Precautions On Mosquito Bites
Pregnant women, women who are breast-feeding or women who are trying to get pregnant should not travel to any location where Zika virus may exist. You can find information here. Its also important to know that the Zika virus can be spread by a male sexual partner.
Final Thoughts on Home Remedies for Mosquito Bites
- There are more than 3,000 types of mosquitos in the world, with nearly 200 of them living in the U.S.
- Mosquitoes carry parasites and some pathogens, such as malaria, filariasis, and viruses better know as the West Nile and Zika.
- Five of my favorite home remedies for mosquito bites include witch hazel, white tea and chamomile tea bags, essential oils, neem oil, and colloidal oatmeal bath.
- Other treatments to relieve itching that comes along with mosquito and other bug bites include activated charcoal, raw honey, aloe vera, baking soda, basil and garlic.
- To help avoid mosquito bites, keep areas around your home free of standing water, avoid going outside after sunset or at least cover up if you do, prepare while traveling for potential mosquito areas, and eat a healthy diet.
How To Identify Bed Bug Bites
If you notice that red marks have developed on your skin and they become itchy and swollen, its important to know if the red lumps are from a bed bug or another parasite.
Doctors from the Mayo Clinic say that the symptoms of bed bug bites are a red mark or lump with a darker spot in the middle, itching around the infected area, and bite marks that are in a line or cluster. If you notice these kinds of bite marks on your skin, then you should check your sleeping area for signs of bed bugs.4
To help identify if the bite marks have been left by bed bugs, you should now check all joints and crevices on your bed frame, box springs, furniture, and mattress seams for tell-tale signs of a bed bug infestation.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that physical signs of bed bugs are dark spots on bed linen that can be blood spots or bed bug feces, pale yellow shed skins, and tiny bed bug eggs. You may even notice the tiny biting pests crawling around corners of mattresses and bed frames. You can spot them because they are about the size of an apple seed and will generally hide in dark places.5
If you find evidence of bed bugs living in your home, then its time to take action to remove the critters completely. For this, you may need to use a combination of the best bed bug powders along with effective bed bug sprays.
If you cant find signs of a bed bug infestation, then your bite marks could have been caused by a flea.
Which Mosquito Bite Treatments Should You Skip
Despite old wives’ tales or other beneficial properties, the healthcare providers we spoke with say these remedies aren’t worth your time when it comes to easing itchy mosquito bites:
While some home remedies for mosquito bites such as honey, oatmeal, and aloe vera could help dial down inflamed skin, they’re not nearly as effective in the anti-itch department compared to other mosquito bite treatments, Susan Bard, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, told Health. Others like garlic and baking soda could also cause effects you definitely don’t want like skin irritation, dryness, and burns, Dr. Bard noted.
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Insect Bites Won’t Heal: Why And What To Do
Whether you’re on a mountain trail, in the water or in your backyard, you just cannot always protect yourself from an insect bite. You shouldn’t be complaining about it after all, you’re entering their territory and they have to defend themselves. It’s common to get insect bites, but it is not very common to have an insect bite that won’t heal. It could be a sting of a yellow jacket or a wasp, but you may notice that it isn’t healing well. Keep reading to learn more about why you have a bug bite that won’t heal.
How Do You Clean Mosquito Bites
No matter how you treat them, its a good idea to keep your bites clean. Dr. Goldenberg recommends gently washing them with soap and water. You can dab a little moisturizer on afterward to help protect your skin barrier, Dr. Rodney says.
And, of course, dont scratch. Not only does it prolong the inflammation, but you can break your skin, Dr. Rodney says. This then makes your skin more likely to get infected, and also results in discoloration and scarring. These scars can take months or longer to heal, and some may never completely resolve. So, she says, moisturize it and leave it alone. Seriously.
The bottom line: The best way to heal mosquito bites fast is to avoid scratching them. You can use hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion, and other home remedies to help reduce itching while your bites heal.
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Surefire Ways To Stop Scratching
There are so many things to look forward to in the summerwarm weather, long days, backyard BBQs, and lots of sunshinebut one of the less desirable features that comes along with warm nights on the patio is bug bites. These pesky, itchy, sometimes sore skin markings can vary depending on what bit you, but theyre all awful in their own way. While youll want to do your best to ward off these pests with mosquito repellentsand bug zappers, bites can still happen despite your best efforts. But you dont have to just grin and bear it as you scratch your skin raw. In fact, you can easily stop the itch with some smart home remedies for bug bites.
The basic premise is that when an insect bites, it releases its saliva into the epidermis, causing the skin to have an inflammatory response with localized itchiness from the release of histamine and other biologic chemicals, explains Monisha Bhanote, MD, a triple-board-certified physician who specializes in integrative medicine. Unless youre experiencing an allergic reaction, the best after-the-fact fixes will counteract that reaction, soothing skin, reducing inflammation, and even preventing infection.
Madeleine_Steinbach/Getty Images
Natural And Home Remedies For Bug Bites Or Stings
Natural or home remedies that may work include tea tree oil,lavender oil, o,oatmeal, fresh-cut onion, or toothpaste applied topically to the bite also have been reported to reduce symptoms of bites and stings. However, most of my colleagues and friends in the medical field and I have had no personal experience with these home remedies.
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Things You Can Do To Avoid Mosquito Bites
Through studies, we know that mosquitoes carry parasites and some pathogens, such as malaria, filariasis, and viruses better know as the West Nile and Zika. Today, we still dont have a dependable treatment for these possible severe cases therefore, avoiding mosquito bites altogether is the best approach.
Some areas are hit way harder than others, such as Ethiopia, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania, and studies have shown that native inhabitants of the African study regions traditionally use 64 plant species, belonging to 30 families to help prevent mosquito bites. Citrus, eucalyptus, lantana camara and lippia javanica are the most common plants used in those areas.
People use these in three different ways: One is by burning the plants and allowing the smoke to become the repellents likely where our idea of citronella torches and candles came from. Another is hanging plants inside the homes or tossing leaves throughout the home. Lastly, essential oils are applied directly to the body. While more studies need to be conducted, we have learned a lot from the African continent.
While the home remedies for mosquito bites above are great to treat those itchy annoyances, here are some ways to avoid getting bitten in the first place.
1. Keep Areas Around Your Home Free of Standing Water
2. Avoid Going Outside After Sunset But If You Do, Cover Up
3. Prepare to Prevent Mosquito Bites While Traveling
4. Eat a Healthy Diet
Relieving The Symptoms Of An Insect Bite Or Sting
If you have troublesome symptoms after an insect bite or sting, the following treatments may help:
- For pain or discomfort take over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen .
- For itching ask your pharmacist about suitable treatments, including crotamiton cream or lotion, hydrocortisone cream or ointment and antihistamine tablets.
- For swelling try regularly applying a cold compress or ice pack to the affected area, or ask your pharmacist about treatments such as antihistamine tablets.
See your GP if these treatments don’t help. They may prescribe stronger medicines such as steroid tablets.
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How To Prevent Bug Bites
- Wash your feet every time you go to bed as smelly feet attract insects and mosquitoes.
- Cover your exposed skin by applying mosquito repellent.
- Do not scratch the affected area.
- Avoid wearing strong perfumes.
- Wear longer boots while camping.
- Keep your drink and food covered.
- Try not to disturb the bee hive or any bug.
- Wear light-colored clothes to identify bugs on your clothes.
- Check your pets.
- Wear full sleeve clothes.
- Add garlic to your meal as its odor will keep the bugs away.
- Cover the bite with a tape or band-aid while going to bed otherwise, it will pain more when comes in contact with the blanket.
How To Get Rid Of Flea Bites Quickly And Naturally
Jenny Hills, Nutritionist and Medical Writer Health
If youve ever had a flea bite, you know that these small red bumps on your skin can be very itchy and you need to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Flea bites on humans cause an intense itch that makes you scratch your skin, which then seems to make the severe itchiness of the bite even worse. Although fleas dont live on humans, they can jump onto you and bite you when dogs, cats or other pets bring them into the home.
Fleas can cause a lot of discomfort for your pets as well. Flea bites on dogs and cats cause them to scratch a lot. In fact, if you have noticed your pets scratching, it could be one of the first signs that they have fleas.
Fleas tend to bite humans around the ankles and wrists as these areas are usually in more contact with pets. However, you may also get flea bites on other warm, soft areas of your body like your waist, armpits, and the backs of your elbows and knees. Flea bites look like small red spots which can be in clusters of 3-4 bites. Your bodys immune reaction to the flea bite causes your skin to swell and become red and itchy.
Lets look at the many natural home remedies for flea bites. These remedies will give you quick relief from the discomfort and irritation that flea bites cause.
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Final Thoughts On Bug Bites
The good news is that for the most part, but bites are something that are no more than a temporary nuisance that go away within a couple of days of getting them. In most cases, bug bites will only really bother you the first couple of days you get them, but then they quickly start to heal.
The next time you get a bug bite, be sure to try out some of these helpful remedies. We are sure that you will find relief in no time.
I Tested 9 Natural Remedies For Mosquito Bites Heres What Works
Mosquitoes love me. I do my best to repel mosquitoes, but no matter what I do, they seem to have a taste for my blood. After a morning weeding in the garden or a lovely evening dining al fresco on my porch, I find myself rummaging through my pantry and medicine cabinet for natural remedies for mosquito bites soon after.
Mosquito bites itch and swell as your immune system responds to the introduction of mosquito saliva a foreign substance to your delicate bodily ecosystem. Your cells release histamine, a compound that signals to infection-fighting white blood cells that there is work to do. The blood flow causes redness and swelling around the bite and triggers the nerves in the area to itch.
The world wide web is filled with natural remedies for mosquito bites that purport to soothe itching and swelling. Some even boast antibacterial properties that help your bites heal. Desperate for relief, I tested 9 natural remedies for mosquito bites. Heres what I thought.
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Bug Bite And Sting Symptoms To Watch For
Some of the most common bites and stings in the United States come from mosquitos, flies, fleas, chiggers, ticks, spiders, lice, and bed bugs. Luckily, most are harmless if not a little pesky and heal quickly. But as with most things, reactions to bug bites and stings vary for each individual, and also for each bug, so monitoring the symptoms of bug bites and stings is important to provide clues to the cause and severity.
The most common symptoms for bites and stings are:
Mild Bites or Stings:
How To Use It
Simply apply a small amount on the affected areas, Dr. Mokaya says.
In addition to being a great insect bite swelling treatment, “the stickiness will reduce your temptation to scratch, because doing so will be messy,” Dr. Mokaya says. And that’s a good thing, because scratching can lead to infection.
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A Little About The Mosquito
Lets gain a little understanding about mosquitoes. Mosquitoes require water to live. They dont develop and go through their life cycles in grass or shrubbery however, the adults often rest in these areas during the day. Its the female that bites us, being attracted to humans, mammals and birds, and she only lives about three weeks during the summer. She may live a few months during the winter as well so she can lay her eggs in the spring. The male is a bit kinder to us in the sense that he is only interested in plant juices.
Mosquitos typically hang out in tall grasses and weeds near buildings and other structures because they love stagnant, standing water thats often found in things like buckets, birdbaths, rain gutters, septic seepage and other materials that hold water. So keeping anything that can hold water clean and clear of rainwater and the like can make a big difference.
How Can I Get Rid Of A Mosquito Bite Fast What Are The Best Remedies
While not scratching your mosquito bites is clutch, there are a few different home remedies you can use for relief to make that easier. The goal of treating bug bites is to maintain a healthy skin barrier and to reduce inflammation, Dr. Zeichner says. Try these options:
- Ice. The cold stuff can help decrease inflammation and swelling, Dr. Goldenberg says. Just a heads up, though, per Dr. Rodney: Ice can help with the initial itch sensation but would not make the bite clear up quicker.
- Hydrocortisone cream. This is like a fire extinguisher that puts out inflammation in the skin, Dr. Zeichner says, noting that it can help reduce redness, itch, and swelling.
- Baking soda. This can help dry out the bite and tamp down on inflammation, Dr. Goldenberg says. To use it, mix baking soda with a few drops of water to make a paste. Then, dab it on your bite.
- Oatmeal. Oatmeal has soothing properties, which can help with reducing swelling and inflammation, Dr. Rodney says. Pro tip: Finely chop your oatmeal before cooking it to make it easier to spread.
- Toothpaste. This solution is simplejust dab a little toothpaste on your bite and youre good to go. The menthol and other cooling properties of toothpaste make it effective for redness and irritation, Dr. Rodney says.
- Calamine lotion. This lotion is beloved for helping with itchiness. It decreases itching by decreasing inflammation, Dr. Goldenberg says.
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Dealing With Caterpillar Hairs
If a caterpillar of the oak processionary moth gets on your skin:
- Use tweezers or a pen to remove it.
- Try not to disturb it as it will then release more hairs.
- Rinse your skin with running water, allow it to air dry and then use sticky tape to strip off any leftover hairs.
- Use calamine, ice packs or a pharmacy remedy containing 3.5% ammonia to relieve the itch.
- Remove all contaminated clothes and wash at as a high a temperature as the fabric allows.
Do not towel yourself dry after rinsing or use creams containing antihistamine.
Healing Bug Bites With Homeopathic Remedies
Letâs see how to treat red bug bites.
1. Apis mellifica: When bug bites are followed by pain and swelling, Apis mellifica provides instant relief.
2. Ledum palustre: If a bug bite left the swelling, which extends from the infected area to some distance, this remedy can help you out. This medicine also cures swelling, itching, and pain.
3. Cantharis: If the bitten area has developed blisters and redness along with pain, this remedy can be consumed for instant relief.
4. Hypericum: Hypericum provides a soothing sensation in cases of inflammation and itching, caused due to bug bites or insects stings.
Other remedies can also be consumed for bug bites to treat infections, like Carbolicum acidum, Urtica urens, Aconitum napellus, Ledum, Staphysagria, Formica rufa, Lachesis, Belladonna, and Carbolic acid.
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Preventing Infection Of Bites
Tip: If you’re having a hard time resisting the urge to scratch, try slapping the area instead of scratching. If you cause a slight pain sensation, the itching will briefly go away.
