Swelling after a gnat bite: what to do, treatment

Having discovered a midge bite mark on your body, you should not wait until various symptoms appear, such as itching, tissue swelling, reddening of the skin around the affected area, or more dangerous allergic and toxic reactions. You must act immediately, taking measures aimed at preventing unpleasant and dangerous consequences.

So what should you do if you have swelling from a midge bite? The measures described below will help prevent the development of severe allergic reactions in yourself or your loved ones:

• To begin with, the bite site should be washed with clean water to remove any remaining toxic substances from the wound and pathogens that are likely to be nearby.
• Water does little to combat bacteria, so it is better to enhance the cleaning effect by using laundry soap without various additives. Such soap will not increase the allergic reaction, and its good antibacterial properties are also known.
• The skin, cleaned with water and soap, needs to be blotted with a napkin. Blotted, not rubbed. It's worth scratching the bite site once, and it will be hard to stop.
• Dry skin at the site of the bite should be additionally treated with an antiseptic (alcohol with water, a solution of soda or salt, manganese, furacilin, Chlorhexidine, Miramistin, Boric acid, etc.). By the way, even surgeons in clinics recommend such a method of combating swelling after a midge bite as repeated lubrication of the affected area with chlorhexidine, not allowing it to dry out too much.
• An excellent preventative measure for swelling from a midge bite is taking antihistamines. It doesn't matter whether the victim has had allergic reactions before, antiallergic drugs will not cause harm, especially if used once, but will help to avoid unpleasant symptoms. The simplest budget drugs and their more expensive analogues (Diazolin, Loratadine, Claritin, Zyrtec, Tavegil, Suprastin, etc.) are suitable.
• Another simple way to get rid of tissue swelling, usually used to prevent the appearance of bruises and to treat bee or wasp stings, is cold. To reduce the severity of swelling, either a piece of ice or any cold object (for example, a bottle of water or a metal spoon) is suitable, which should be applied to the bite site for several minutes. If a person is relaxing in nature and does not have anything cold at hand, you can simply press the bite site firmly with your finger and wait about 10-15 minutes. If the swelling is large, an elastic bandage can be applied to its place.

Usually such measures bring relief, but if the victim (or his relatives) sees that the symptoms still appear and increase, effective medical or folk treatment in this case is indispensable.

What do doctors suggest in this regard? In addition to cold, antiseptic solution and squeezing the edematous area (if possible), the doctor may prescribe the application of ointments to the bite site that have an anti-allergic (Tsinovit cream, Gistan ointment, Elidel cream, Fenistil gel) and anti-inflammatory effect. Hormonal ointments are used as a means of reducing inflammation of the edema: hydrocortisone, prednisolone, Fenkarol, Advantan, Trimistin, etc. But you need to be very careful with such products if you need to treat the bite site in the face and eyes. In case of a bite in the eye area, you need to buy corticosteroids in the form of eye ointments, and not those used to treat skin diseases.

If there is a suspicion that the wound has been infected, i.e. there is a noticeable local increase in temperature at the site of the bite, pus appears and other signs of severe inflammation, antiseptics and local anti-inflammatory agents alone will not be enough. Ointments with antibiotics will be more effective: gentamicin, erythromycin, Levomekol, Levosin, Ficidin, etc.

In case of extensive swelling and the appearance of general reactions, in addition to local treatment, systemic therapy is also prescribed. This includes taking antihistamines (in severe cases, such drugs are administered intravenously or intramuscularly, which provides a quick effect), using corticosteroids (tablets and injections), taking decongestant drugs from the diuretic category (Mannitol, Mannitol, Furosemide). In severe cases, diuretics are administered intravenously.

Physiotherapy is used very rarely in the treatment of midge bites, if we are talking about severe allergic reactions. The purpose of such treatment is to stimulate restorative reactions in the body and non-specific desensitization. Along with taking vitamins, it is designed to normalize the immune system (immunotherapy).

Physiotherapy sessions (and in this case, medicinal electrophoresis and darsonvalization are most relevant) can be prescribed after the acute period of the disease, when the allergy symptoms have subsided somewhat. After all, the goal of immunotherapy is to prevent new allergic reactions.

Effective medicines

Allergy is an immune-inflammatory process that is quite possible with bites of various insects whose saliva contains allergens. Swelling from a midge bite is considered a common occurrence, because it involves not only tissue damage, but also the introduction of foreign substances into the wound cavity, causing the immune system to activate.

There is no clear answer to the question of how to relieve swelling from a midge bite. After all, antiseptics and cold or tissue compression do not always give the desired result. And here stronger medications come to the rescue: ointments with antibiotics, corticosteroids, antihistamines. Sometimes only their complex use helps a person recover from a banal, but not at all safe midge bite.

We will not go into the nuances of treating general symptoms in severe cases of allergy to bites, because they are within the competence of specialists. Let's talk about the means used for local treatment of inflammation and allergy, which are ointments prescribed for swelling after a midge bite.

Let's start with antihistamines for external use. One of the most popular is "Fenistil-gel", the active substance of which (dimethindine maleate) is an antagonist of histamine receptors, i.e. it inhibits the release of histamine, which is considered the main mediator of allergic inflammatory reactions.

The drug is actively used for insect bites. The effect of its use can be expected within a few minutes.

"Fenistil gel can be used to treat patients of various age groups, including newborns. However, up to 2 years of age, such treatment should be carried out only with the permission and under the supervision of the attending physician.

The drug is applied to the bite site 2 to 4 times a day. It is recommended to rub it lightly into the skin. Care must be taken when applying the drug to large areas of skin. In case of multiple bites, severe itching and tissue inflammation, it is recommended to additionally take oral antihistamines.

Application of the gel may be accompanied by skin irritation due to the content of propylene glycol and benzalkonium chloride. A feeling of dry skin, burning, manifestations of allergy to the components of the drug (appearance of rash, urticaria, increased itching and swelling) are also possible. To avoid this, the drug is not prescribed to patients with hypersensitivity to the components of the drug. This is the only contraindication to the use of Fenistil Gel.

Corticosteroids are used to combat the severe inflammatory process that results from an allergy to saliva. In case of swelling from a midge bite, doctors may prescribe a one percent "Hydrocortisone ointment".

It should be applied to the bite site 2 or 3 times a day in a thin layer, avoiding use on large areas of skin. The course of treatment with ointment is no more than 20 days.

Hormonal agents are not the best choice for treating children, because they can suppress the function of the adrenal cortex. The drug is not recommended for use in children under 2 years of age, and children 2-12 years of age should be treated under the supervision of a specialist. The course of treatment should not exceed 14 days.

Unlike Fenistil Gel, which is approved for use during pregnancy, Hydrocortisone Ointment should not be prescribed to expectant mothers and nursing women. Contraindications for use also include hypersensitivity to the components of the drug, ulcerative lesions on the skin at the site of application of the ointment, infected wounds (bacterial, viral and fungal infections), tuberculosis of the skin, external manifestations of syphilis. As well as rosacea, acne, tumor processes on the skin. Caution should be exercised by people with diabetes and tuberculosis.

The side effects of the ointment are identical to the drug described above, but with prolonged use, the hormonal agent can provoke the development of secondary infectious skin lesions and atrophic processes in it.

Another interesting drug that is often used for insect bites is Elidel cream. This drug is not an antihistamine, although it has some anti-allergic effect and effectively relieves inflammation, but it cannot be classified as a hormonal anti-inflammatory drug. The active substance of the cream (pimecrolimus) is considered a calcineurin inhibitor, it reduces the local immune response without significantly affecting the systemic one.

The use of this remedy is indicated in cases where hormonal treatment is unacceptable due to intolerance to corticosteroids. The medicine is also suitable for treating swelling from midge bites on the face and eyelids, as well as in the genital area, bypassing the mucous membranes.

The cream should be applied to the affected area twice a day in a thin layer. The course of treatment should not be long.

The drug is not recommended for use in children under 2 years of age. Although this is not a contraindication. It is also not prohibited to treat pregnant women and nursing mothers with the cream, but it is still worth consulting a doctor.

The cream is not prescribed for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in infants during the first 3 months of life, for tumor and dysplastic processes on the skin, if there is a suspicion of oncology, or for hypersensitivity to the components of the drug. It is not used to treat infected wounds.

Caution should be exercised in patients with immunodeficiency, Netherton syndrome, systemic erythroderma

When using the cream, possible side effects include skin irritation at the site of application, accompanied by redness and burning, the appearance of herpetic eruptions and the development of secondary infections, allergic and anaphylactic reactions, enlarged lymph nodes, changes in skin pigmentation, and increased sensitivity to alcohol.

When an insect bite site becomes infected, antibiotic ointments are used for therapeutic purposes. One of these ointments is Levosin, the antibacterial effect of which is provided by chloramphenicol and sulfadimethoxine. Methyluracil in the ointment performs a regenerative function, promotes rapid wound healing, stimulates local and humoral immunity, and trimecaine is a local anesthetic that helps with itching and pain. In combination, the drug has anti-inflammatory, anti-edematous, antibacterial, analgesic and necrolytic effects.

The ointment is applied to the area of purulent wounds using napkins. They are soaked in the medicinal composition and not very tightly applied to the bite site. Slightly warmed ointment can be injected into the wound cavity using a syringe.

The drug is not used in case of hypersensitivity to it, eczema, psoriasis, fungal skin diseases. For the treatment of children and pregnant women, the drug is used only in severe cases.

During the use of Levosin ointment, allergic reactions can be expected, including Quincke's edema. There were no reports of other symptoms.

As we can see, any medication, even those intended for local use, have their own characteristics and contraindications that must be taken into account. Therefore, it would be better if the choice of medication remains within the competence of the doctor, not the patient.

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Folk remedies

Traditional medicine recipes always help out when there are no necessary medications at hand. People get bitten by midges mainly in nature, far from home and pharmacies, and in order to prevent swelling, it is advisable to have medical supplies with you. But how many people have at least a first aid kit with an antiseptic?

During a rest in nature, a victim of a midge bite can be helped by herbal treatment. Looking around you, you can always find one of the medicinal plants: mint, plantain, dandelion, bird cherry or parsley leaves will also do. To prevent swelling, it is enough to apply a pre-crushed leaf of one of the plants to the bite site, fixing it with a bandage or any available means (a piece of cloth, a handkerchief, a soft belt, etc.). A leaf that dries out from body temperature should be replaced with a fresh one.

At home, you can use a meat grinder or blender and make a paste from fresh leaves. Either the paste itself, wrapped in gauze, is applied to the wound, or the juice is squeezed out of it and a piece of clean cloth is moistened, which is then applied to the bite site.

A medicine such as fresh onions can also be found with those who went out into nature for a picnic. A cut onion should be applied or bandaged to the place where swelling from a midge bite appears, which will be both an antibiotic and an anti-edema agent.

At home, it is better to make a gruel from the onion, wrap it in gauze and apply it to the bitten part of the body. Or use a gruel from grated potatoes or a cabbage leaf chopped in a meat grinder, which are treated in the same way as the onion gruel.

If someone has the "Golden Star" balm at home or while out for a walk (it was also called "Zvezdochka" in the Soviet Union), you can lubricate the bite site with it. The drug has a good calming effect, so it reduces pain and itching in the affected area.

What else can you apply to the bitten area to prevent severe swelling:

• foam some laundry soap with a small amount of water and apply the resulting foam to the bite site,
• mix vinegar with water 1:1 and lubricate the swollen tissues with the resulting solution or apply a cloth soaked in the mixture to the wound,
• make a bandage from a cloth soaked in a soda solution (1 teaspoon of soda per 200 ml of water),
• For bites, minor wounds and cuts in children and adults, menthol or mint toothpaste can come to the rescue; it should be spread thinly on the wound surface and around it; for the same purposes, you can use oral hygiene balm.

In case of a bite in the eye area, the choice of folk remedies is limited, because the above recipes can only irritate the delicate tissues of the organ of vision. In this case, applying ice helps well, as well as a compress of freshly squeezed parsley juice or cooled tea leaves (preferably green).

It is important to understand that local treatment of edema will not give the desired result if you do not take an antihistamine that reduces the severity of the allergic reaction. If folk remedies do not help, then you need to seek help from traditional medicine, and this again means antiallergic drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs and, if necessary, antibiotics.

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Homeopathy for insect bites

Does homeopathy help with swelling and itching from a midge bite? It must be said that many people, disappointed in traditional treatment, have switched to homeopathy, considering it safer for the body, despite the fact that homeopathic medicines often contain alarming components, such as poisons. But treating like with like has good results even with insect bites.

The main drugs that homeopaths prescribe most often in such situations are considered to be Apis (a medicine based on bee extract) and Ledum (an extract of marsh wild rosemary). Ledum can be used orally, 3-5 grains, but you can also take an external remedy with the same name. The drug alleviates the symptoms of the bite.

Apis is indicated when the patient has a strong allergic reaction to the bite, up to anaphylactic. The usual therapeutic dosage in this case is 3-5 grains.

Preparations such as Belladonna and Hypericum are also considered useful for insect bites.

In case of severe itching at the site of the bite and tissue swelling, homeopathic medicines Caladium (extract of the plant dieffenbafia bloody) and Edas-402 help. The latter is a complex anti-inflammatory agent, which contains belladonna, bryonia, ledum, rhus toxicodendron. It should be used three times a day, rubbing into the bite site.

As we can see, there are enough first aid medications in homeopathy, but you shouldn't take them in combination. It is enough to choose one suitable medicine.

Homeopathic doctors claim that with the correct selection of homeopathic medicines, it is possible to significantly alleviate painful and dangerous symptoms, but they do not exclude the parallel use of antihistamines.

By the way, there are quite a few such remedies among homeopathic preparations. These are Apis, Sulphur 6, Belladonna, Rhus toxicodendron, Alumina, Calcarea carbonica, Arsenica iodatum and some others. The fact is that one homeopathic remedy usually has a whole list of beneficial effects, so it can be used to treat various pathologies and conditions. It is important to choose the right drug and its dosage, taking into account the constitutional features of the patient's body and his psycho-emotional status.