Fleas are parasites that feed on blood and are ubiquitous. They parasitize mainly on animals, but often people are exposed to their bites. Currently, there are more than two thousand species of these insects, five hundred of which can be found in our country.
The bites of these bloodsuckers usually do not require special treatment, despite the pain and itching, which persist for a long time. But in some cases, allergic reactions and skin diseases are possible, so the question of how to treat a flea bite remains relevant today.
Varieties of fleas
There are a huge number of flea species; humans are attacked mainly by parasites such as Ctenocephalides canis (canine), Ctenocephalides felis (feline), Pulex irritans (human), Xenopsylla cheopis (rat) and Spilopsyllus cuniculi (rabbit).
In cities, fleas live in basements and often cause trouble for people. Usually they live on stray animals, although they are not always there. Insects can live in carpets, upholstery, earth. People may be allergic to flea bites. Insects are very small, so people don’t notice them, and besides, they are able to jump up to a meter and a half.
Fleas lay larvae, which after several molts turn into adult insects and attack the new host. As a rule, after two days, the swelling in the place where the bite of the parasite was committed disappears, and after four days the redness also passes.
But this does not always happen, often the symptoms of a flea bite can manifest themselves in the form of allergies, severe irritations, dangerous skin diseases. In such cases, treatment should be given. If there are serious consequences, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
Flea bite recognition
Many people wonder: if a flea has bitten, what to do. Before considering this problem, you need to learn to recognize flea bites, which people often confuse with defeat by spiders and bedbugs. It is necessary to carefully consider the site of the bite. In its center, two punctures will be visible, which will help to distinguish it from damage by other insects. This also suggests that in this case, the person is not dealing with an allergic reaction. A person is immediately affected by fleas because they cause pain. This is due to the fact that the parasite does not inject an anesthetic into the wound, but injects an enzyme that does not allow blood to clot. This enzyme causes itching and swelling. These parasites feed every day, but in the absence of a food base, they hibernate, which can be up to one year. After the insect has awakened, it attacks the victim, biting it severely.
Comparison of flea and bug bites
Before treating a flea bite , you need to make sure that it was she who caused the damage, because several parasites, for example, bugs, mosquitoes and so on, can bite in a person’s home. Often people confuse wounds from bedbugs with flea wounds. You can distinguish them by such signs:
- Bedbugs hunt at night. Fleas can attack day and night.
- The bug introduces an anesthetic into the wound, therefore, its bite does not cause pain, during the defeat by fleas a person always experiences pain.
- Most often, fleas affect the legs, and bugs - the back, arms and shoulders. At the same time, the former leave behind a linear path consisting of four to five punctures, while the latter can inflict wounds in a chaotic manner, but not far from each other.
Knowing how the insects that are discussed in this article are affected, you can easily carry out treatment at home. But only if the body is not prone to the development of allergies and other negative consequences. Otherwise, the help of a doctor is needed.
Symptoms
So, flea bites in children and adults cause pain, like a needle prick. At the site of the lesion, a red dot from clotted blood appears, swelling and severe itching that lasts a long time. This reaction is called pulicosis. With constant combing, the risk of spread of infection and the formation of an inflammatory process increases. Especially often, an insect bites the area of the feet and lower leg, a little less often affects the arms and body. If you are not allergic to flea bites, symptoms disappear within a few days. But in some people, after two days, there may be an abscess or a small wound that can bleed. Others experience a severe reaction to a flea bite, which is accompanied by chest pain, shortness of breath, severe swelling, or hives. Symptoms after a cat flea bite are faster compared to other types of these parasites. The most painful sensations cause damage to insects that live on moose. Eyewitnesses claim that with a lesion there is pain, like from a bee sting, so they already know how to treat flea bites so that there is no allergic reaction.
The danger of flea bites
In many tropical countries, there are sand fleas that invade the skin of a person and are constantly there, receiving regular blood supply. Gradually, a huge number of eggs are formed in the body of the flea, bites on the legs cause severe suppuration. If the parasite is not pulled out on time, it can even cause amputation of the limbs.
Fleas bite heavily and regularly, injecting toxins into the bloodstream that cause skin irritation. These parasites are dangerous because they carry various infectious diseases. In medicine, there are about twenty-five diseases that fleas carry. They can be transmitted through the blood, as well as mechanically. The most dangerous are considered to be encephalitis, salmonellosis, typhoid, hepatitis B and C, anthrax, trypanosomiasis and others. In addition, these blood-sucking insects carry helminth eggs, which can enter the stomach. In this way, pets who bite parasites from their hair become infected. And from an animal, helminths can be transmitted to humans.
Effects
We already know that pain and itching from flea bites appear. But if parasites bite constantly and there are a lot of them, then a person may have a neurosis or psychosis. It will seem to him that insects constantly creep over his body, even if they are absent. If you do not take any measures and the damage becomes neglected, it can cause purulent skin diseases, the appearance of abscesses and phlegmon.
As mentioned above, some people have an allergy in which redness spreads to huge areas of the skin, a huge swelling appears, and the temperature rises. Also, flea bites in children and allergy sufferers can cause indigestion, difficulty breathing, in some cases anaphylactic shock occurs.
Children are most susceptible to bites of this parasite, moreover, lesions can be present on any part of the body, since the child’s skin is soft and thin, it is very easy for a parasite to bite it. Also, a person can develop dermatitis, pulicosis.
First aid
The first unpleasant symptom of a flea infection is severe itching, which affects both children and adults. Therefore, flea bites on humans suggest treatment , first of all, by means of disinfecting wounds, relieving pain, swelling and itching.
First, the affected area is washed with soapy water, rinsed and wiped dry, then an antiseptic (Zelenka, iodine, alcohol, etc.) is applied. At the same time, it is not recommended to use hot water, as this will cause severe itching. To remove edema, the wound is wiped with vinegar diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1 or with a solution of citric acid.
Many claim that ordinary baking soda helps from flea bites . To do this, it is diluted with water to a mushy state and a compress is made from this solution.
You can also use medications in the form of ointment or cream. It can be, for example, "Nezulin" or "Rescuer." If a person develops an allergic reaction, you should immediately contact a doctor. It is also recommended to take an antihistamine drug, for example, Suprastin.
It is very important not to comb the wounds, as you can bring an infection that will provoke inflammation and suppuration.
Fleas can also bite a person who is sleeping. In this case, if there is a severe lesion of the legs, it is recommended to bandage them, pre-lubricating with ointment from itching.
Many doctors recommend taking one of the antihistamines for prevention.
Actions for allergic reactions
In medical practice, there have been cases when anaphylactic shock occurred after a lesion by these blood-sucking parasites.
In the presence of allergic reactions to flea bites in humans, treatment should be started immediately, but only after visiting a doctor. Self-medication in this case is contraindicated, since the body of an allergic person may react differently, the condition may worsen.
An experienced doctor will prescribe antihistamines, medicines to lower the temperature, and prescribe sedatives. The first aid in this case will be the hydrocortisone ointment, which instantly stops allergies. Therefore, the only thing a person can do on his own before the doctor arrives is to lubricate the affected area with ointment until negative reactions occur. This drug will also help children from flea bites, so it can be used in childhood.
Dermatophiliasis treatment
In addition to a simple reaction to a bite and allergies, there is a borderline condition that is called dermatophiliasis in medicine. In this case, a rash appears, but there are still no symptoms of an allergic reaction.
In this condition, the same measures are taken as with simple wound treatment. First, the wound is washed with soap, lubricated with alcohol or brilliant green, apply a compress with ice. It is recommended to do this as soon as possible, and at the first signs of deterioration, you should contact a medical institution. Otherwise, the development of dermatitis is possible.
Remedies for a flea bite in the form of ointments
If a person is not allergic to flea bites, treatment can be done at home. Of course, in this case, there is no special drug in the pharmacy, but you can use many drugs that will eliminate unpleasant symptoms. For this purpose, Boro-Plus ointment is often used. It is inexpensive, quickly eliminates inflammation, swelling and promotes the healing of purulent wounds. Fenistil gel, which is a universal remedy for insect bites, is also well suited.
In the formation of ulcer wounds, Levomekol is used.
In this case, the hydrocortisone ointment is an effective antihistamine. It is used only in emergency cases, as it contains hormones.
ethnoscience
Folk remedies for a flea bite help well. To get rid of edema, you need to prepare a soda solution from one glass of water and one tablespoon of tea soda. Gauze is dipped in this mixture and compresses are made. Lotions from a decoction of dandelion, plantain, celandine and calendula are also often used. Or use the juice of these plants, as well as garlic, which rubbed the affected area. Bitter wormwood helps very well in this case, it not only relieves itching, but also repels parasites.
Get rid of harmful parasites
We already know how to treat a flea bite, and this process is not at all complicated. But if lesions occur regularly, this can be a real problem.
In the house it is recommended to process the floors, especially in the bathroom and kitchen. They are washed with wormwood decoction. It is prepared as follows: 40 g of the leaves of the plant are boiled for ten minutes, filtered and a quarter of a piece of laundry soap is added, rubbing it on a grater. Half a liter of water is also added to this mixture and indoor floors are washed.
Every corner of the house or apartment needs to be vacuumed regularly, pesticides against insects can be used. It is recommended to wash all things in very hot water, as parasites are afraid of high temperatures.
Watering the lawn helps to eliminate parasite larvae, since they do not live under water. A veterinarian consultation is also required if there are animals in the house. For them you can buy anti-flea collars.
If the flea problem is not solved, you can call a specialist who will help to exterminate them.
If you adhere to these recommendations, the question of how to treat a flea bite will not arise. In the case of living in a private house, on the site and utility rooms, disinfection is carried out by spraying with insecticides, for example, methoprene, after removing garbage, leaves, grass. This is done twice every fourteen days.
Display fleas in pets
Of course, it is best to show your pet to a specialist, but if this is not possible, then folk remedies can come to the rescue. The safest method is the mechanical processing of animal hair. To do this, you can purchase a special brush, which is saturated with special oils with an unusual smell, it is recommended to comb the pet regularly throughout the body, including ears and tail.
You can also bathe your pet with special shampoo, which can be prepared at home. To do this, use any pungent essential oil, such as lavender or grapefruit. Four drops of this product are mixed with castor oil, which is the base oil and is used so that the pet does not have burns on the skin. Liquid soap and a small amount of glycerin are added to this mixture. When bathing with such a shampoo, it is necessary to monitor the reaction of the animal - if it begins to itch strongly, it must be washed well with clean water and stop using the product in the future.
Eyewitness reviews
Many eyewitnesses already know: if they are bitten by a flea, what to do in the first place, since they have repeatedly encountered this problem. Very often spending holidays on the seas, living in recreation centers, you can encounter such a nuisance as flea bites. People recommend taking the Rescuer with them and treating the bites if necessary. This contributes to their rapid healing and elimination of unpleasant symptoms.
Outdoor enthusiasts are also faced with the problem of flea bites when they go camping and sleep in tents. They claim that after the defeat, severe itching appears, which is difficult to ignore. But, as you know, you can’t comb wounds, especially in the absence of basic sanitary conditions. In this case, every tourist should know how to anoint the bites of fleas , so that the itching passes faster. Those eyewitnesses who used Diphenhydramine noted that this remedy helps to relieve symptoms quite well and quickly, but it has one side effect - you want to sleep from it.
As you can see, there is nothing complicated. The main thing is to take action on time.