Natural Treatment for Tapeworms

Tapeworms live in the intestinal tracts of humans and animals. The most common way to get tapeworm is by eating food or drinking water that is contaminated with the actual tapeworm or the larvae. Tapeworms can be treated effectively many ways, including several natural methods. Please, however, make sure to consult your physician before attempting naturopathic remedies at home.

Facts

• Tapeworms are very long and can measure up to 50 feet long in adult humans. In certain cases, they can survive as long as 20 years in a human body and attach themselves to the walls of the intestines. In other cases, they may pass through and exit the body through your stool. A dwarf tapeworm can live from egg to larva to adult tapeworm--its complete life cycle--in one host.

Herbs

• Wormwood is an herb that has a long history of treating intestinal parasites. It weakens the parasite's membranes because it contains sesquiterpene lactones. Other herbs such as licorice root, marshmallow and agrimony also can be used to treat tapeworm because it supports the immune system and works to keep the digestive tract smooth. These herbs aid the body's function to rid itself of tapeworms. Certain homeopathic remedies such as cina and chamomilla are beneficial to promote the proper function in the digestive tract, which helps to keep the body parasite-free.

Fruits

• Anti-parasitic enzymes are found in pineapples, cranberries and papaya. A natural way to kill tapeworm is to fast on raw pineapples for three days. The pomegranate tree is useful in destroying parasitic worms because the root and the stems have anthelmintic properties that are highly toxic to tapeworms. Adults should be given fresh bark in intervals of an hour, three times a day ,in quantities of 90 to 180 ml. Children should be given doses of 30 to 60 ml.

Prevention

• There are several ways to help prevent ingesting tapeworms. It is important to wash your hands with a disinfectant or soap after using the toilet, handling food or eating. Proper disposal of human and animal feces is needed to eliminate the exposure of tapeworm to livestock. To kill tapeworm and larvae, meat should be cooked at a temperature of 125 degrees Fahrenheit. When freezing meats, it should be frozen for 12 hours and fish for 24 hours. Raw or undercooked beef, pork or fish should also be avoided.

Symptoms

• Often there are no symptoms associated with tapeworm. Symptoms that may occur with intestinal infection may include weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, weight loss, loss of appetite, diarrhea and inadequate absorption of nutrients. Organ and tissue damage can occur when the tapeworm has traveled out of the intestines and formed cysts on other tissues. This is considered an invasive infection and symptoms may include seizures, fevers, allergic reaction to larvae, cystic lumps and bacterial infections.