Insect bites
Often, a large blister swells at the site of an insect bite, which does not go away for several days. What should be the help if someone “clawed”? And is there any reliable protection against insect bites?

Along with the heat, mosquitoes, midges, horseflies appear on the street … Parents with small children need to be extremely careful when walking in nature. In children, insect bites can fester, because the child does not control himself, and can comb the wound with dirty fingers. Don’t forget about allergies!

So, who can bite us: what are the security measures and what to do if they still “bite”.

How to recognize who bit you?

Not all insects bite us, but many do. Sometimes you don’t understand who exactly bitten. And this can be important and fundamental! Let’s figure it out.

Midge

Where and when. Favorite places are near fast rivers, where their larvae develop. They bite, as a rule, on hot sunny days.

Taste. We often do not feel the moment of the bite itself – the midge simultaneously injects saliva – “freeze”.

How is it manifested? After a few minutes, there is a burning sensation, severe itching and a large red swelling (sometimes the size of a palm).

What is dangerous? The saliva of midges is poisonous. The swelling subsides after a few days, but the unbearable itching can bother you for several weeks. Children usually scratch the bite sites for blood, before the sores appear. Multiple bites sometimes lead to fever and signs of general poisoning. Those who are allergic to insect bites should be especially careful.

What to do? Wipe the skin with ammonia, and then apply ice. You can take an antihistamine.

Mosquito bite protection. Treat the skin with repellent.

Mosquito

Where and when? Mosquitoes are especially numerous near ponds with stagnant water. They atrocity around the clock from the end of May to September, especially at night and before the rain.

Taste. You may or may not feel it.

How is it manifested? White itchy blister with redness around.

What is dangerous? In general, a mosquito is far from a harmless creature. There are mosquitoes, carriers of malaria and some viral infections. Plus, bites are allergic.

What to do? Itching is removed by a lotion from a soda solution.

Mosquito bite protection. Treat all open areas of the body with a repellant, which is better to buy at a pharmacy. For children, special products are sold: be sure to look at the age restrictions!

Wasp or bee

Where and when. All summer during daylight hours in glades, meadows, in the garden.

Bite. Sharp pain and burning, the left sting (black) is visible in the wound. Insect venom causes severe swelling in the bite area. The sore spot turns red and becomes hot

What is dangerous? An allergic reaction, especially if bitten to the head, can be life threatening! If a small child is bitten, in any case, it must be shown to the doctor, an ambulance should be called.

What to do? Remove the sting with tweezers, rinse the wound with alcohol. Take an antihistamine, apply ice in a towel to the bite.

What attracts them? Everything sweet, bouquets of flowers, perfumes with a floral scent, clothes of “neon” colors.

Insect bite protection. Do not leave sweets, fruits on the table, wipe your mouth after eating with a damp cloth, do not walk barefoot through clover glades.

Mite

Taste. Insensitive, the tick anesthetizes the wound with saliva and sticks to the skin.

How is it manifested? Redness appears around the bite, the wound does not itch.

What is dangerous? Ticks carry deadly diseases – borreliosis or Lyme disease and encephalitis.

What to do? It is best to immediately contact the nearest emergency room – they will remove the tick and tell you the procedure. If this is not possible, you can try to carefully remove the tick with tweezers (so that the head does not remain in the skin). Treat the wound with alcohol. And – still running to the doctor! Together with the tick (in a jar), it will also need to be passed to the doctors for analysis. If your area is endemic for encephalitis (that is, there have been cases of detection of this disease in ticks), then an injection of immunoglobulin is necessary. Prevention of infection with borreliosis – taking antibiotics, strictly according to the doctor’s prescription.

Security measures. Tightly close the body: a stand-up collar, cuffs on trousers and sleeves will protect the body, a cap or scarf – the head. Examine the skin after each foray into the forest. Treat clothes (not skin!) with special tick repellents – again, attention to age restrictions.

It’s important! Before the start of the season, vaccinate against tick-borne encephalitis – this is the most reliable protection against a dangerous infection.

Ant

Where and when. From spring to autumn in forests and parks.

Bite. The ant does not bite, but shoots with a stream of poisonous formic acid. The victim feels a burning pain, the affected area turns red, a tiny blister may appear – a trace of a burn. Possible dermatitis, allergic reactions.

What is dangerous? Nothing – if you were “bitten” by one ant. If it’s too much, it’s best to see a doctor.

What to do? Neutralize the acid with a solution of soda, if it is not at hand, simply moisten with saliva. Ice can be applied at home.

Insect bite protection. Keep children away from anthills, repellents do not work on ants.

  • Ice can be applied to the bite site. It acts as a “local anesthetic”, relieves swelling.
  • If there is no wound, smear the bite with iodine and brilliant green.
  • You can attach a cotton pad moistened with tincture of calendula to the wound. The tincture acts as an antiseptic and can relieve inflammation.
  • If a midge has bitten or the victim has a tendency to allergies, you can take an antihistamine inside: a pill, drops, syrup.
  • Remedies for itching in the form of a cream or gel.
  • Tea tree oil is considered a good remedy for mosquito and midge bites. It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral properties, fights swelling and itching.

When is it necessary to see a doctor?

  • If a wasp, bee or bumblebee has bitten a small child, in any case, he must be shown to the doctor, call an ambulance.
  • If a person has a severe allergic reaction to an insect bite, it is necessary to call an ambulance.
  • If there are more than 10 bites on the body.
  • If after the bite the lymph nodes have increased.
  • If bitten by a tick, contact by grabbing the tick itself. It must be taken to the laboratory and checked for infections.
  • If, after being bitten, an adult or a child has a sharp rise in temperature, severe poor health, nausea, vomiting.
  • If a tumor has arisen at the site of the bite and does not subside.
  • If pus appears at the site of the bite.

Popular questions and answers

We discussed with pediatrician Ekaterina Morozova danger of insect bites, reasons to see a doctor and possible complications.

Which doctor should I contact for an insect bite?
The tactics of action depend on the type of insect that inflicted the bite. As a rule, with the bite of stinging insects (bee, wasp, bumblebee, hornet), with the development of anaphylactic shock, you must immediately call an ambulance. If there are no allergic reactions, then treatment can be carried out under the supervision of a therapist or pediatrician, while giving the person first aid: pull out the sting, apply cold to the damaged area and then, removing the cold compress, apply antihistamine ointment.

If the swelling is large, it will not be superfluous to take an antihistamine inside, according to the instructions.

A tick bite requires a visit to a traumatologist, if, according to the results of a tick study, the laboratory detects an infection, for example, borreliosis, the patient is sent for treatment to a neurologist or infectious disease specialist.

The infectious disease specialist will treat the patient when bitten by cross spiders. This patient specialist should be contacted for tropical insect bites (sand fleas, mosquitoes, tropical mosquitoes) received as a result of trips to Thailand, Sri Lanka, Africa, Vietnam and other hot countries.

Mosquito bites are most often self-limiting with zinc-based antipruritic ointments.

Are any diseases transmitted through insect bites?
Unfortunately yes. Tick ​​bites transmit Lyme disease and encephalitis. Steppe mosquitoes, which, as a rule, live in Asian countries, the former Soviet republics, carry tularemia, a dangerous infectious disease. Tropical insects, including sand fleas, through a bite, can lay eggs in the upper layer of human skin, the larvae of which then form passages in human skin. A tropical mosquito bite can cause dengue fever.
How to avoid insect bites?
Repellents and suitable clothes and shoes will help protect yourself and loved ones from dangerous insects.

If a person plans to travel to a tropical country, it is necessary to buy a repellent in advance, and on the territory of an exotic country to move in closed clothes and closed shoes with rubber soles, even along a sandy beach.

If a person plans to go out into nature, especially from mid-spring to June (the peak of tick activity), it is necessary to have high shoes, a hat or scarf that cover as much of the head as possible, clothes that almost completely cover the body. After returning from the forest, all clothes will need to be shaken out and checked for intruders. As a rule, first of all, ticks are picked up on animals and children who have a shorter stature. In any case, during any trip to nature, a person must use repellents.

How to anoint insect vinegar?
When bitten by a mosquito, the wound must be lubricated with zinc-based antipruritic ointment. If such an ointment was not at hand, then a gruel of soda can temporarily soothe the itching. But still, soda, parsley or tea tree oil as antipruritic and anti-inflammatory agents seem to be a controversial solution in stopping insect bites.

With bee vinegar, the gold standard of care is to remove the stinger, cool the wound, and apply an antihistamine ointment.

It is important to understand that any insect is dangerous for allergy sufferers. Such people need to constantly have antihistamines with them in order to help themselves cope with the unpredictable reactions of the body to an insect bite in time.

When a tick bites, the insect must be carefully removed from the surface of the skin and must be sent for examination in order to start the necessary therapy in time, if necessary.

Leave a Reply