How to get rid of itching after an insect bite at home

Dangerous insects

The main danger for people who live in mid-latitudes comes from the bites of insects such as bees, wasps and bumblebees. They usually bite not to provide themselves with food, but for defense purposes. In this case, a poison containing active proteins and substances - strong allergens - enters the human body. Redness and swelling appear in the area of the bite. Different insects attack humans in different ways.

How to relieve itching from insect bites? This will be written about later, but for now it is necessary to list their most dangerous types. According to existing statistics, 4 times more people die from bee and wasp bites than from snake bites.

A person, in addition to receiving negative sensations, is at risk of being infected with an infection:

malarial mosquitoes can cause malaria;
lice - relapsing fever and rickettsiosis;
fleas - bubonic plague;
ticks - Lyme disease;
spiders (black widow) - serious complications, sometimes even fatal.

If bitten by these insects, a person should seek medical help to avoid developing serious illnesses.

What symptoms accompany insect bites?

How to relieve itching and redness from insect bites? This will be discussed further, but now we will tell you what symptoms arise in this case. Most bites are accompanied by:

edema and swelling;
pain;
itching and skin irritation.

Despite the unpleasant sensations, you should not scratch the skin at the site of the bite due to possible infection. Sometimes, in addition to the local reaction, a general reaction occurs - a rash all over the body, loss of consciousness and breathing difficulties. Sometimes death is possible.

An allergic reaction can be divided into moderate and acute. In the first case, no special measures should be taken. The following symptoms occur: pain, itching, swelling, heat in the area of the bite.

In case of an acute reaction of the body, urgent medical attention is necessary because:

increased heart rate;
dizziness;
skin rash;
breathing problems;
lowering blood pressure.

This reaction to an insect bite is rare, but can be life-threatening. Sometimes 10 minutes are enough for anaphylactic shock to occur, followed by loss of consciousness and death.

Consequences of insect bites

Poisonous insects can cause serious health consequences. Non-poisonous - often do not pose a danger to humans, only in some cases they cause an allergic reaction. This is due to the peculiarities of the immune system of the bitten person and his tendency to rashes. If the affected person is allergic, then even a simple mosquito will cause a rash, swelling, and fever.

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When a person has developed immunity, and the insect that bit him was non-poisonous, only a local allergy is often observed. It manifests itself in the form of redness, swelling, swelling. Such symptoms are often provoked by ticks, hornets, bedbugs, midges, wasps, and bees. After the bites of these insects, the lymph nodes may become enlarged and inflamed. In addition, depending on what insect bit the person, there may be the following manifestations:

Itching and swelling can be observed for several weeks if a person is bitten by a midge. This insect is dangerous because it causes a strong burning sensation on the skin. In addition, a huge number of midge bites often leads to intoxication of the body, increased temperature, tachycardia (increased heart rate), and decreased blood pressure (blood pressure).
Ticks can lead to negative consequences for the body, including disability or death. Often, when bitten by this insect, people are susceptible to encephalopathy, a disease that can cause a negative disorder of the central nervous system (CNS).
Hornets, wasps, and bees cause a severe allergic reaction. It manifests itself as pain, swelling, and a red rash in the form of papules, blisters, or spots. In addition, the hornet can inject poison during contact, which leads to skin burns. The result of such exposure is often suffocation, shortness of breath or anaphylactic shock.
Many people practically do not feel mosquito bites, while others, on the contrary, suffer greatly from this insect. As a rule, this manifests itself in the form of severe itching, the appearance of profuse convex rashes on the surface of the skin, attacks of suffocation, and fever.

An alarming signal, especially in a child, may be the following manifestations:

unbearable pain;
dizziness;
severe itching;
low pressure;
elevated temperature;
great swelling;
severe headaches;
hyperemia (overflow of blood vessels of the circulatory system);
labored breathing,
swelling of the larynx, face.

If, after contact with an insect, a person experiences the listed symptoms, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor. First aid, provided on time, plays an important role for a positive result in treatment. However, all symptoms may not appear at the same time. The victim, as a rule, suffers from one or two ailments. They can occur immediately after a bite or have an extended nature.

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Bee, wasp and hornet stings

Insects such as bees, wasps and hornets usually bite in self-defense. The peculiarity of wasps and hornets is that they can sting several times. Together with the sting that gets into the skin, toxic substances enter the body. Therefore, it must be immediately removed from the wound.

The bite site turns red, swells, pain appears, and sometimes the body temperature rises. These symptoms include fever and lethargy. Typically, this condition occurs in a person after several bites.

How to relieve itching after an insect bite? If your hand is injured, you must remove all jewelry and remove the sting. Be sure to squeeze out the liquid from the wound. To remove the sting, you need to scrape it with a hard object, but do not try to pull it.

If a person is not allergic to the bites of such insects, it will be enough for him to drink an antihistamine and treat the wound with ammonia or ethyl alcohol. A glass of warm tea would also be useful.

Antihistamines

Insect bites pose the greatest danger to people prone to allergies. For them, even an encounter with an ordinary mosquito can result in anaphylactic shock, not to mention the more dangerous representatives of the buzzing class (bees, wasps, bumblebees). For such people, it is best to deal with itching and other unpleasant symptoms with antihistamines, which will act almost instantly and slow down the reaction.

Medicines of this type are considered the most effective. They are available in various forms (drops, ointments, creams, tablets, injections and droppers). Which one to choose depends on the situation, as well as the age of the victim:

Drops are usually recommended for young children. Zyrtec and Fenistil are very effective. The itching after an insect bite quickly passes, and along with it swelling, redness, and other symptoms. These medications are praised for the fact that, unlike many others, they do not cause severe drowsiness.
For teenagers and adults, the best option is ointments and tablets. The most popular are “Tavegil” and “Suprastin”. But you should remember that after taking them you feel very sleepy and feel weak. Claritin, as well as its analogue Loratadine, behave much better in this regard. If you are bitten by a bee, wasp or mosquito, you need to drink syrup or tablet or use ointment. The burning sensation, redness, and swelling will go away as if by hand.
If the risk of anaphylactic shock is high, it is best to administer an antihistamine intravenously. This is because the medicine must enter the blood as quickly as possible. The procedure is carried out using droppers in a hospital setting.

What to do if you are bitten by mosquitoes?

After insect bites, not only itching appears. There is a danger of contracting malaria from them. More than 2 thousand species of mosquitoes are known, but only a few of them are carriers of this disease.

Females suck blood when it is time to lay eggs. After all, a hungry female can lay 50 eggs, and a well-fed female can lay 300.

How to relieve itching from insect bites at home? The consequences of bites can be reduced by:

Lubricate the bite site with a soda solution;
treat the wound with boric acid or calendula tincture in alcohol;
if you have multiple bites, take an antihistamine;
anoint the affected area with Fenistil.

Folk remedies include:

treating the wound with sour cream;
lubricating the bite site with “Star” balm.

What are the best remedies to relieve itching after insect bites? Local gels and ointments, such as Psilo-Balm, Deta or La-Cri cream, have worked well. The necessary medications should be present in the travel first aid kit if you are planning a walk in the forest or to the lake.

What to do if bitten by a spider?

There are spiders in nature whose bite is fatal to humans. If such an incident occurs, the victim must be urgently taken to a medical facility.

Not every insect poses a threat to humans; the most dangerous are karakurts, tarantulas and brown recluse spiders.

If you are bitten by one of these insects, you must:

wash the wound with water and laundry soap;
put a splint on the limb so that the poison does not spread quickly throughout the body;
tie a leg or arm with a tourniquet above the wound;
apply a cold compress to the bite area;
drink plenty of fluids to rid the body of poison.

You need to go to the hospital urgently:

if the victim is a child;
if after the bite the condition worsens sharply.

It is necessary to administer an antidote in case of an attack by a brown recluse or karakurt.

If you are bitten by spiders, you should not self-medicate to avoid negative consequences.

Bedbug bites

There are more than 50 thousand species of these insects in the world. Due to their widespread distribution, it is simply impossible to be in the same apartment with bedbugs. They feed on the blood of children or women who have thin skin. Sometimes bedbug bites are mistaken for allergies or mosquito bites.

How to relieve itching after an insect bite? When the parasite sucks blood, a person does not feel discomfort because the bug “numbs” the bite site. However, these creatures are very dangerous because they are carriers of diseases such as plague, anthrax and smallpox.

To rid an apartment of bedbugs, it must be disinfected. Sometimes the colonies do not die immediately, so re-treatment of the room is required.

How to drive away bloodsuckers?

Currently, there are many means of protection against mosquitoes, including folk remedies.

They are stopped by the smells of anise and cloves, the smell of tomato leaves and eucalyptus.
They cannot tolerate tobacco smoke or smoke from a fire to which spruce or pine cones have been added.
To prevent them from flying into the house, place branches of wormwood, tansy, yarrow, bird cherry near the front door, in general, whatever is at hand.
Put a bouquet of daisies on the table in the room, and it’s beautiful, and you can be sure that itchy insects won’t bother you for about a week.
Or put a cotton ball on the windowsill with a few drops of eucalyptus, lemon, mint or lavender oil.

Of course, mosquito bites can be treated at home without informing the doctor, but if the skin begins to swell severely and all this is accompanied by dizziness, nausea and difficulty breathing, you should urgently call a doctor. Such symptoms are typical for bites of malaria carriers and allergies. Take care of yourself!

Video

Tick bite

A tick usually bites a person while walking in the forest or in a meadow. After returning home, people should inspect their clothing for parasites.

How to relieve itching from insect bites? If you find a tick insertion site on your body, you must:

Using tweezers, trying not to pull, but to rotate counterclockwise, remove the insect;
after removal, inspect the wound and treat with alcohol;
take an antihistamine;
be sure to seek medical help.

When a tick is found on a human body, the parasite must be examined for carriage of encephalitis.

When children suffer

Children often suffer from insect bites. After all, they have thin skin and active blood circulation. A bee or wasp may sting a child if he or she steps on it.

A mosquito bite can cause severe swelling and redness in children, which is more pronounced than in an adult.

How to relieve itching from insect bites in children? If a child is bitten by a stinging insect, do the following:

remove the sting;
apply cold;
give an antihistamine;
lubricate the affected area with Fenistil.

If there are many bites, the child should be taken to a medical facility for assistance. If you feel itching on the skin, you need to reduce it with special means to avoid scratching and infection in the wound.

How to relieve itching from insect bites in a child at home? The main methods used for mosquito bites:

Mix baking soda and water in equal quantities and lubricate the wound;
treat the bite site with ammonia diluted with water;
treat the wound with mint paste.

If a child is bitten by a horse fly, the wound must be immediately washed with laundry soap. Itching can also be reduced with baking soda. The lotions are left on for a quarter of an hour and then replaced with fresh ones.

How to properly eliminate the consequences of bites

Treatment depends on symptoms. If there is slight swelling and pain, then it will be enough to apply ice or a cold lotion. You can treat the wound with laundry soap and try to refrain from scratching it.

How to relieve itching from insect bites? Antihistamines “Zirtek”, “Suprastin”, “Tavegil” are effectively used for therapy.

If bites are difficult for a person to tolerate, then an anti-anaphylactic package is used.

When the wound gets infected, a course of antibiotics is prescribed. In serious cases, droppers are used.

Ointments for insect bites

Ointments that relieve itching from insect bites are divided into hormonal and non-hormonal. The following can be distinguished:

“Psilo-balm” helps eliminate itching, redness and swelling of the skin. Has an analgesic and cooling effect.
"Vitaon" is a product containing plant components. The ointment can reduce itching, relieve inflammation and destroy germs.
Fenistil-gel helps relieve itching from insect bites.
"Sinaflan" is an ointment that can be used for bites, sunburn and dermatitis.

All of the ointments listed can significantly alleviate a person’s well-being from insect bites and eliminate the symptoms that arise.

Tools Overview

In modern pharmacies it is easy to find a remedy for insect bites. To determine the drug, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the main characteristics of the most well-known drugs. In addition to the listed drugs, you can use:

Dimexide;
Triderm;
heparin ointment;
zinc ointment;
Miramistin spray;
Sinaflan.

Vishnevsky's ointment is also suitable for treatment; for bites of various insects, it has an antiseptic, antisymptomatic and anti-inflammatory effect.

Please note! Consultation with a dermatologist should be mandatory if allergies to insect bites occur constantly.

Nezulin

Gel after insect bites Nezulin is made on the basis of herbal extracts and D-panthenol, with the addition of essential oils. Has antiallergic and reparative effects. Stops the development of infectious and inflammatory processes.

Effect: eliminates irritation, itching and hyperemia, cools, soothes, increases protective properties, accelerates regeneration.

Contraindication: intolerance to the substances in the composition. Available in a tube (30 ml). The average price for Nezulin is from 120 rubles.

Psilo balm

An effective balm - Psilo gel contains diphenhydramine (diphenhydramine). Eliminates swelling, compaction, itching, inflammation and redness.

Contraindicated: for children of the first year of life, pregnant and lactating women, if you are allergic to substances from the composition. Not compatible with alcohol. During the treatment period, it is necessary to exclude the treated area from direct sunlight. Psilo balm has an average cost of 200 rubles.

Fenistil gel

A fast-acting gel that contains dimetindene maleate. The active substance blocks the course of inflammation at the site of the bite, effectively prevents itching and has a pronounced analgesic effect.

Contraindications: pregnancy, breastfeeding, child's age less than 1 year. Fenistil gel costs about 400 rubles. There are other forms of release of the drug.

Star

The product not only eliminates the symptoms of poison penetration under the skin, but also eliminates toxic substances and helps accelerate cell recovery.

The composition of the Zvezdochka balm includes essential oils that help against insect bites: mint, menthol, eucalyptus, cinnamon, cloves. The balm contains liquid paraffin, camphor, menthol and petroleum jelly.

It is contraindicated to use Zvezdochka balm against insect bites if the victim has an intolerance to the substances in the composition. The price is about 100 rubles.

Elidel

A potent drug that effectively copes with symptoms. Experts advise using it only when a severe allergic reaction occurs. Use it according to the instructions for the treatment of atopic dermatitis or eczema. The main substance is pimecrolimus.

Contraindications: pregnancy, lactation, children less than 3 months of age, the presence of a fungal or bacterial infection on the skin. Elidel costs from 800 rubles.

Arnica

Ointment with a natural composition based on the plant extract of Arnica. The additional component is Vaseline. Main actions: soothing, antimicrobial, protective and anti-inflammatory. Prevents allergic reactions and the development of infectious processes.

Contraindications: lactation, pregnancy, children under 18 years of age. The price for one tube of Arnica ointment is from 160 rubles.

Menovazin

Medicine in the form of a solution that eliminates burning and itching. It has a complex effect due to the menthol content. Helps improve blood circulation and rapid regeneration. Additional components of Menovazin (benzocaine and procaine) have an analgesic and antiallergic effect.

Contraindicated: with intolerance to the composition and in childhood. The cost is about 50 rubles.

Tsindol

The drug differs from other products because it is a suspension from which the ointment is independently prepared. To prepare it, the suspension is diluted with water, then the liquid is drained, and the sediment is used in the form of an ointment.

The composition is dominated by zinc, which has an aseptic, anti-inflammatory and adsorbent effect. Its advantage is that the constituent substances are able to draw toxins (poison) from the wound.

Contraindications: sensitivity to the composition and its components. Price - from 100 rubles.

Panthenol

An analogue of Bepanten, eliminating signs of allergies and preventing the development of inflammation. Relieves dermatological irritation, itching, redness and swelling. The composition contains dexpanthenol. One tube of Panthenol cream costs about 100 rubles.

When do you need a doctor's help?

You already know how to relieve itching from insect bites yourself. What if the bite causes not only ordinary redness, but negative sensations? In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor. After all, repeated manifestations can lead to anaphylactic shock.

Most often, the body's reaction manifests itself in the form of hives. If no other symptoms are found, the doctor will simply prescribe antihistamines.

If the bite site is infected (hot tissue, a bright stripe appears on the skin), then the help of a specialist is simply necessary.

When a patient has previously had severe reactions to insect bites, they should be rushed to a medical facility.

An ambulance is called if the following symptoms are present:

hard breath;
dyspnea;
chest pain;
lack of coordination;
signs of infection.

After examining the patient, he is prescribed treatment aimed at reducing the severity of symptoms.

Allergic reaction to an insect bite

The occurrence of allergies is directly related to the human immune system. All people react differently to stimuli. Unfavorable environmental conditions, poor diet and bad habits increase the risk of developing an allergy to insect bites.

It usually appears after damage to the epidermis by wasps, bumblebees or bees. Moreover, repeated bites can cause death. Some people also experience allergies after exposure to mosquitoes, but they are less life-threatening.

Symptoms of local and systemic allergies

It is quite difficult to independently distinguish an allergic reaction from other diseases, so to establish a diagnosis you need to see a doctor.

The main symptom of local and systemic allergies is a skin rash. It is located not only near the bitten area, but also on more distant areas of the skin. Usually the rashes are small in size and have a reddish tint. An equally common symptom is swelling. It covers large areas of the body. A person may also develop anaphylactic shock. It is the most dangerous and requires immediate medical attention.

Treatment for local and systemic allergies: how to anoint a bite

Antihistamines are widely used to combat the symptoms of an allergic reaction. They can be taken both in tablet form and externally (balms, lotions, gels, etc.).

Oral medication is used for local manifestations of allergies caused by multiple bites. In this case, doctors prescribe antimicrobial and antihistamine drugs to patients. These include “Hydrocortisone”, “D-panthenol” and “Bepanthen”.

They help quickly eliminate unpleasant symptoms (relieve swelling and itching) and prevent the spread of the rash. The fastest-acting ointment for insect bites and itching is Fenistil. It is applied to the affected areas up to four times a day. Side effects are extremely rare.

You can also use folk remedies as an additional treatment method. The most effective treatment for itching after bites is baking soda or vinegar compresses. A teaspoon of the product is diluted in 100 ml of water. Then soak the bandage in the resulting solution. The compress must be applied to the affected areas for 15 minutes.

In case of anaphylactic shock with loss of consciousness, the patient is prescribed resuscitation therapy. He is undergoing artificial ventilation and cardiac massage. The person must be taken to the hospital as quickly as possible. There he will be given adrenaline, glucocorticoids and antihistamines.

You should not use traditional methods of treatment as a separate medicine. It is also advisable to give up bad habits and eat right during therapy. This will speed up the healing process.

Prevention

To avoid the negative consequences that arise from insect bites, you must follow simple rules:

Take into account their daily activity (mosquitoes are active in the dark).
Avoid apiaries.
When going outdoors, women should not wear perfumes with floral scents.
When walking, wear long sleeves and tuck your shirt into your trousers. This prevents insect bites.
There is no need to wave your arms when insects approach.
When in nature, you need to inspect yourself for the presence of ticks and other parasites.
When going to the forest, you should not wear bright clothes so as not to attract insects with your appearance.
Use repellents. They are applied not only to the skin, but also to the fabric. Even after washing, the product retains its properties.
Mosquito nets, which can even be used for cribs, can provide effective assistance.
Mosquitoes react to elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood, so to prevent bites you need to reduce its levels.

Why are insect bites dangerous?

A bite is a mechanical damage to the surface of the skin by the stinging or jaw apparatus of an insect. In addition to mechanical damage, a chemical burn may occur after a bite. An insect bite can be not only unpleasant, but also dangerous. This is due to three factors:

mechanical damage to the skin;
bacteria and protozoa in insect saliva;
risk of suppuration from scratching.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not only mosquitoes that are dangerous. Almost all insects are carriers of diseases. Therefore, it is very important to carefully monitor the condition after a bite so as not to miss any unusual symptoms.

As far as mechanical damage is concerned, even a small hole giving access to the bloodstream is an excellent entry point for any infection. Even a small hole is sufficiently permeable to bacteria and protozoa. Ultimately, itching is provoked by scratching, which opens these gates wider and increases the chances of a bacterial infection.

It is for this reason that it is necessary to use protective equipment and preventive measures: