Pinworms: Treatment Overview

Content provided by Healthwise

Treatment Overview

Pinworms can be successfully treated with:

• Medicine. Both over-the-counter and prescription medicines are available in liquid, chewable tablet, and pill forms. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding and children younger than 2 should not take over-the-counter medicine without first talking to a doctor about the risks and benefits of the medicine.
• Steps to prevent reinfection and the spread of infection, including frequent hand-washing and routine washing of clothes and bedding. These measures are important and helpful even if medicine is not being used.

Pinworms are treated with medicine when:

• Signs and symptoms of pinworm infection are present, such as itching around the anus.
• Pinworm infection of family members and other close contacts is likely.

If severe itching is present, your doctor may prescribe a soothing cream to be applied to the anal area. If complications of pinworm infection develop, additional treatments may be needed.

Children can return to school after taking the first dose of medicine, bathing, and trimming and scrubbing their nails. At that time they can also take part in regular activities, such as swimming, sports, and after-school events.

What To Think About

Many people with pinworm infections do not have symptoms and do not need treatment to cure the infection. The infection may go away on its own, although this may take up to 14 weeks (two pinworm life cycles).

Many doctors suggest treating all close contacts of a person with pinworms even if there are no symptoms. Treating contacts with over-the-counter medicine can help prevent reinfection and the spread of pinworms to other people. This is especially important in households where pinworm infections come and go.

Treatment of all household members is also important if someone in the household is pregnant, breast-feeding, or younger than 2. These people may not be able to take pinworm medicine, and their chance of infection may be lower if all other members of the household are treated.

It is usually suggested that people with symptoms get a second treatment 2 weeks after the first treatment to kill any adult worms that may have hatched from eggs during that time. Pinworm medicine does not kill pinworm eggs.

Last updated:	September 11, 2008
Author:	Debby Golonka, MPH
Reviewed By:	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Donald Sproule, MD, CM, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC