Quite embarassing but does anybody know what this might be?

Question

Recently I've noticed my anus is itchy especially during the night, when i wake up due to it. I have sudden urges to go to the toilet for a poo and when I pass a stool I have seen quite a few times a thin, long, white thread type thing just under the surface of the stool. I have not seen anything wriggling about in the toilet. I am not sure if I am describing threadworms or pinworms or whether I am mistaking the sighting for digested food????

How would I know?? (apart from going to my Gp?) Help!!!

Thanks.

I am quite happy to go to the pharmacy to get treatment but can i cause myself any harm if it is actually not threadworms but something such a digested food? How will i be 100% sure its worms and not processed food?

Answer 1

What are pinworms?

Pinworms are small, white worms that live in the intestines. Pinworm infections are common in young children and are easily treated.

If your child is infected with pinworms, you may notice him or her moving around a lot in bed at night or being unable to sleep because of an itchy bottom. The itching is caused by the female pinworm that comes out of the rectum to lay eggs around the anus (the opening to the rectum). Sometimes tiny white worms (shorter than 1/2 inch) may be seen on the child's bottom at night or they may show up in the child's bowel movement.


How do people get pinworms?

Pinworms are easy to get. Pinworms are usually spread from child to child, and the eggs can be picked up on children's fingers when they are playing. Eggs can stay or your child's skin for several hours. They can survive for 2 weeks on clothes, bedding and toys. If the eggs are on your child's hands or toys, and your child puts their fingers or toys in their mouth, the tiny eggs can enter their bodies. The eggs stay in the upper part of the intestine until they hatch. After they hatch, the worms move down the length of the intestine, and then out the anus where they lay eggs.

When children scratch their itchy bottoms, the tiny eggs can get under their fingernails. As the children move around the house, the eggs may be spread, and other family members may become infected. Sometimes adults breathe in the eggs when the bed covers are shaken. However, this is very uncommon. Children easily infect each other while they are playing and by not thoroughly washing their hands before eating. Pets do not spread pinworms, although they may carry their own kinds of worms.


How are pinworms detected?

Because pinworms usually crawl out of the anus while a child sleeps, the tape test is an easy way to find pinworms. It's best to do this right when your child wakes up and before he or she uses the bathroom or bathes. To do the tape test, your doctor will give you a tongue depressor with a piece of clear tape on the end. You will press the end of the tongue depressor--with the tape on it--against your child's anal skin. Then the tape is placed sticky-side down on a glass slide. If your child has pinworms, your doctor will be able to see the eggs with a microscope. You may even see the worms around the anus during the tape test.
Return to top

How do we get rid of pinworms?

Most pinworm infections are mild and easily treated. Your doctor may prescribe a single chewable tablet of a medicine called mebendazole (brand name: Vermox). About 2 weeks later, a second tablet is taken. Or your doctor may recommend another kind of medicine, pyrantel (brand names: Pin-X, Pin-Rid). This is also taken in 2 doses about 2 weeks apart.

Even if only one child in a family has pinworms, it is very important that everyone in the household be treated with the pinworm medicine at the same time, even if they don't have any signs of pinworms. All the sheets, blankets, towels and clothing in the house should be washed in hot water, and everyone's fingernails (which might hold the worm eggs) should be carefully cleaned and cut short.

If you get treatment from your doctor right away and keep everything in the house very clean, your family's encounter with pinworms should soon be over.


How to prevent pinworm infections and reinfections:

Make sure your child washes his or her hands before a meal and after using the restroom.
Keep your child's fingernails trimmed.
Discourage your child from nail-biting and scratching their anal area.
Be sure your child changes into a clean pair of underwear each day.
Have your child bathe in the morning to reduce egg contamination.
Open bedroom blinds and curtains during the day. Eggs are sensitive to sunlight.
After each treatment, change your child's night clothes, underwear and bedding.

Answer 2

Sorry to say that it sounds like you may have thread worms. Don't feel embarrassed, this is a common complaint easily treatable. Any pharmacist will help you if you don't want to go to the doctors. Wash your hands and scrub your nails every time after going to the toilet. Use separate flannels, sponges and towels. Don't scratch and if you do, don't put your fingers in your mouth otherwise the cycle will start all over again. Finally if you live with anyone, partner,husband, children, treat them all with the same medication making sure that the worms have all been eradicated.

Answer 3

Yep, sounds like worms.... especially as your bottom is itchy. The worm comes out at night (how does it know it's night though??) lay their eggs around your anus. That's what causes the itch. You scratch, get eggs up your nails and inadvertently get eggs inyour mouth, where they go into your gut and grow into worms. YUM YUM.
You just need to go to a pharmacy and see the pharmacist...
Delightful, but easily sorted. Go tomorrow. Keep your undies separate from other folks'.

Answer 4

Itching especially at night is one of the distinct signs of pinworm infection. Those worms are making bores/holes in the lining of your anus to lay their eggs. Submit yourself for a scotch tape test. This is an easy procedure to detect if you are infected with pinworms. FYI, pinworm infection is also called enterobiasis

Answer 5

Threadworms, and you need to get treatment, your pharmacy should be able to help. but be careful as, when you itch you will get eggs on your fingers, if you then transfer them to your mouth, ie put your finger in your mouth without washing, you will re-infect yourself. Alos ensure that you use a dirrerent towel and washing thing until you are treated, and be extra careful with personal hygeine as you can soon infect others in the household

Answer 6

What ever it is, you need to go to your Dr. ASAP. A parasite can be very dangerous. I got Giardia from Sushi once, and I got really sick. I had to go on medication for about a week.

Don't delay, call your DR. Maybe they can call you in something.

At the very least, go to a pharmacy and see if they have anything over the counter.

Answer 7

It sounds like pin worm to me, if the worms are very small they are pin worms go and see your GP and clean under your nails, wash your hands when you have been to the toilet,and treat everyone in your family if prescibed medication.

Answer 8

you really need to go to the Doc for this one. Sorry, but you really need to.

aside from the stool issue, the itchy anus could be a sign of hemorrhoids

Answer 9

This resource http://treathemorrhoid.kyma.info is a must for anyone suffering from hemorrhoids and digestive disorders. I was surfing the internet with trying to find answers to my recurring and debilitating hemorrhoid disorders and I accidently stumbled across it. It has saved my self-esteem and independence after years of crippling hemorrhoids and fissures and their painful symptoms!

Answer 10

You can often relieve the mild pain, swelling and inflammation of hemorrhoids with home treatments. Often these are the only treatments needed https://tr.im/iKwci

With these treatments, hemorrhoid symptoms often go away within a week. See your doctor if you don't get relief in a week, or sooner if you have severe pain or bleeding.