Identification

• The small whitish pinworm is visible to the naked eye and is found throughout the United States, especially in urban and crowded areas.
  
  

Symptoms

• Symptoms of pinworm infection include decreased appetite and weight loss, intense itching around the anus, irritability, sleep disturbance, and vaginal irritation or discomfort in females.
  
  

Risk Factors

• Adult pinworms live in the large intestine and lay eggs outside the anus during the night. The eggs are spread from clothing and hands, and can be inhaled or swallowed as they drift through the air.
  
  

Herbal Remedies

• Phyllis A. Balch, author of "Prescription of Herbal Healing," recommends herbal treatments for pinworms. Black walnut is effective for all parasitic infections. Prickly ash tea causes pinworms to be eliminated in stool.
  
  

Considerations

• It is important to practice good hygiene. Wash hands with soap and water before eating or preparing food and after using the toilet. Teach children to not put their hands or other objects in their mouths. Wash bedding and underwear in hot water and bleach.