In summer, the beautiful weather invites you to outdoor activities. However, the joy is often spoiled by insects buzzing around. Bees, wasps, horseflies and mosquitoes are attracted to smells and movements. When they sting or bite, it is sometimes very painful. The puncture site may burn, itch and become inflamed. As a rule, however, insect bites are not dangerous – unless the bitten person has an allergic reaction to the insect bite. Then there is a risk of an allergic shock and rapid help from a doctor is required. For the pain and itching, there are some homeopathic remedies that can gently relieve the symptoms.
Which homeopathic remedies help?
Physical symptoms are described below. Choose a homeopathic remedy for insect bites that best suits your situation.
Apis mellifica
The pain is stabbing. The skin is bright red and shiny. Symptoms worsen when touched or exposed to heat. Cooling applications relieve.
Ledum
Severe redness and itching at the injection site. Especially indicated for tick bites. Improvement by cooling applications.
Caladium
Violent burning and itching from insect stings or bites.
Belladonna
The pain is cutting. A strong, dark red swelling with a feeling of heat quickly develops. Inflammatory response from scratching. Aggravated by cooling applications.
Causes of insect bites
Insects sting for a variety of reasons. Wasps, bees and hornets sting when they feel threatened. You want to fight back. Mosquitoes, ticks and horse flies, on the other hand, want to get at the human blood through a bite or sting in order to feed themselves. In the event of a sting or bite, the insects can transmit poisons or pathogens and trigger allergic reactions that can be life-threatening under certain circumstances. A sting in the mouth or throat can also be dangerous for humans. The swelling in the throat can lead to acute shortness of breath and is life-threatening. If an allergic reaction is suspected and if there is a sting in the mouth or throat, the emergency doctor must be called urgently.
Symptoms of insect bites
- Pains
- itching
- skin redness
- skin swelling
If you have these symptoms, you should contact a doctor immediately:
- shortness of breath
- Swelling of the tongue, lips or any other part of the body
- wheal formation
- skin rash
- nausea
- dizziness
- headache
- cardiovascular problems
Further tips and information on treatment
Moist, cool compresses are very helpful against the pain or itching. Home remedies such as vinegar or a sliced onion also cool and bring relief, but can also irritate the skin. Aloe vera gel is gentler on the skin and also has a cooling effect. Anyone who is out and about in nature should keep an eye out for buckhorn. Knead a few leaves until the juice comes out and then place the leaves on the sting site. The symptoms are relieved quickly. Alternatively, it is helpful to take buckhorn tincture or Insectolin gel with you when you are out in nature. Insectolin Gel is a cooling gel with four valuable plant extracts and high-quality jojoba oil. It nourishes and soothes the skin after an insect bite.
There are a few tips to avoid being bitten by insects:
- Don’t run away from the animals.
- Do not frantically wave your hands away from the animals.
- Do not blow on bees and wasps.
- Do not use strong-scented perfumes in summer.
- Keep Calm.
- Install fly screens on the windows.
- After a stay in nature, shower off in the evening and check your body for ticks.
Particular care should be taken with any activity that takes place outdoors and involves the consumption of food. Occasions when insect bites occur frequently are eating cake or barbecuing in the garden, on the playground, in the evening around the campfire, near water or on vacation in southern countries.
Good to know: In certain situations, people feel threatened by insects: for example, when hornets or wasps build their nests near people’s houses. Destroying the nest so that the animals disappear and the danger is averted comes to mind. However, anyone who kills bees, hornets or wasps is liable to prosecution. If there is a danger from insects, a pest controller should be commissioned who can assess the animals and, if necessary, relocate them.
