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Identifying Fire Ant Bites: Swollen, Itching, Treatment, Relief And Remedies
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Published: August 15, 2007
Just about everyone has had their fair share of encounters with ants, some worse than others. What some people do not know is certain kinds of ants will bite a human if given the opportunity, and it is smart to know what to look for when identifying ant bites. The type of ant most notorious for biting humans when agitated is the fire ant.
Identifying ant bites is important for anyone who frequently comes into contact with ants, especially fire ants. Identifying ant bites with immediacy aids in the treatment and healing of the area.
When identifying ant bites, one can usually assume the bite came from a fire ant. Fire ants puncture the skin with their teeth and inject venom beneath the skin. Unfortunately a fire ant does not die after one sting; a single fire ant can continuously bite a person numerous times even after they have used up all their venom. According to Fireant.net, as many as 20 million people are bitten by fire ants annually. The only good thing about identifying ant bites is they are physically noticeable, so one who is bit will know when it happens. He or she will be able to actually see the punctured area when identifying ant bites.
The first step in identifying ant bites is a burning or itching sensation in the area where the bite took place. When identifying ant bites, one should carefully examine the area of the skin that is itching. Normally, the wound will become swollen and form a white pustule within a few hours. After identifying ant bites, one should immediately seek treatment. If left untreated, a red ant bite may lead to infection. It is also important not to scratch the area no matter how bad the itching sensation is. Repeatedly scratching the swollen area may cause the wound to break open, which can result in permanent scars. After identifying ant bites, the next step is to seek treatment and clean the wound to prevent serious itching.
The remedy for treating the area after identifying ant bites is quite simple. The first step is to move away from the area where contact was first made with a fire ant, and to remove clothes or kill any remaining fire ants on the body. A person should then use soap and water to clean the area of skin bitten; this is done to clean any remaining venom off of the skin. The remedy for disinfecting the bite requires ordinary rubbing alcohol, which is to be directly applied to the wound. If the area is not yet swollen, one should elevate the wound to keep the swelling down. Another method is to hold ice on the wound for at least a few 10 minute intervals.
Sometimes a more drastic solution needs to be utilized when treating and identifying ant bites. Using diluted bleach is one remedy for cleaning the area, as is calamine lotion or an Enzyme cleaner. These methods should take care of cleaning the wound, but do not always help with relieving the itching sensation.
One treatment for ant bites is any ointment specially designed to treat itching or burning of the skin. However, sometimes the ointment remedy is not enough and further treatment measures have to be taken. Further treatment may require the use of a topical spray or even pills, which are to be taken orally. After identifying ant bites and taking all the necessary precautions, if the wound continues to itch or remains swollen, one should then consult a doctor.
Ants are no doubt a pest, but a fire ant is a force to be reckoned with. Identifying ant bites should be a wake up call to a person that an area they were in contains fire ants. To prevent being bitten in the future, one should do whatever it takes to steer clear of an area infected with fire ants or to exterminate them. At least identifying ant bites is the easy part; getting rid of the ants is the more difficult task.
Sources:
"The FireAnt Bite." 1996-2005. FireAnt.net. 9 Aug. 2007. http://www.fireant.net/Bites/.
"How to Treat a Fire Ant Sting." eHow, Inc. 9 Aug. 2007. http://www.ehow.com/how_2023909_fire-ant-sting.htm l.
"Treatment for a Hot Time- Fire Ant Therapy." 26 April 2007. Medical University of South Carolina. 9 Aug. 2007. http://www.muschealth.com/healthyaging/fireant.htm .
When identifying ant bites, one can usually assume the bite came from a fire ant. Fire ants puncture the skin with their teeth and inject venom beneath the skin. Unfortunately a fire ant does not die after one sting; a single fire ant can continuously bite a person numerous times even after they have used up all their venom. According to Fireant.net, as many as 20 million people are bitten by fire ants annually. The only good thing about identifying ant bites is they are physically noticeable, so one who is bit will know when it happens. He or she will be able to actually see the punctured area when identifying ant bites.
The first step in identifying ant bites is a burning or itching sensation in the area where the bite took place. When identifying ant bites, one should carefully examine the area of the skin that is itching. Normally, the wound will become swollen and form a white pustule within a few hours. After identifying ant bites, one should immediately seek treatment. If left untreated, a red ant bite may lead to infection. It is also important not to scratch the area no matter how bad the itching sensation is. Repeatedly scratching the swollen area may cause the wound to break open, which can result in permanent scars. After identifying ant bites, the next step is to seek treatment and clean the wound to prevent serious itching.
The remedy for treating the area after identifying ant bites is quite simple. The first step is to move away from the area where contact was first made with a fire ant, and to remove clothes or kill any remaining fire ants on the body. A person should then use soap and water to clean the area of skin bitten; this is done to clean any remaining venom off of the skin. The remedy for disinfecting the bite requires ordinary rubbing alcohol, which is to be directly applied to the wound. If the area is not yet swollen, one should elevate the wound to keep the swelling down. Another method is to hold ice on the wound for at least a few 10 minute intervals.
Sometimes a more drastic solution needs to be utilized when treating and identifying ant bites. Using diluted bleach is one remedy for cleaning the area, as is calamine lotion or an Enzyme cleaner. These methods should take care of cleaning the wound, but do not always help with relieving the itching sensation.
One treatment for ant bites is any ointment specially designed to treat itching or burning of the skin. However, sometimes the ointment remedy is not enough and further treatment measures have to be taken. Further treatment may require the use of a topical spray or even pills, which are to be taken orally. After identifying ant bites and taking all the necessary precautions, if the wound continues to itch or remains swollen, one should then consult a doctor.
Ants are no doubt a pest, but a fire ant is a force to be reckoned with. Identifying ant bites should be a wake up call to a person that an area they were in contains fire ants. To prevent being bitten in the future, one should do whatever it takes to steer clear of an area infected with fire ants or to exterminate them. At least identifying ant bites is the easy part; getting rid of the ants is the more difficult task.
Sources:
"The FireAnt Bite." 1996-2005. FireAnt.net. 9 Aug. 2007. http://www.fireant.net/Bites/.
"How to Treat a Fire Ant Sting." eHow, Inc. 9 Aug. 2007. http://www.ehow.com/how_2023909_fire-ant-sting.htm l.
"Treatment for a Hot Time- Fire Ant Therapy." 26 April 2007. Medical University of South Carolina. 9 Aug. 2007. http://www.muschealth.com/healthyaging/fireant.htm .
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