Posts tagged ‘Allergy’

Home Remedies for Mosquito Bites

By pinky, 19 January, 2010, No Comment
A female mosquito of the Culicidae family (Cul...
Image via Wikipedia

The best home remedies for mosquito bites, of course, are those that stop the little critters biting in the first place. But if it is too late for that, there are still a few things you can try.

A mosquito bite is not like the sting of a wasp or bee which is an injection of poison. Mosquitoes just want a little taste of your blood. But to stop it coagulating so that they can easily drink it, they also deposit a protein which causes an allergic reaction in some people.

It seems that some people get bitten constantly and others never have a single itch, but this is probably nothing to do with whether the insects like you. The truth is that some people do not get any allergic reaction and so they don’t realize they have been bitten.

If you ask a hundred bite-scratching people what they recommend, you may get a hundred different answers. Here are some of the most popular ideas.

Ice: apply an ice cube to reduce the inflammation and temporarily numb the area. Ice also restricts blood flow which may reduce the allergic reaction. The bite will probably itch again later, but maybe by then you will be busy doing something else and will not notice.

Roll-on anti perspirant: most commercial anti perspirants contain vasoconstrictive substances which, like ice, restrict blood flow to the area. Additionally, the aluminum in the anti perspirant may help the bite to heal. Do not use if the bite has been heavily scratched.

Fingernails: press down on the bite with a fingernail so that the nail digs in and leaves a mark. Then do the same thing at another angle to form a cross. This should temporarily stop the itching.

Toothpaste: some people recommend smearing toothpaste over the bite. The fluoride is said to reduce the allergic reaction. If desperate, why not give it a try!

Scratching: it has been shown that if you go so far as to open up the bite and make it bleed, some of the allergen may be forced out by the blood flow. However, the bite may become infected, so doing this deliberately is not recommended. If it happens by accident, apply antiseptic.

The good news is that the itching from bites will only last between 24 and 48 hours. Then, cover yourself in insect repellent or keep those mosquitoes out with netting to stop yourself from being bitten next time.

You can also look for an anti itch cream that contains camphor, and keep it with you whenever you risk being bitten. Camphor can stop the itching and if applied early enough, it may even prevent the itchy bump from forming. This makes camphor one of the best home remedies for mosquito bites, but you have to buy some ahead of time.

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Hives Relief

By pinky, 14 January, 2010, 1 Comment
Allergic urticaria on the arm
Image via Wikipedia

Hives, also known as urticaria, are raised white or yellow welts surrounded by an area of red inflammation. It is an allergic (skin) reaction, causing the body to release histamine into the effected tissues resulting in extreme itching.

The size of the welt itself varies, with the larger ones sometimes joining together in places to form an irregular rash. The more you scratch, the bigger the welts become. They usually appear on the limbs and trunk, but can appear anywhere.

Acute urticaria develops rapidly and usually lasts for just a few hours.  It can sometime make you fell feverish, faint and occasionally nauseous. Chronic urticaria can persist for a long period of time. I had chronic urticaria years ago when I was in college.

Common Triggers

Drugs such as aspirin and penicillin, food additives, food sensitivity such as milk eggs, shellfish and nuts, environmental factors such as exposure to cold, heat or sunlight, stress, anxiety, bites and stings are common triggers.

Vitamin C

During the time I had chronic urticaria, I did some research and found that supplementing my diet with vitamin C would help. All fruits and vegetables contain some amount of vitamin C. Foods that tend to be the highest sources of vitamin C include green peppers, citrus fruits and juices, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, turnip greens and other leafy greens, sweet and white potatoes, cantaloupe and spinach. Vitamin C helps promote a healthy immune system and releases antihistamines. Green tea is also reported to have an antihistamine effect.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 has been reported to reduce the severity of acute hives as well as to reduce the frequency and severity of outbreaks in chronic cases. Vitamin B12 is found in  fortified foods, and some fermented foods. Some sources of B12 are eggs, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and foods made from soy.  Salmon and low-fat milk are particularly good sources.

If you suffer from food allergies, it’s important to keep a detailed food diary.  Note what you ate when you have hives breakouts, as it may be just a simple matter of eliminating a food or several foods from your diet in order to avoid suffering from hives.

Looking for a homeopathic solution to hives? Try OxyHives

Hives Relief related articles

Natural Skin Hives Treatment

A cool shower or a cold bath in baking soda can provide relief. In some cases, spots with a little ‘calamine lotion or milk of magnesia to the hive were reported that to reduce the swelling and the itch to disappear. …

Calming Stress Related Hives – Life123

Sufferers of stress related hives often want relief, both from the discomfort of their rashes and from the stress that prompted the skin conditions in the first place. Learn how to calm both your skin and your nerves.

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