Home remedies for insect bites

Mareike Müller is a freelance writer in the medical department and assistant doctor for neurosurgery in Düsseldorf. She studied human medicine in Magdeburg and gained a lot of practical medical experience during her stays abroad on four different continents.

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Various home remedies for insect bites help to relieve discomfort at the puncture site, such as swelling, itching, and pain. These include, for example, ice cubes, cucumber slices and cool compresses. There are also home remedies that can prevent an insect bite. Read everything you need to know about home remedies for insect bites here.

ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. T63

From mosquito bites to wasp bites: home remedies that help

A tried and tested home remedy for insect bites is cooling. It relieves the inflammatory response. For example, you can use cold compresses from the pharmacy. Ice cubes or frozen food from the freezer are just as helpful. It is important that the ice-cold objects do not come into direct contact with the skin, otherwise frostbite can occur. So first wrap them in a hand towel or kitchen towel before placing them on the puncture site for about ten minutes.

Another popular home remedy for insect bites is cold compresses with vinegar water (one part vinegar to two parts water). They have anti-inflammatory effects and relieve itching.

Popular home remedies for mosquito bites, bee stings & Co. are also lemon juice, cucumber slices and sliced ​​onions, with which the puncture site is rubbed. They cool and soothe itching (such as a mosquito bite).

Home remedies for insect bites in the mouth

An insect bite in the mouth and throat can be life-threatening: When the mucous membrane swells, breathing becomes more difficult. So don't leave them alone and try to calm them down. You can provide ice or ice cubes to suck on. This can reduce the swelling in the throat. It can also be useful to cool the neck externally, for example with cold compresses.

In the event of a sting in the mouth and throat, you should not rely on such home remedies alone, but contact an emergency doctor immediately!

Preventive home remedies for insect bites

Home remedies not only help with the treatment of insect bites. Mosquito bites, bee stings and other insect bites can often be avoided with some home remedies:

• Certain plants such as tomato plants (caution poisonous!) Or incense repel insects.
• Clove, lavender and lemon oils contain fragrances that drive away insects. You can use them as lotions, candles, or scented oils.
• Do not open the windows in the evening until all light sources in the room have been extinguished so that mosquitoes are not attracted. This often prevents annoying mosquito bites.

Home remedies are not a panacea!

In many cases, home remedies for insect bites are sufficient to treat the unpleasant symptoms. However, if you have an insect venom allergy or if you have infected insect bites, you should see a doctor. This also applies to insect bites in the mouth and throat!

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