subject: Insect Bites And How You Can Treat Them [print this page] I used to love going barefoot in the spring as a child. Then, unfortunately, I discovered bees. That made me a lot more careful about walking around barefoot let me tell you!
Stepping on that bee felt like stepping on a hot needle. My mom helped by making a paste of baking soda and water, and putting it on the sting. This helped with the burn but didn't fix the situation - I am allergic to bees. Of course. This sting meant a ten-day span of home care before it was all over.
First, I had to elevate the foot. It was swollen and sore and keeping it up helped. I also would soak it in warm water with Epsom salts dissolved in it. That was the best, especially when I felt the pins and needles feeling coming back. I am sure that both of these treatments helped a lot.
If you put the baking soda paste on the sting right away it can pull poison out. There are other ways to do that too. I'm not a fan of tobacco, but if you get a bee sting and put some damp tobacco on it, it can pull out some of the venom.
In addition to the baking soda, you can also try camphorated oil on a bite if you aren't allergic to it. I've heard of people using meat tenderizer also. My grandparents swore that tenderizer helped with the itch and the irritation.
Unfortunately none of those work for some of the worst insect bites out there. Chiggers are the worst things to be bitten by practically ever. The itching is so severe you may end up needing prednisone.
One home remedy that can work is to paint each bite with some nail polish. I've been so miserable from chigger bites that I've grabbed the first bottle I could reach, but frankly I recommend a bottle of clear nail polish if you want to try this trick.
You may be able to discourage chiggers from wanting to bite you in the first place if you plan your idet accordingly. If you eat marjoram, cayenne, and ginger, chiggers may be less interested in you because they find the smell of these spices disagreeable.
