Bites And Stings!

Animal, Insect Bites and Stings.

Natural remedies and Cures:

Everybody in their day-to-day life faces the chance to be bitten or stung by animals and insects like dogs, snakes, bees, mosquitos, spiders ants and many more. While it is easy to laugh and find humor in bites and or stings, the truth of the thing is, they are never a laughing matter. When the bite or injury is minor alternative treatment practitioners provide a wide variety of drug free home remedies for fast relief of the pain and swelling.

Actually my favorite herbal remedy to instantly relieve the pain and itch out of a sting or bite is plantain. Plantain is a very common weed loaded with tannins. These chemicals act as astringents, tightening the skin and other tissue so that the irritation and inflamation are reduced and the infection is also drawn out of the skin.

Plantain is a very common weed that grows just about everywhere, especially where the soil is damp, heavy and shaded. It grows 6 to 18 inches high, although it can be flat to the ground in areas where it is mowed regularly and where there is heavy traffic. It's roundish, waxy, dull green leaves are 3 to 4 inches long with deep parallel veins that run from top to bottom. The leafs stem cups inward like a trough. From the early part of summer to midfall the plant sprouts green pipe cleaner like flower spikes.

PLANTAIN:

If you're bitten by a bee or bitten by a mosquito and you see any plantain nearby, grab a few of the leaves and rinse them off, then put them in your mouth, chew them up, then put the chewed wad of the plantain right on the bite for instant relief. The bite or sting will a lot better emmediately. You could also rub the leaves in your hands until the juice of the plant is released then apply the juce to the affected area.

For dog bites scrub the area of the bite with soap and water to clean the area as thoroughly as possible. To make a poltice, puty a handful of rinsed plantain leaves in a blender add a few drops of hot water and blend. Put this mixture right on the bite area, then put gauze over the herb and apply heat, such as a heating pad or hot water bottle. Apply the heat source for 20 to 30 minutes. Try to change the poultice 3 or 4 times a day.

Now if the bite is on one of your limbs, you can soak the bite area in cooled plantain tea for 10 to 15 minutes 3 or 4 times a day. To make the tea, add 1/4 cup of dried plantain leaves to a quart of boiling water, cover and steap for about 20 minutes.

HOMEOPATHY (Apis Mellifica):

This home remedy for pain and swelling is made from crushed bees and is great for a real red puffy bee sting that feels better with ice and worse with heat. For the pain and swelling, take 2 pellets of the 12C or 30C potency evry 3 to 4 hours on the day of the sting, then repeat as needed. When you take this remedy, dissolve the pellets under your toungue.

OLIVE LEAF:

An extract of olive leaf is believed to be an infection preventing, naural antibiotic. It likewise helps reduce inflamation, making the bite less painful. Just take tablets or capsules as soon as the problem occurs and till the wound has healed, and folowing the dosage recommended on the label.

BENTONITE CLAY:

Even after a dog bite heals, some of the body damaging toxins can be left behind in your skin. To help remove these toxins, prepare a poultice of bentonite clay (look for"food grade" on the label) , it is a natural substance that helps to remove impurities from the body.

Add just adequate water to 2 tablespoons of the clay to make an easily moldable paste. Cover the bite with the paste, then cover the paste with guaze, and then tape the guaze in place. Leave the paste on for 30 minutes, repeat this twice a day for 4 days.

URINE (for jellyfish stings):

As bad as it sounds the best way to quickly stop the pain and begin healing from a jellyfish sting or the wound from stepping on the barbs of a sea anemone is one of the best things you can do.

The acid PH of the urine immediately dissolves the barbs and the venom that those animals inject into your skin, it offers fast pain relief. Apply the urine in whatever way that makes sense; for example you could collect your urine in a glass and then just sponge it on.

REMEMBER any animal bite, even if it is superficial, should be thorougly cleaned to prevent infection. If bitten by a dog or other domestic animal, especially if it was an unprovoked attack or if the animal is obviously sick and the bite breaks the skin, the animal must be checked for rabies.

If the bite is from a squirel, racoon or other wild animal, assume that it is rabid and seek medical attention immediately. And while bites from large animal such as a horse or camel may look benign, they should be examined by a surgeon.

Most insect bites and stings can be treated at home, but there are certain situations there are times when medical intervention is required. If you are stung by an insect or marine animal and you atart to have breathing problems; develop hives that travel up your arm, leg or the whole body; or if you feel faint, vomit, or have a swollen mouth or tongue, you may be having a body wide allergic reaction which could cause your airways to swell shut. Get to the hospital immediately.

If there is any sign of infection you need to see a doctor also, take no chances.