Outside and Bitten by a Tick? What Next? - Four Home Remedies for Your Tick Bite
Ticks are out in high numbers this year, which means more tick bites. While prevention is a great way to avoid the pain and illnesses a tick bite can bring, sometimes a bite is inevitable. In fact, a tick may catch you off guard while outside, where over-the-counter remedies aren’t available. After you have removed the tick, you can reduce your chance of infection through soap and water in a public restroom or with hand sanitizer in a pinch, but what about inflammation and the body’s histamine reaction, the main causes of tick-bite itching and irritation? There are a few on-the-spot,
“home” remedies you can try.
Ice
If you have a drink with ice in it, consider applying the ice for some relief. It is best if you can crush it and keep it in a baggy, but if you can’t, you just want to have a thin layer between you and the ice. That’s because MyHealth.Alberta.ca suggests applying the treatment “for 15 to 20 minutes once an hour” to numb the area and reduce inflammation.
No ice? Try holding a cold beverage against the area.
Salt
Do you have any of those salt packets left over from the drive-through? Well, NDTV Food lists it as one of its “8 Genius Home Remedies for Mosquito Bites That Really Work!” The old saying goes, “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” Well, often what works for one bug’s bite works for another’s. Salt is effective because “of its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.” So make a paste of salt and water and apply to your itchy tick bite.
Aspirin
My favorite solution makes use of a product many people keep on them—aspirin. Use just enough water to make a paste. Apply the paste to the bite and let it dry naturally.
According to an Advocate Health Care article, the acetyl salicylic acid in aspirin goes to work on the swelling and itchiness. However, I have tried this with acetaminophen or Tylenol and have had success as well. Less is more with the water when making this bug bite paste.
Mud
This final outdoor bug bite treatment method may sound gross, but generally it is always available, for there is always some mud or a water bottle and dirt around. Osas Obaiza’s “Stop the Itch” article says mud is “Mother Nature's natural skin care product and one of the oldest, proven remedies.” Using water, whip up a little of Mother Nature’s oldest remedy and apply to the skin for swift bug bite relief.
When you are caught outside, you don’t want to wait to make the tick bite stop itching and swelling. You won’t always have an over-the-counter antihistamine ointment available, but you may have ready access to ice or a cold drink, salt, aspirin, or mud. These simple and cheap household remedies help when you are in a fix, but proper prevention can reduce your tick bite incidences. B&B offers a free initial consult and non-toxic solutions to help you tackle the tick population.
If you live in #Fairfield, #Norwalk, #Darien, or the three Ws—#Weston, #Westport, and #Wilton—and are interested in becoming a customer, call Chris at 203.434.3279.
PLEASE NOTE: These home remedies are for meant to treat tick bites. None of these are cures for Lyme Disease. Please consult a physician immediately if you find a tick or show any symptoms.