How to reduce swelling and itching after being stung by an ant

When we are camping in the wild, ants may crawl onto us and sting us with small red and swollen lumps. Many people don’t know what to do in this situation, and some even let it develop. Although this may naturally reduce the swelling, if not handled properly, it may become more serious and cause damage to the skin. So when you find that your skin has been stung by an ant, you can learn certain methods to reduce swelling and relieve itching.

1. Apply realgar powder to the affected area

Method: Take 50 grams each of realgar and alum, grind them into fine powder, mix with tea water and apply to the affected area 3 times a day until healed. Effect: This prescription has the effects of detoxification, relieving itching, reducing swelling and relieving pain. It is suitable for skin inflammation caused by various insect bites.

2 Soak the powder of fleabane in wine and apply to the affected area

Preparation method: Grind 100 grams of fleabane into fine powder, soak it in 50% alcohol, and apply the powder to the affected area after 3-5 days, 4 times a day. Effect: This prescription has the effects of clearing away heat and detoxifying, reducing swelling and relieving pain. It is suitable for dermatitis caused by caterpillars and bee stings.

3. Apply soapy water to relieve itching

At home, you can apply strong soap to quickly relieve itching, or dip soap in water and apply it to the red and swollen areas. Function: Soap is the sodium salt of higher fatty acids. The sodium salt of this fatty acid is alkaline (containing OH-) after hydrolysis. The aqueous solution of formic acid contains H+. Since the OH- in the soapy water neutralizes the H+ in the formic acid, it can quickly eliminate the pain and itching.

4. Bloodletting

For areas with obvious swelling caused by insect bites, after routine disinfection, use a three-edged needle to prick the area to cause a small amount of bleeding, then use the flash fire method to cupping for 5-10 minutes to remove the bad blood. In most cases, recovery can be achieved in one treatment. Note: Applying garlic juice can also reduce swelling. Break a garlic clove and apply the cut surface to the mosquito bite. It will heal in a short while and also relieve the itching.

5 Things to note when bitten by ants

1. If the bite reaction is mild, with only a small blister, you can simply do some basic treatment at home. However, if the bite causes an allergic reaction and a large number of red spots or blisters appear, you should go to the hospital for medical treatment immediately.

2. If the situation is not serious, you can get up early and apply saliva to the area bitten by ants, or go to the pharmacy to buy calamine lotion and apply it to the affected area, which can relieve itching. If the redness and swelling are severe, it is recommended to use a universal burn ointment, which can eliminate the redness, swelling and pain soon after application. Ant saliva is acidic, and you can also apply soapy water or 3%-10% ammonia water or 5%-10% sodium bicarbonate solution externally.

3. If you are bitten at home, you must pay attention to the time and place of the bite. If you find that your home is seriously infested with ants, you must deal with it in time. The ants must be from outside, so you can buy special ant-killing medicine and sprinkle it around the house. This can prevent ant infestation for a period of time.