Everyone knows meszka. They are nuisance, small insects that appear from April to the end of August. Their bite often causes headache, nausea, fever and joint pain. Allergy to blackfly venom is one of the most common allergies. The venom can cause swelling at the site of the bite, but sometimes it can even cause anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal.
How to check if we are allergic?An allergic reaction depends on the presence of antibodies in the body to the components of blackfly venom. IgE, i.e. antibodies involved in allergic reactions, are directed to fight various allergens. To check if you are allergic to blackfly venom, you need to perform special blood tests, i.e. blood tests. insect-specific IgE panel.
What symptoms?Non-allergic people after a nap bite have only skin symptoms at the site of the bite:
- ache
- reddening
- itchy skin
- swelling less than 10 cm
They can last for a day, but it is a natural reaction of the body to the venom found in the saliva of the nap. If the allergic reaction persists for more than 24 hours, the so-called allergic reaction may have occurred. secondary infection. This means that during the bite, the insect introduced bacteria into our body. If someone is allergic to blackfly venom, the reaction may occur from a few minutes to several hours after the bite. It may manifest as a major local reaction or a general reaction, i.e. nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, diarrhea.
How to heal?Allergy can be treated in two ways: treating the cause or the symptoms.
The first treatment – the causes is a long-term therapy, but the effects are also the most effective. In symptomatic treatment, we focus only on minimizing the body’s reaction to the allergen.Here are some proven home remedies to soothe allergic reactions:
- lime: best to buy in the form of effervescent tablets to dissolve. The calcium dissolved in water should be soaked in gauze and applied as compresses to the bite site. This will eliminate swelling and redness
- herb compresses: we need verbena, sage and thyme – they have strong anti-inflammatory and disinfecting properties. Dried herbs should be poured with boiling water, then soak gauze in the summer decoction and apply to the skin
- baking soda or vinegar compress: pour a tablespoon of vinegar into a glass of water, or dissolve a tablespoon of soda in 250 ml of cold water. Soak gauze and apply to the wound
- onion wrap: has an antibacterial effect and cleanses the skin of toxins. We can apply a slice of onion or grate it, wrap it in gauze and apply it to the wound
- sour milk: it will effectively remove itching
- lavender oil: disinfects, soothes pain and burning
- pineapple slice: eliminates swelling, accelerates wound healing and reduces the visibility of bruises
- vitamin E in capsules: rubbed into the skin accelerates wound healing and prevents scarring