Symptoms of Worms in Stomach in Adults

Table of content

•  Introduction

• What are Intestinal parasites?

• Types of worms in stomach

• How worms are formed in the stomach

• Symptoms of worms in stomach in adults

• How to get rid of stomach worms

• When to see a doctor

• Take home points

• FAQs

Introduction

Stomach worms or intestinal parasites are acquired when a person  unknowingly ingests their eggs. They  are parasites, meaning they rely on humans for their food and shelter. Although stomach worms in adults can remain asymptomatic for a long time, they can lead to complications and abdominal distress.

Stomach worms, when they start to multiply, can cause serious health risks, even intestinal obstruction. Stomach worms can be easily treated with the help of medications. In this blog, we will discuss symptoms of worms in stomachs in adults, how worms are formed in the stomach, types of worms in the stomach, etc.

What are Intestinal parasites?

Intestinal parasites or stomach worms are members of the helminthic family. They are single-cell organisms which can live in your intestines and multiply. They don't provide any benefit to humans that's why they are called parasites.

Although there are other organisms like protozoa which can live in your intestines and multiply, they are not considered as stomach worms. Stomach worms are common in children due to mud eating habits but they can also be found in adults. These worms multiply in your gut and are excreted through your faeces. 

Stomach worms in your faeces can look different depending on the worm type. For instance, the roundworm may be large, whereas the pin form may look like a tiny or little white thread.

How worms are formed in the stomach

Common features of all stomach worms include they enter the human body when you ingest them through a contaminated source (which contains eggs laid by the parasites). Like when touching soil and eating without not washing your hands properly or eating undercooked meat. These eggs hatch in the intestine and produce worms.

The main causes of worms in stomach in adults include:

1. Drinking Contaminated water: Drinking contaminated water infected with worm eggs can lead to stomach worms.

2. Eating contaminated food: Eating poorly cooked or uncooked meat can lead to parasites in your stomach.

3. Touching contaminated surfaces and fingers to your mouth: Eggs from these parasites can live in dormancy for a long time. Therefore, when in contact with those contaminated surfaces, you can ingest the eggs.

4. Walking on soil barefoot: Some worms can directly enter through your skin if you are walking barefooted on contaminated soil.

Risk factors for worms in the stomach in adults may include:

1. Warm and humid climate

2.  Drinking  unclean water 

3. Open defecation 

4. Overcrowding of people

5. Improper hand Hygiene

6. Living with livestock

7. Using human faeces as fertilizer

Types of worms in stomach

Most stomach worms belong to the category of helminthic worms meaning they are either flat body or round body worms. Here are the types of intestinal or stomach worms:

1. Pinworm(enterobiasis): Spread through a contaminated surface when you put your mouth after being in contact with the eggs lying on the surface. These eggs hatch in your intestine and produce symptoms like anal itching. After scratching your butthole and failing to wash your hand, it can contaminate the surface which you come into contact with later.

2. Ascaris (ascariasis): Spread through contaminated soil, and commonly seen in places where open defecation is common.

3. Whipworm(trichuriasis): Whip-like in shape. They spread through contaminated soil. 

4. Hookworm(ancylostomiasis): They have a hook-like projection on their head. These worms can directly enter through your skin if you walk barefooted on the contaminated soil. Other worms cannot enter directly through your skin.

5. Strongyloides: These can reproduce in the host or human while others can't. They are also acquired through contaminated soil.

6. Tapeworm(Taeniasis): These are required when you ingest undercooked meat or fish.

7. Trichinella: Commonly acquired when you eat raw or undercooked meat.

8. Flukes: They are acquired through contaminated water or after eating infected aquatic fish or plants.

Symptoms of worms in stomach in adults

Symptoms of worms in the stomach in adults are produced when the eggs of these worms hatch in your intestine and start to reproduce or live there. Here are the symptoms of worms in stomach in adults: 

• Abdominal pain

• Diarrhea

• Nausea, or vomiting

• Itching around the vulva or rectum

• Dysentery (loose stools containing mucus and blood)

• Passing of worms in stool

• Gas and bloating

• Fatigue

• Unexplained weight loss

• Abdominal pain or tenderness

Complications of Worms in stomach in adults

Complications of worms in stomach in adults happen when there are too many parasites in your gut. Older people and immunocompromised persons, like in the case of HIV, are at a higher risk of developing complications due to worms. Complications due to worms in the intestine include:

• Intestinal obstruction

• Malnutrition

• Iron deficiency, anaemia 

• Dehydration

• Appendicitis

• Cholangitis 

• Intussusception

• Cholecystitis 

• Pancreatitis 

• Peritonitis 

• Neurocysticercosis is when Tapeworms enter the brain or eye.

How to get rid of stomach worms

Treatment of stomach worms involves medications and managing the complications. Management involves:

1. Diagnosis: Diagnosis of intestinal worms can be made through:

A. Scotch tape test - A tape is applied near your anal region to retrieve worms.

B. Blood tests

C. Colonoscopy

D. Imaging like X-ray, CT or MRI

2. Medications: Most commonly, Albendazole or Mebendazole is used for deworming and to treat stomach worms.

3. Nutritional supplementations: Nutritional supplements of iron zinc, and Vitamin C are required in case of deficiency due to worms in the stomach.

When to see a doctor

You can visit your doctor if you are having symptoms of worms in your stomach like:

1. Diarrhoea

2. Dysentery

3. Passage of worms in stool 

4. Anal itching 

5. Excessive mucus in stool

6. Bloody stool

Your doctor will perform diagnostic tests like scotch tape tests and stool examinations to confirm the diagnosis and will reevaluate your stool sample after treatment.

Take home points

1. Stomach worms or intestinal parasites are acquired when a human unknowingly ingests their eggs.

2. Stomach worms enter the human body when you ingest them through a contaminated source(which contains eggs laid by the parasites) like when touching soil and eating without not washing your hands properly or eating undercooked meat.

3. These eggs hatch in the intestine and produce worms.

4. Symptoms of worms in the stomach in adults include Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, itching around the vulva or rectum, dysentery, passing of worms in stool, gas and blood bloating, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, and abdominal tenderness.

5. Causes of worms in the stomach in adults include drinking contaminated water, eating contaminated food, touching contaminated surfaces, and walking on soil barefoot.

6. Complications of worms in the stomach include malnourishment, intestinal obstruction, iron deficiency anaemia, dehydration, neurocysticercosis, etc.

7. Treatment of worms in the stomach in adults includes medications and nutritional supplementation.