non hygienic habits. However, adults can also be affected by worms.
In children deworming is generally done two times a year. The worms absorb all the nutrients from their body, leading to malnutrition and affecting their growth. Pediatricians prescribe deworming medicines for consumption, and if the worms are present, they pass through the stools. The various worm that can infect us are pinworms, tapeworms, hookworms, flukes, trichinella and threadworms. Even adults should deworm at least twice a year, and it is usually recommended for the family to do together.
Symptoms
If worms infect, you may experience some of the symptoms mentioned below, though these symptoms can occur even due to other conditions.
- Bloating
- Abdominal pain or tenderness
- Nausea/vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Rashes on the buttocks
- Rectal itching
- Fatigue or tiredness
- Fever
- Frequent urination
- Dehydration
- Blood in stools
- Weight loss
Depending on the seriousness and duration of the symptoms, the doctor may suggest blood or fecal tests. If required, the doctor may also suggest colonoscopy or imaging tests. Based on the clinical and laboratory test results, the treatment differs. While mostly the doctors prescribes a simple deworming medicine, chances of some other medications to address any related infection issues also exist.
How to Prevent Worms
Following basic personal hygiene, especially food and toile hygiene, is crucial to avoid getting infected by worms. Some probable common causes of infections are:
- Walking barefoot on lawns
- Using unhygienic swimming pools
- Not washing vegetables thoroughly before cooking
- Getting licked by pets
- Eating uncooked meat.
Hence, take proper care to avoid such activities. Please endure you groom your pets and wash well if they lick you. Keep your nails trimmed properly, and follow hand hygiene as we have been doing since the pandemic broke. You could include that can help in regular deworming such as papaya, garlic, pumpkin seeds, carrots, turmeric, coconut, etc. These help your body fight the worms.
Are They Harmful?
Apart from digestive issues, there are times when these worms can affect your lungs and liver. If they migrate to brain, they can be dangerous and cause neurological issues. They may even travel to eyes, causing vision issues. One of the reasons adults also should deworm is to ensure that kids in the family do not get re infected because of them. Kids are more prone to become sicker than adults. Adults may not realize they are infected, as the symptoms may not be prominent as in kids, and people attribute to gastric issues.
Deworming medicines are available over the counter in India without a prescription. However, you could always request the doctor to prescribe the same. Please ensure that all family members should take it at same time to avoid re infection and mark in your calendar for the next dosage. Follow the advice of your doctor on dosage and consumption. Often, the suggestion is to take one dosage at night after food and then repeat the dosage after a week. Rarely, some people may experience some side effects, with the same symptoms of worm infection, after taking the medicine. Kindly ensure that you have no allergies to such medicines and consult a doctor if you develop any severe symptoms.
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Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
15th April 2024