Answers
Worms in the stomach (pet mein keede): symptoms and treatment
Short answer
Intestinal worms are still common in India, spread through contaminated soil, water and food. Many people have no symptoms; others have belly pain, anaemia, itching around the back passage at night, or see worms in the stool. Teeth grinding or craving sweets do not mean worms. A stool test confirms them, and treatment is simple.
Common worms and their signs
Rarely, a roundworm can block the bile duct or bowel, causing severe pain, jaundice or vomiting; this needs urgent care, sometimes ERCP.
- Roundworm: often no symptoms; sometimes belly pain, or a worm passed in stool or vomit
- Hookworm: iron-deficiency anaemia, tiredness and breathlessness, picked up through bare feet on soil
- Pinworm (threadworm): itching around the back passage, worse at night; spreads easily in families
- Tapeworm: from undercooked pork or beef, or eggs on unwashed vegetables; pieces may be seen in stool
Myths
- Grinding teeth at night, dark circles, or a craving for sweets are not signs of worms
- Routine 'deworming' is not a cure for long-standing stomach problems; those need a proper check-up
Tests and treatment
A stool examination finds worms or eggs; two or three samples on different days may be needed. A blood count may show anaemia or raised eosinophils. Treatment is a short course of a deworming medicine prescribed by your doctor; family members are often treated together for pinworms, and anaemia is corrected with iron.
Prevention
- Wash hands with soap after the toilet and before eating, and keep nails short
- Wash vegetables and fruit well, and cook meat thoroughly
- Wear footwear outdoors
- Drink boiled or filtered water
- Children and teenagers receive free deworming tablets under the National Deworming Day programme
Food and hygiene to prevent worms
Eat more
- Vegetables and fruit washed well under running water
- Meat cooked thoroughly, with no pink parts
- Iron-rich foods if there is anaemia: dal, green leafy vegetables, eggs, meat
Cut down
- Raw salads and chutneys from outside
- Undercooked pork or beef
- Unboiled water
Good to know
- Hand washing with soap after the toilet and before food is the single best protection.
- Sweets do not cause worms, and avoiding sugar does not cure them.
Common questions
Should adults take deworming tablets every year?
Not routinely in cities, unless your doctor advises it. Take them when worms are found, or when there is a clear risk, such as in some family situations.
Can worms cause weight loss?
Heavy infections can, along with anaemia. Unexplained weight loss in adults needs a proper check-up rather than assuming worms.
My child has night-time itching. Does the whole family need treatment?
For pinworms, yes, often everyone in the house is treated together, along with washing bedding and cutting nails short.