Worm Infection & Homoeopathy

Today is National Deworming Day. It is an initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare by the Government of India. The objective of National Deworming is to improve the health and nutritional status of children all over the nation. As per the WHO (World Health Organisation), 241 million children in India are at risk of parasitic intestinal worms. These worms are also known as soil transmitted helminths. As the name suggests, these are worms transmitted through soil that is contaminated with faecal matter. Worms that are known to infect humans include roundworms, whipworms, and hookworms. Worm infection is commonly referred to as Helminthiasis.

How are worms transmitted?

·??????Worms live in human intestines for survival and food.?

·??????They produce thousands of eggs per day. These are passed in the stools of infected people

·??????Hence when these infected people defecate in the open, worm eggs spread to the soil

·??????These eggs can then be ingested through vegetables if they are not washed or cooked properly

·??????These can even be passed through contaminated water

·??????They can even be transferred to kids who play in the soil

·??????Hookworm infection is transmitted by walking barefoot on contaminated soil since hookworm larvae can penetrate human skin.

There are annual and bi-annual rounds conducted every year for deworming. The first round is conducted on the 10th of February every year. Apart from Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh, all other states nationwide have bi-annual rounds, since these two states have less than 20% infection prevalence. Albendazole is the drug that is administered. Your physician may prescribe Albendazole, Mebendazole or Ivermectin.

Do you think the child/adult may be infected with worms? The symptoms may be as follows:

·??????Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea

·??????Anal itching, vaginal itching

·??????Cough, due to migration of worms

·??????Prolonged infection may lead to blood loss, protein loss

·??????Further leading to anaemia and malnutrition

·??????This can retard growth and mental development in children

·??????In certain severe cases, worm infection can also lead to pneumonia, dermatitis, urticaria

Worm infection can be diagnosed through stool examination.

How to avoid worm infection?

·??????Maintain personal hygiene

·??????Wash your hands before handling food

·??????Wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly

·??????Educating the children about the importance of washing their hands before eating to prevent infection

·??????Avoid walking barefoot on soil

·??????Avoid defecating outdoors. Use sanitary toilets

·??????Proper sewage disposal system

Homoeopathy also helps in treating chronic worm infections effectively. Some homoeopathic remedies that may help with chronic worm infections:

·??????Cina: It is a very useful remedy for all types of worms. The child may be irritable and may have a pale appearance. He/she may be cranky with grinding of teeth and extreme hunger

·??????Spigelia: There may be stool with mucus and worms. Pain around the navel area

·??????Teucrium: Irritation in the anal region after passing stools is the key symptom

·??????Indigo: Extreme pain in the umbilical region is marked in this remedy

·??????Sabadilla: Worm infection is accompanied with nausea and colic

·??????Terebinth: Burning and itching around the anus. A sensation of worms creeping out of the anus

·??????Baryta mur: Chronic painless diarrhoea. Pain in the navel region with bloating of the abdomen

·??????Ferrum met: Chronic worm infection leading to anaemia. Paleness, itching at the anus at night

These are only a few remedies that may help with worm infection. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should consult your physician for guidance. Avoid self-medicating.

Homoeopathy treats worm infection by finding a single medicine that matches the patient's symptoms. Medicines are often prescribed based on mental and emotional states as well as physical symptoms.

As with anything, prevention is better than cure, so it makes sense to take precautionary measures rather than deal with the aftermath.