Gadfly bite: what to do and how to treat?

After this, it is recommended to apply ointment to the bite site. Levomycetin ointment, Levomekol have proven themselves well, and any ointment with an antibiotic, antipruritic or antiallergic effect will also do. You can try homeopathic remedies, ointments prepared at home.

What to apply to and treat a gadfly bite?

If you do not know what to apply to the place of the gadfly bite, it is better to consult a doctor. But there are cases when severe swelling and redness develop, and the nearest medical institution or treatment center is far away. In this case, you can try any available means. [ 1 ], [ 2 ] When you are outdoors, you are, in fact, in a green pharmacy, where there are many means for treating any injuries and damages. The main thing is to be able to use the gifts of nature correctly.

So, there is always the opportunity to treat the bite site with wound-healing, anti-inflammatory agents. Plantain will help to disinfect the bite site, which can be simply applied to the wound, after rinsing it in water or moistening it with saliva. Sumac, heather, and celandine juice have a similar effect. Then it is recommended to apply a clean, dry bandage on top.

How to remove swelling from a gadfly bite?

If you do not know how to remove swelling from a gadfly bite without causing side effects, it is better to resort to traditional medicine. They are safer, have fewer side effects, prevent allergies, infectious and inflammatory processes, and prevent complications.

The best and most effective way to eliminate swelling are lotions and compresses. Herbal decoctions are used as an active agent, less often - infusions. The duration of lotions usually does not exceed 15 minutes. After removing the compress, the skin should not be wiped, it is enough to just slightly blot the place of the lotion. On average, for complete healing of the bite site, it is necessary to apply 2-3 lotions (compresses) per day, daily. The minimum course of treatment is 7 days. The water temperature should be warm, comfortable.

Let's look at the main remedies used for gadfly bites.

A decoction of sage, chamomile, calendula, or succession is a good tonic, used for various inflammatory and infectious processes developing at the site of the bite. [ 3 ] A decoction of lemon balm, peppermint, and crimson hawthorn is used as an anti-edematous, anti-inflammatory agent. To relieve inflammation, swelling, and itching at the site of the bite, an infusion or decoction of thyme, peony, indoor geranium, and white lily flowers is used.

Ointments for gadfly bites

Various ointments have proven themselves quite well for the treatment of gadfly bites. For example, various non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are quite effective. [ 4 ] They quickly relieve inflammation, pain, swelling, prevent the development of complications, including the progression of the inflammatory process and the spread of infection. They also reduce the temperature, eliminate itching, redness, and other symptoms that may be associated with the bite. Such remedies include ointments such as ibuprofen gel, diclofenac, voltaren, orthofen, nurofen, brufen, indomethacin, metindol and others.

Medicines

Any medication should be taken with caution, observing basic precautions. Thus, the main measure is a mandatory preliminary consultation with a doctor. If there is no opportunity to consult, you need to carefully study the instructions. It is recommended to take proven medications, or those that are pure active ingredients that do not contain impurities. It is worth noting that this significantly reduces the risk of complications and side effects.

Most often, when bitten, there is a need to take antiallergic drugs (antihistamines), since an allergic reaction is almost always a concomitant pathology with a bite. It is worth noting that the bite is accompanied by the release of a large amount of histamine, which causes allergy symptoms. This explains the mechanism of action of antiallergic drugs (reducing the level of histamine in the blood).

Among antiallergic agents, loratadine has proven itself well. Its advantages are that it is a prolonged-action drug, prescribed 1 tablet per day. Its duration of action and persistence in the blood is 24 hours. It quickly relieves the main swelling, itching, irritation, prevents the appearance of hives and itchy rashes that often occur after a bite. [ 5 ]

Diphenhydramine is often used as an injection (1-2 ml of the drug is administered intramuscularly). It works within a few minutes. It relieves allergies, prevents the development of suffocation and anaphylactic shock due to its ability to relax the bronchial muscles and smooth muscles.

Tavegil is also prescribed one tablet 1-2 times a day, depending on the severity of the allergic reaction. In case of severe swelling, you can take 2 tablets immediately after the bite, and then continue treatment for 7 days. It should be taken into account that side effects may develop - increased drowsiness, dry mouth, dizziness, headaches. Sometimes skin rashes and swelling appear. If such side effects develop steadily within 2-3 days, treatment should be stopped and another similar drug should be found. [ 6 ]

Euphyllin is recommended to be taken one tablet per day. It can also be used as an injection (1-3 ml, depending on body weight intramuscularly). In addition, the drug is added to the composition of droppers. It should be taken into account that euphyllin has certain side effects - abdominal pain, diarrhea, palpitations, chills, heart rhythm disturbances.

The advantage of these drugs is that they can be taken even during pregnancy, but only if the risk of developing an allergy is quite high and there is a danger to the mother and fetus.

Physiotherapy treatment

Physiotherapy is rarely used, mainly only if the bite does not heal for a long time, or if complications have developed. In some situations, inhalations, heat treatments, and some electrical procedures may be required. Electrophoresis is considered an effective method, in which drugs are introduced into damaged tissues by applying and then exposing them to microcurrents, which significantly increases tissue permeability.

Folk remedies

Of all the folk remedies, the most popular are medicinal baths, in which the affected areas, directly the bite site, are immersed. Herbal decoctions are used as the main active ingredient (the most effective and safe method). Let's look at some recipes for bath additives.

• Recipe No. 1.

As a base for preparing a decoction for medicinal baths, take butter or any other fatty base. Heat until warm. It is better to use a water bath. Pour 2 ml of concentrated extracts of the following plant components into the resulting oil: heather, motherwort, marsh cudweed, valerian root, meadow heart. Mix everything and allow it to harden. Add 2 tablespoons of the mixture to the bath per 5-6 liters of water.

• Recipe No. 2.

Take honey as a base. [ 7 ] Add a tablespoon of water or alcohol infusions of lily of the valley flowers and leaves, motherwort, hazel, and hawthorn. You can add 1 ml of water infusion of belladonna tops. Mix everything until smooth. Dissolve a tablespoon of the product in 5 liters of hot water.

• Recipe No. 3.

A medicinal decoction for baths has proven itself well. As a basis for preparing a decoction for medicinal baths, take butter and lard in equal parts. Melt and heat until warm. It is better to use a water bath. Pour 2 ml of concentrated extracts of the following plant components into the resulting oil: lilac (flowers), eucalyptus, white acacia flowers, birch leaves, bird cherry bark. Add a tablespoon to the bath per 5 liters of water.

• Recipe No. 4.

Take any body cream. Add a tablespoon of water or alcohol infusions of fresh burdock leaves, agrimony, horsetail, and burdock. Mix everything until smooth and add to the bath during therapeutic baths. [ 8 ]

• Recipe No. 5.

Olive oil or any other fatty base is used as a base for preparing a decoction for medicinal baths. Heat until warm. It is better to use a water bath. 2 ml of concentrated extracts of the following plant components are poured into the resulting oil: thyme, medicinal speedwell, sweet cherry, medicinal burnet, sage leaves, yarrow herb. Add 2 tablespoons of the mixture to 2-3 liters of water.

Below are the most effective tinctures for boosting immunity (drink 1-2 tablespoons twice a day). [ 9 ]

• Recipe No. 1.

Add 30 grams of calamus root, pine buds, eucalyptus leaves, and coltsfoot leaves to regular alcohol (500 ml). Add a tablespoon of honey. Leave for 30 minutes.

• Recipe No. 2.

To prepare, take a tablespoon of wild rosemary, birch buds, oregano, nettle leaves, pour in about 500 ml of cognac. Leave it to infuse for at least 3-4 days.

• Recipe No. 3.

Take knotweed, anise, dill, pine buds, thyme, and licorice root in equal parts. Take about 2-3 tablespoons of each component and leave for at least 5 days. [ 10 ]

• Recipe No. 4.

Vodka or pure alcohol is used as a base. Then add a tablespoon of knotweed, coltsfoot, elder flowers, cilantro, coriander, and oregano. Mix, then set aside and allow to steep.

• Recipe No. 5.

Add a tablespoon of oats with husks, mulberries, gooseberries, strawberries, grated lemon with zest to regular alcohol (500 ml). Leave for 24 hours.

• Recipe No. 6.

To prepare the balm, take a tablespoon of sage, medical bile and bee venom, pour in alcohol or vodka (500 ml). Use for a compress, and you can also drink a third of a glass twice a day.

• Recipe No. 7.

Take equal parts of May lilac flowers, chamomile, and black elder flowers. Pour 500 ml of alcohol over all of this, add 50 ml of honey. Infuse for at least 5 days, and take internally for 28 days.

• Recipe No. 8.

Vodka or pure alcohol (500 ml) is used as a base. Then about a tablespoon of the following ingredients is added: apple tree leaves, meadow geranium, watermelon pulp, rose hip roots. Mix, leave for a day, then apply to the bite site in the form of lotions, compresses, and also drink half a glass per day.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is used to treat bites and eliminate scars after them. Side effects are minimal (most often they occur only with an overdose or improper use of drugs, against the background of individual intolerance, increased sensitivity of the body to the means). It is possible to minimize, and even completely eliminate side effects, provided that all precautions are observed. In particular, before starting treatment, you need to consult a doctor, follow the treatment regimen, duration. [ 11 ]

• Recipe #1. Decoction for medicinal baths

As a base for preparing a decoction for medicinal baths, take rapeseed, corn and olive oil in a ratio of 1:1:2, or any other fatty base. Heat until warm. It is better to use a water bath. Pour 2 ml of concentrated extracts of the following plant components into the resulting oil: onion infusion, garlic, horseradish juice and radish juice. Add 2 tablespoons of the mixture to the bath per 2-3 liters of water.

• Recipe #2. Body Cream

Take any body cream. Add a tablespoon of birch and aspen bark extracts, acorns. You can add 10 ml of freshly squeezed viburnum juice. Mix everything until smooth and apply to the bite site.

• Recipe #3. Immunostimulating Balm

To prepare, take a tablespoon of decoction of sweet clover, calendula, plantain, chicory, pour about 500 ml of red wine (for example, Cahors). Heat everything, without bringing it to a full boil, drink 50 ml per day. The course of treatment is at least 28 days (a full biochemical cycle).

• Recipe #4. Anti-inflammatory elixir

Take equal parts of orchis tubers, St. John's wort, fir or pine resin, potato sprouts. Take about 5 ml of each component, add about 5 grams of ground nutmeg, 500 ml of alcohol, leave for at least 5 days, drink in small quantities twice a day for 28 days.

• Recipe #5. Restorative tincture

Vodka or pure alcohol is used as a base. Then about a tablespoon of the following ingredients is added: peony root, angelica panchicha, periwinkle, mallow, common fig. Mix until a uniform consistency is formed, then leave to infuse for at least a day.

Herbal treatment

Herbs are quite safe, quickly and effectively eliminate any inflammation, swelling, scars after bites, so they are widely used for treatment. But here too, you need to follow safety precautions. It is imperative to consult a doctor to avoid unwanted side effects and complications. Plants are most often used in the form of compresses or lotions on the bite site. This is the most effective way to use them.

Marshmallow has proven itself well. It is recommended to use crushed fresh leaves, decoctions, infusions. Wipes are moistened with juice and applied at night as a bandage. It has an astringent, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic effect.

Blackberries, brambles, and ajina are used in the form of a mass of berries. They are applied in several layers, then tied for 2-3 hours. Healing usually occurs after 5-10 days.

Eucalyptus blue is used in the form of poultices. They are made daily from the leaves. To do this, the leaf is soaked in boiling water and applied to the bite site. It is also recommended to cover the top with cellophane to create a "greenhouse effect". The course of treatment is 7-10 days. [ 12 ]

Surgical treatment

Surgical treatment methods are rarely used. They are mainly used in cases of severe complications, which are accompanied by suppuration, necrosis, and tumor development.