First Aid For Insect and Spider Bites and Stings

Jul 23, 2011
Albert Burchsted

Jewelweed - Albert Burchsted

Home remedies can reduce swellings and pain by neutralizing or drawing venom from the bites and stings of insects and spiders.

People often experience the stings of bees, wasps, and scorpions; bites of mosquitoes, flies, ants, and spiders, centipedes, ticks, lice, mites, scabies, chiggers, and other arthropods. In temperate climates, these insults occur primarily in the spring, summer, and autumn; but people living in tropical areas can be exposed at any time of year. Home remedies are often effective means of treating these aggravations and may reduce the use of environmentally unsound antibiotics and pharmaceuticals.

Prevention

As always, preventing bites and stings is better than curing them. With this intent, one should dress appropriately when going outside:

Wear loose fitting clothing that covers legs, arms, and torso, yet is thin enough in warm months to allow evaporation of perspiration,
Tuck or gather cuffs and tuck shirts into waist bands to impede insects from crawling under clothing and biting.
The use of a natural repellant such as crushed mountain mint, buttonwood, or spicebush leaves and stems, oil of peppermint, or Avon's "Skin so Soft" help some people.
DEET-free commercial repellants provide good protection.
Commercial repellants containing DEET are most effective, but are greasy, may irritate tender skin, or may cause extremely sensitive people to become ill.

When Repellants Fail

Even the best repellants will not protect against animals that do not normally feed on humans. When bitten or stung by scorpions, centipedes, spiders, bees, ants, or wasps, it is important to seek immediate medical help if the victim is allergic to the bites or stings. For non-allergic people, the following can alleviate the pain and reduce inflammation and tissue damage.

Ice can be applied as soon after the bite as possible to be most effective.
A paste of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), meat tenderizer (papain), or epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) mixed with water and applied directly to the affected area helps neutralize small injections of acid- or enzyme-based venom, and relieves itching caused by the saliva of biting insects. A few drops of water added to a teaspoon (30g) of powder makes a thick paste that adheres to the skin.
Bathing the site with raw cider vinegar often relieves stinging and the heat of inflammation.
Menthol containing salves, aloe leaf gels, and extracts of jewelweeds (Impatiens sp.) and/or Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) quench the itching and inflammation of bites.

Recipe for Knotweed or Jewelweed Extract

Chop three feet (1 m) of the stems of Japanese knotweed (up to 1/2 inch [1cm] thick) or the stems, leaves, and flowers of jewelweed. Both plants may be extracted together as their modes of action are complimentary. In this case, use two feet (70 cm) of each plant and increase the water by half.
Boil two cups (500 ml) of water in a non-metal cooking vessel (three cups [750 ml] if using both species).
Cover and boil for fifteen (15) minutes until the liquid is reduced by half (to one cup [250 ml]).
Remove from heat and cool. Filter the plant material from the liquid and store in a glass container in the refrigerator up to a week or freeze as ice cubes and store in an air tight container indefinitely.
Soak a clean cloth or gauze large enough to cover the affected area.
Place the cloth on the area for one to three hours.

Bentonite Clay Poultice

For more serious bites and stings, a poultice made of Bentonite (Fuller's) clay is often soothing and helps heal the injury. Bentonite clay can extract toxins from the venom, add minerals to the tissues that aid in healing, and soothe the itching and inflammation caused by the attack. A very effective poultice can be made from the following recipe.

Materials:

1 Tbsp (90 ml) Bentonite clay powder
1 tsp (30 ml) epsom salts
1:1 mixture of Knotweed/Jewelweed extract (recipe above) and raw apple cider vinegar
or
aloe vera gel

Preparation:

Place Bentonite clay and epsom salts in a round-bottom glass or ceramic mixing bowl.
Add an equal volume of the extract and vinegar mixture.
Stir to form a smooth paste that is slightly fluid, adding more liquid or clay to achieve a semi-fluid consistency.

Use:

Clip or shave any body hair from the target site. If left in the skin, they will pull painfully as the poultice is removed.
Apply the poultice generously to the area, making it between 1/4 inch (5 ml) and 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick.
Cover the poultice to protect clothing if necessary, else leave the poultice exposed.
Allow to sit on the affected area for one to four hours. The extract and vinegar keep the mixture somewhat soft for most of this time. If more than the edges dry out, the poultice is ready to be removed.
Wash the area well to remove all traces of the poultice.
As the poultice may cause temporary reddening of the skin and increase sensitivity, gently massage coconut, olive, almond, or grape-seed oil into the affected area after removal.

The beauty of these home remedies is that they can be used in conjunction with medical interventions (such as antibiotics, anti inflammatories, and physical therapy) as long as the skin is not grossly ulcerated. They soothe, remove toxins from the pores, and relieve irritation caused by removing bandages, clothes rubbing on the affected area, and body movements. For many people these treatments also soothe the pain, itching, and irritation of poison ivy, psoriasis, shingles, chicken pox, and other dermatitis conditions.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.