THE summer heat attracts more insects to our homes and environments, and our blood boiling because of the heat attracts them even more to us.
Getting an insect bite can be very annoying and itchy, and here we tell you everything you need to know on toning down the urge to scratch your bite.
Why do insect bites itch?
Insects bite humans to feed on their blood.
As explained by the NHS website: "When an insect bites, it releases saliva that can cause the skin around the bite to become red, swollen and itchy."
Be careful that sometimes, an insect's bite might be venomous and it can get swollen, have a red mark and also be itchy.
It might be a bit painful but it's harmless most of the time.
If you start to feel weird, maybe dizziness or nauseous or catch a fever, after getting bit, then make sure to seek medical attention.
It doesn't mean that something serious happened to you, but it might mean that you had an allergic reaction to the bite.
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If it remains untreated or you lengthen the time to heal it, then it might become serious.
How to stop insect bites from itching
There are several household items that you can use to stop insect bites from itching.
It is important first to try and resist the urge to scratch your bites because this will only irritate it more.
Also, you never know what bacteria landed on your hands, and if you scratch them then you might infect the bite.
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Another thing is, that when you scratch them, you will be scratching off the cells from the bite and when you touch someone else or another part of your body, you might end up infecting there too.
This is what you can use to ease itching:
- Aloe vera
- Tooth paste
- Honey
- Soothing ointments
- Ice
- Banana peel
Can insect bites cause bruising?
Bruising is a common symptom of an insect bite.
Most cases are mild and you do not need to seek a doctor's opinion about them.
On the other hand, if the bruise looks really bad and maybe a bit swollen too,then you should seek medical attention.
Bruises are caused because of the same reason as the itching.
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When the insect sucks your blood and they release saliva into your skin, this can cause a reaction that results in a bruse.
If the bruise is purple and looks serious rather than a small one, then seek medical help because it might mean that you have an infection.
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