Almost anywhere that you go this summer, wherever you may travel outdoors, there’s most likely going to be those tiny annoying insects and pests which will choose to attack your body with bites, leaving you their signature.
The reason being that you either pose as a threat to them, or that you’re a food source for their survival. A selection of insect bites will then become noticeable with a prominent red bump, which can become irritating and itchy. The first temptation is you want to scratch it, but that’s not advised.
Scratching is the first response but only offers temporary relief, while doing so just exacerbates the itch further, making it bleed and possibly become infected.
Know Your Different Insect Bites
If you discover that you or your family has an insect bite of some sort, whether from a tick, flea, or mosquito, what they’re doing is feeding off you. The result being a nasty itchy bump left behind. A mosquito, for instance, leaves a sample of its saliva.
When it comes to stings, the most common are from bees, wasps, and red ants. What happens is their sting breaks and then penetrates the skin, injecting their poison into you.
Once bitten, the tendency is to panic from the immediate shot of pain, while attempting to brush, slap, or swat it away. What this can do however, is inject more of their venom into you.
What’s found to be the best solution is sliding your fingernail directly underneath the sac and then scrape away the sting. You could also use a straight edge such as a butter knife or a credit card.
A bee or wasp sting can potentially cause an allergic reaction which at times could become fatal, especially if it’s not treated immediately and properly. Strict medical attention is required.
The symptoms of any type of allergic reaction, which is known as anaphylaxis, are: swelling in the mouth or throat, hives, labored breathing, and an increased heart rate.
If you happen to get multiple bites and stings, and don’t have any allergic reactions, know that you may not be completely out of danger.
Natural Solutions For Treating Stings
• For bee stings, mix a teaspoon of bicarbonate soda into a glass of water, and wait until dissolved. Use a cotton pad and apply the solution wetting the affected area. Then secure it directly on the sting area using tape
• For wasp stings, dip a cotton pad into vinegar, wet the affected area first, and then tape it on the sting
• If you have papaya fruit, cut and place a fresh slice directly on the sting area. What papaya contains are enzymes which can bring the inflammation and swelling down
• Rubbing either a fresh onion or garlic slice directly on the sting are also known to reduce the swelling and itch
• It’s found that applying sugar on the area can reduce swelling
• Another solution is you can crush an aspirin, mix it with water to make a paste, then apply it directly on the sting area to reduce swelling
NOTE: If you have an allergy to aspirin or need to treat children, avoid using this solution
Taking A Walk Outdoors And Picking Up Bites
If you enjoy taking walks through parks, wooded areas, forests, or meadows, know that ticks can easily attach on your skin. They’re known as “little vampires” since they’ll feed off your blood.
They can also infect you with Lyme disease, which is a bacteria that’s clinically known as “Borrelia burgdorferi,” which needs treatment by a doctor.
If you do happen to find a tick on your body, use a pair of tweezers and place them as close to the skin as possible, then gently pull it out until it’s free.
Make sure that you don’t break off it’s head, or it will remain latched onto your skin, which can cause infection. Once the tick becomes free, apply an antiseptic on the affected area.
Those Pesky Mosquito’s
There’s nothing more common and annoying than mosquito’s buzzing around your head at night. Once bitten, there are solutions to tame those itchy bites. The following solutions also applies to flea bites, along with other insects as well.
• First, although tempting, never scratch the affected area
• Begin by applying an ice cube directly on the bite, which reduces the itching
• These bites can usually be treated by using essential oils. Use a few drops of eucalyptus, clove, or peppermint oil, or what ever oil you may have available. Use a cotton swab to apply
• Applying underarm deodorant is known to work, so you can give that a try
• If you have toothpaste handy, and if it happens to contain peppermint, then smear a dab directly on the bite to relieve the itch
How To Prevent Insect Bites And Stings
What’s proven to be effective, provided that you can stomach the taste is eating a couple cloves of garlic on a daily basis. This especially if you enjoy the great outdoors and are constantly out there. It may be too extreme for some, but is known to work.
What doing so does is that your sweat glands releases the smell, the natural properties of the garlic, which repels and turns away most attacking insects.
There are also a variety of insect repellents which are available from the store, some with completely natural ingredients. For instance, some contain insecticidal properties which are found in chrysanthemums.
Since these solutions are usually chemical free, you can spray them directly on your skin and clothes before going out.
Speaking of clothing, it’s found that neutral colors which are not bright and loud, tends to keep the insects away. So avoid the striking reds, neon yellows, and bright oranges.