The summer is over, but recent rains have kept the mosquitos around. So how to stop mosquito bites from itching? Here are 3 specifics you can do right now.
No one likes being bitten by a mosquito.
From feeling that first initial sting and looking down to see the insect park on your skin with its teeth stuck in you, to the days afterward that are full of itching and discomfort, one thing is certain: we’d all prefer if they simply disappeared.
Unfortunately, however, that won’t be happening any time soon. Mosquitos can pose real problems year-round, regardless of where you live, whether you own your home, or how old you are. It’s an unfortunate fact of life that you’ll nearly always have to deal with them in some capacity or another.
That said, here’s how to stop mosquito bites and minimize your discomfort and stop your mosquito bites from itching:
Symptoms of Mosquito Bites
Not everyone realizes they’ve been bitten by a mosquito right away. Sometimes, it takes the itching to flare up for you to even notice anything has happened. By this point, you don’t even know it was a mosquito; all you know is that you’ve been bitten by a bug. Understandably, this can cause quite a panic until you figure out which insect has assaulted you.
Here are the top mosquito bite symptoms you should watch out for:
- Raised red bump/bumps
- Swelling, pain, or itching that is extremely localized
- For those allergic to mosquito bites, you may experience fever and more severe inflammation. If you begin having trouble breathing, be sure to seek medical attention immediately.
Risks of Being Bitten by a Mosquito
Like any insect, mosquitos can carry some pretty nasty diseases. Some of these include:
- West Nile Virus
- Rift Valley Fever
- Dengue Fever
- Chikungunya Fever (CHIK)
- Malaria
- Chagas Disease
- Louis Encephalitis
This is not an exhaustive list of mosquito-borne diseases by any means, and it doesn’t include any of the illnesses that they can transmit to pets like dogs, cats, horses, cattle, etc.
More than that, though, the bites can also open you up to infection, which comes with its own host of issues.
If you start to have headaches, fever, chills, etc. or notice any changes in your normal health after being bitten by a mosquito, we recommend consulting a doctor immediately.
In the Moments After Being Bitten
Any time you get a mosquito bite, you should respond immediately by washing the area with soap and water.
The redness and itching caused by the bites are a result of your immune system responding to the insect’s saliva, so doing this will help stop the problem before it starts (or at the very least minimize the duration and severity of the bite). It will also help to minimize the risk of infection.
You may also consider applying a cold pack or ice cube to the area to prevent swelling and inflammation.
In the Days After Being Bitten
Just because you responded to the bite immediately doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods yet. The biggest thing to remember as the mosquito bite runs its course is to AVOID SCRATCHING IT.
While it may feel nice at the moment, scratching at mosquito bites further aggravates the skin and causes more inflammation, in addition to increasing the histamine response that is causing the itching in the first place. Not to mention, over-scratching vastly increases the risk of infection and reopens the skin, prolonging the period that the bite will be causing issues. So how to stop mosquito bites in the first place?
Past that, you can apply some anti-itch or antihistamine ointment onto a bandaid and cover the bite with it to help prevent the urge to scratch and decrease the itching itself.
How to Stop Mosquito Bites?
The most common option for preventing mosquito bites is to use insect repellant or citronella, but this doesn’t always work. Not to mention, the repellant easily wears off within a few hours, leaving you vulnerable to those blood-sucking insects.
The best way to prevent mosquito bites is to eliminate the mosquitoes around your property. This can be done very easily with a mosquito treatment service tailored to your property’s needs.
If you’re unsure of what type of servicing your property needs, we recommend contacting one of our pest control technicians for a free consultation and quote. We’re dedicated to keeping the all of Venice and Sarasota Florida safe, and that all starts with you.