Red Fire Ant Bite Remedy

The aggressive red ants or red fire ants inject a type of venom when they bite exposed human skin. The sting will cause severe itching and burning sensation. The skin affected by the bites would appear red. An infection may develop a few hours or several days after the bite and the skin may swell and form pustules or blisters.

The red ant bites normally aren't deadly. However, individuals especially children who are allergic to bites and stings may experience severe reactions such as breathing difficulty, low blood pressure, cramps, vomiting and rapid heartbeat. If these symptoms occur, you must seek medical help.

Fire Ant Bite Remedy - How to Treat Fire Ant Bites

1. Once you have removed the stinging ants by brushing them off with a cloth or glove, wash the affected area with antibacterial soap and water thoroughly. Dab the affected area with equal parts of water and food grade hydrogen peroxide right after washing it and wash it off after that.
   
   
   
2. Place an ice cube pack wrapped around a cloth or towel for 10 minutes to reduce itching and pain.
   
   
   
3. Apply an antiseptic on the affected skin to protect against infection. Natural herbal extracts that you can use include tea tree oil and calendula oil. You can also use onions because onions produce antiseptic and antibacterial activities. Cut the onions into half and rub it on the affected skin.
   
   
   
4. Crush a few aspirins to form powder and mix with water to make a paste. Apply this paste on your skin and cover it with a plastic and fasten it with a band aid or a safety pin. Aspirin contains salicylic acid which helps reduce pain, inflammation and swelling.
   
   
   
5. As an alternative, you can use white willow bark as poultice. White willow bark contains salicin which is a chemical similar to aspirin. Other herbs that are used for fire ant bite remedy are plantain herb leaves, aloe vera juice and papaya juice. Papain is used in meat tenderizer so your next option is to apply it on your skin.
   
   
   
6. Another option is to use baking soda. Make a thick paste by mixing the bicarbonate soda with water. When using poultice, leave it for about an hour and repeat the process every few hours until the swelling and itching subside.
   
   
   
7. Avoid scratching and rubbing against your clothes or sheets. It would cause more burning, rupture of the white pustules and deep infection. To release the itch, apply tiger balm ointment. It contains clove bud oil and mint oil which act as an anti-irritant and have anesthetic properties.
   
   
   
8. Applying emu oil may also relieve itching and reduce inflammation. Emu oil has anti-inflammatory properties and is soothing to the skin. The oil which is obtained from the fat of the emu bird has been used by the Aborigines of Australia to relieve insect bites and stings for thousands of years. You can also apply coconut oil, oil of oregano, apple cider vinegar or plain white vinegar to provide relief from red fire ant bites.
   
   
   
9. If you get stung while on a camping trip, use the campfire ashes as first aid relief.

Fire Ant Bite Remedy - How to Prevent Red Ant Bites

1. If you know that you are allergic to bites and stings, always bring along a bite and sting first aid kit.
   
   
   
2. Watch out for red ant mound to avoid disturbing it. They are usually found on lawns, fields and pasture. But they don't necessarily build anthills. They also build nests at the base of trees, under slabs, bricks, logs and at electrical wirings.
   
   
   
3. If you have diabetes, don't walk barefoot in open fields because red ant bites may cause secondary infection.
   
   
   
4. Get rid of fire ant mound on anthill if you find one around your home.

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