I feel worms in my anus

I sometimes see some worms wriggling out of my anus and going back again. Kindly let me know what to do about this.

Fatima (by SMS)

Different kinds of worms can invade the human digestive system. In order to know the difference, it is important to go for stool test. That is why you need to go to the doctor’s office with a tool sample.

When the proper species of worm is identified, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate medicine and the worms will be eradicated from your body.

Worm treatment may involve prescription and over-the-counter medications. The medications only kill adult pinworms so they must be given in two doses. The first dose kills existing adult pinworms, and the subsequent dose given 2 weeks later kills any new adults that have hatched from any remaining eggs.

If multiple family members or children in a daycare or school setting are infected, it is best to treat everyone at the same time to minimize the chance of reinfection.

However, a persistent sensation of a “worm in the buttocks” with no actual physical cause is known as formication, a type of tactile hallucination, and is often a symptom of a psychological condition called delusional parasitosis.

The individual holds a strong, unshakable false belief that they are infested with parasites despite a lack of medical evidence. In some cases, the delusion is the only symptom, and the individual has no other underlying psychiatric condition. It can however also be a symptom of other existing mental health disorders.