Pinworms

• Pinworms Overview
• Pinworms Causes
• Pinworms Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Pinworms Treatment
• Medical Treatment
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• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors

Pinworms Overview

Pinworms are extremely common. It is estimated that there are more than 40 million cases in the United States each year. Although anyone can catch pinworms, they are most common in children aged 5-14 years. Pinworms live in your intestines and survive by eating some of the nutrients in your food. The most common symptom of pinworms is an itchy rectal area. Symptoms are worse at night when the worms are most active and crawl out of the anus to deposit their eggs. Although pinworm infections can be annoying, they do not cause any serious health problems and are usually not dangerous.