If you didn’t know already, a stool could help you determine the state of health of a particular person.
White specks detected in stools can be due to various reasons. Some can be serious, while others can be due to harmless factors such as medicines. At times, they could denote the fact that there has been some undigested food.
Doctors often recommend keeping a check on your bowel movements. If you have recently noticed some white specks and are afraid this could be related to parasites and worms, then that could be the case.
These white specks can also aid in alerting us about any internal infections or update us about specific conditions that might progress and worsen shortly.
Therefore, in this article, we will focus on worms such as tapeworms and pinworms that cause white specks, but one must also know that such worms can be completely naked to the human eye, thus emphasising other symptoms and signs as well.
Nevertheless, you can find out whether or not you have worms that are showing up in your stool, or those white specks could be pointing towards something different.
Types of Worms
There are a variety of worms that can be found in humans. Along with worms, there are certain parasites; some of them are flatworms, hookworms, etc.
In most cases, they are not visible or might not form any white specks, but professional healthcare or a doctor may be able to detect any eggs laid in the stool through a stool test.
Since this article is based on white specks being formed due to worms, let’s further discuss some of the most typical types.
One must also bear in mind that almost anyone gets such worms into their systems; therefore, it is vital to have a monthly checkup to preserve your health and stay safe.
Pinworms
Pinworms are also known as threadworms and are like tiny roundworms. They are the most typical type of worm infection detected in the USA.
Children are more vulnerable to this infection than adults. When it comes to the appearance of these worms, they are short, white, and relatively thin (almost the size and length of a staple pin).
Pinworms are said to spread from the waste (faeces) to the mouth, for example, when your dirty fingers touch the mouth. Their eggs can thrive on surfaces such as furniture, toys, and bathrooms. These eggs can easily last up to 3 weeks in total.
Once they have access inside your body, they make a home in your colon and rectum area. Then, during the nighttime, the female pinworm comes outside towards the anus and lays her eggs. Let’s not forget the eggs are microscopic.
Once you scratch the area, the eggs travel to whatever place touched next. Though this doesn’t sound normal or pleasant, most cases are minor and can be treated without complications.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms are called flatworms due to their flat appearance. However, in most descriptions, they are said to have ribbon-like visuals.
The bodies of tapeworms are made up of the segments; thus, each piece is the size of a rice grain. I talked about adult tapeworms; they are pretty rare cases of it.
Adult tapeworms are said to grow as long as 30 feet. That is almost the size of an average school bus for kids. Fortunately, its causes aren’t that typical and thus are not a point of contention.
Tapeworms are found in areas that lack fresh or clean water or around areas that aren’t kept neat, e.g. a farm or a place where livestock is kept more openly than on a farm.
Undercooked meat or contaminated water can also access tapeworms to enter the body. Once these are ingested, they stick to the intestinal wall. As you continue to eat, these worms feed off the nutrients to grow.
As they grow, they enter the bloodstream, hatching their eggs inside tissues. These worms have a long life span (30 years) and can grow up to 80 feet in length.
Other types of worms include hookworms, flukes, and Trichinosis worms.
Symptoms of Worms in your Stool
In some cases, where white specks in your stool may hint at worms living in your body, you would need more than just that to determine the existence of worms.
Some of the signs that you could look for if you suspect you have worms in your body are:
- Diarrhoea (runny, watery).
- Bloating, gas problems.
- Abdominal pain.
- Weakness along with dehydration.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
- Anal Itching.
- Frequent headaches.
Worms such as tapeworms can cause allergic reactions that may show lumps and bumps on different areas of the skin.
Causes of Worms
It is pretty normal to panic if you have worms in your stool. However, what is essential to know is the cause of the worms’ living.
As humans, worms can latch on to us in quite different ways. The main methods of entering are:
- Public areas such as gyms and pools,
- Coming in contact with dirty surfaces and places,
- Eating undercooked meals,
These are the primary sources for worms to gain access to our bodies. Hence it is crucial to be mindful of our hygiene and take care of the food we are consuming.
Conclusion
It would be best to know that to stay protected against various types of worms, we must prioritise cleanliness.
Sometimes, the worms leave the body on their own without creating any havoc. Nonetheless, some infections do require treatment. If you suspect you may have worms in the body, then it would be best to meet up with a doctor and discuss your symptoms thoroughly.
White specks in your stool aren’t an alarming concern most of the time. It happens due to undigested food and can be alright with a few changes made in the diet. However, if you have any of the above symptoms, you should meet up with a doctor and start getting your prescribed treatment immediately.
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