It’s summer vacation time and of going out in the nature. Whether you’re in the mountains or the sea, in the woods or in the field, in your own backyard or even inside, chances are big tofeel the pinch of insects.
To us, frequently pinches are caused by bees, wasps, mosquitoes, fleas, spiders, ants, bedbugs. When it stings, it releases saliva on skin which, due to its content, cause allergic reactions ranging from mild swelling accompanied by pruritus, anaphylactic shock or death in people allergic.
Therefore, insect bites symptoms, in order of severity, are as following:
• Redness of the skin;
• itching;
• burning;
• pain;
• skin inflammation;
• irritation;
• allergic reactions;
• swelling of the face;
• abdominal pain;
• headache;
• difficulty breathing;
• chills;
• nausea;
• feeling dizzy;
• anaphylactic shock
Although it is said that there is no remedy to secure total protection against insects, there are some steps you can take as preventive role, in different type of insect.
For example, bees and wasps stings us because they feel threatened by our presence be either strong scents we wear. Knowing this, it is easy to avoid trouble: in their presence don’t make sudden movements, wear simple clothes color, no strong perfumes and excessive use.
It is known that unsanitary housing with high moisture and mold are a favorable environment for bugs, so ventilation and cleaning of the house can be the easiest solution to avoid contact with these insects.
Mosquitoes breed only in static water, so a simple gesture of preventing ponds around the house or to remove the vessels lying in water, can be a first step to prevent pinches.
Pets are often carrying larvae or insects, fleas, they find a warm place and food abundance. So proper care of them is indicated as a first measure to prevent pinches.
It is important to note that some insects are the carriers of viruses and microbes, that once introduced into the body through the bite can cause serious infectious diseases.
Although infectious disease caused by insects are rare, it is good to know what are the symptoms for those that may be caused by the most common insects. That way you will be treated properly and in time.
The most dangerous insect in Romania are mosquitoes that can be meet everywhere, from the Delta to the top of the mountain. Diseases they transmit are lymphatic filariasis, a disease extremely dangerous, with symptoms such as elephantiasis, high fever and bleeding, malaria, manifested by high fever, chills, vomiting, headaches and joint pain, West – Nile fever and viral encephalitis, accompanied by confusion and hallucinations.
Another common insect that can be the bearer of serious diseases is the flea, such as typhus, which is manifested by high fever and cutaneous rash and fever whose symptoms are high fever, pneumonia and skin affected.
And because mosquitoes are the biggest problem we still talk about them, to see what are the preventive and remedial measures to mitigate the effects of stings.
In the category of preventive measures, besides the removal of sources of static water, may be added:
• suspend to the window a canvas bag filled with clean garlic with basil leaves and tomato;
• suspend to the head of the bed, a bouquet of lavender in bloom or on the bedside place a bunch of lemon balm leaves, sprinkled with lavender essential oil;
• use colored clothing;
• massaging the skin before exposure, with decoction of flowers of lavender essential oil or lemon balm, mint, lavender and clove;
• the baking soda has a strong insecticide non-toxic to humans, so give yourself with a sodium bicarbonate solution, optionally mixed with olive oil, and you will avoid mosquitoes;
• plant flowers called cat – grass or cat – mint keep away mosquitoes by releasing essential oil that is are more effective than any anti-mosquito spray in trade. Located at the window, door or on the balcony provides effective protection.
• The rosemary is effective too, lemon grass, basil or thyme, herbs whose scent is repulsive to mosquitoes.
• Plant a walnut tree at the window, iodine chase away mosquitoes;
• if you’re on a trip and do fire, may be helpful to throw in the embers wet rush, willow or walnut leaves.
As measures to limit the effects, I recall:
• wash the spot with soap and water;
• applying cold water compresses, ice or vinegar;
• applying a natural herbal remedy.
In Romanian tradition there are such natural remedies, plant-based solutions for fighting, that our grandparents used to limit the effects of mosquito stings.
The best known such plants are:
– Sage: for skin cooling;
It is used as:
• fresh leaves crushed and applied on the affected
• buffering leaf tincture prepared as follows: 20 g in 100 ml of alcohol, with maceration time of 10 days;
– Wormwood: fresh leaves crushed for local rubbings;
– Plantain, used as:
• poultice of fresh leaves washed and crushed applied local
• Juice from fresh leaves applied to the affected spot
– Lemon balm used asa:
• poultice of fresh leaves washed and crushed applied local
• Juice from fresh leaves applied to the affected spot
– Lovage or horseradish used as:
• poultice of fresh leaves washed and crushed applied local
• Juice from fresh leaves applied to the affected spot
– Aloe: fresh leaves for buffering 2 times per day;
– Black currant: fresh leaves crushed or macerated in white wine, applied as poultices;
– White cabbage or parsley: leaves crushed and applied as poultices on the pinch;
– Onions cut into rings and applied for 10 minutes on the affected area;
– Garlic: rub the spot with cutted garlic slices. Acts as a disinfectant and healing, garlic, as you know, is a potent natural antibiotic.
– Basil: has healing and mitigation action over itching;
Usage:
• rub the sting spot with crushed fresh herb;
– Thyme, used asa:
• infusion of the plant (two tablespoons per 200 ml boiling water) for repeated buffering;
– Echinacea: to relieve allergic reactions and infection prevention;
It’s used as:
• tincture applied locally
– Arnica:
It’s used as:
Tincture applied locally prepaired like this: chop fresh flower fine and put in a jar to fill three quarters. Then fill the jar with 80 degrees alcohol stirring constantly, then close it tightly and let soak for 10 days. Then tincture is filtered through cheesecloth and kept in small dark bottles.
– Marigold, used as:
• ointment that soothes and heals quickly.
– Celandine, used as:
• tincture, ointment or decoction herb compress
I’ve never used lotion or spray against mosquitoes, probably because I don’t have allergic reaction to their sting. My kids are as lucky as I am.
Instead, in pills and devices I never had confidence, so I resorted often to classic chase mosquitoes before bedtime, if I didn’t had something in hand or prepared in advance 🙂
What methods you use to defend yourself of insistent and ubiquitous insects?
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