Bites of midges are a rather unpleasant phenomenon, but not fatal. Probably every person has encountered him at least once in his life. Read about the dangers of small insect attacks and how to deal quickly with the consequences below.
View characteristic
Few people know that those whom we denote by the capacious but faceless word "midges" are actually called "Simuliidae" and belong to the family of dipterans insects, being a component of the gnat complex. Biologists say that today there are more than 1800 of their species. They can be found on any continent: from Africa to Antarctica. The average life span of an insect is one month. What is so dangerous bites of midges? Firstly, they are rightly considered to be carriers of many diseases: leukocytozoonosis, onchocerciasis ... In addition, the saliva of these small flying “terrorists” is likely to provoke an allergic reaction.
Allergy
So, how to determine that midge bites have caused allergies? Pay attention to the following symptoms: the skin of a bitten person quickly becomes covered with small vesicles that itch and itch. After a while, edema occurs in this area, and the inflammation can be so strong that it will deprive the victim of peace. In some cases, there is a sharp increase in temperature and intoxication.
Midge bites: treatment
In order to minimize discomfort, it is enough to follow a few simple recommendations. Does your skin itch painfully and prevent you from falling asleep? Treat the affected area with baking soda dissolved in water or ordinary ammonia. Do you have peppermint essential oil in your medicine cabinet ? Excellent! This tool perfectly relieves inflammation. By the way, note to the hostesses: household soap has similar properties. Midge bites can also be treated with a mixture of salt and vinegar. If you are outdoors, you can make a compress from dandelion juice: pick a couple of leaves of the plant, crush them so that the liquid flows out, and attach to the site of the bite. To keep the compress, secure it with a band-aid or bandage. Onions are considered a very effective remedy. The head must be cut in half and, as in the previous version, applied to the affected area - this will quickly relieve pain and remove swelling, no matter how strong it is.
Folk remedies
As you know, the attack of insects is easiest to undergo in nature: in the forest, near the lake, in the country. By the way, the latter option is not so bad: in any case, you will have beds at your fingertips, which are a real storehouse for fighting edema. Parsley, mint, plantain - all these plants soothe and have anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant effects. If you are afraid that, along with saliva, midges have caught some infection, upon arrival home you should make an appointment with the doctor and take the necessary tests. Some people wonder how to distinguish, say, mosquito attack, nettle burn and midge bites?
If in doubt, see the photo in any medical reference book. The main thing is not to give in to the desire to comb the place of the bite to the blood.