What you need to know about a horsefly bite. Symptoms and treatment

So summer has come. We again break out of stuffy apartments and enjoy the sun. And what a pleasure it is to run through the dew in the morning, sit with a fishing rod on an evening dawn, find a strawberry glade or simply sunbathe and swim in the river. However, a pleasant rest is often interrupted by a horsefly bite. This dangerous insect can significantly spoil life and disable it for several days.

So, what is horsefly, is its bite dangerous for a person and how to protect yourself from it? We will answer these and many other questions below.

Interesting facts from the life of horseflies

Horseflies are a type of gnat (dipteran blood-sucking insect), for the reproduction of which the blood of a person or animals is necessary. Their number and species composition depends on climatic conditions and time of year. The favorite habitats of bloodsuckers are forests, banks of rivers and lakes, parks with dense vegetation, pastures. Often found in the steppes and deserts, on the streets of large cities.
Active years of horseflies, similar to large flies, begin in late June. Insects are very fond of hot and calm weather. Their smell of sweat and a wet body is especially attractive.

It is interesting. Only female horseflies bite at the time of breeding. Male individuals feed exclusively on plant nectar.

Most often in Russia there are three types of bloodsuckers:

1. Bull flies. The size of these dark brown flies ranges from 10 to 25 mm. They prefer forest edges and pastures, breed near rivers and swamps, laying eggs in the grass.
2. Raincoats. Smaller insects (10–15 mm) are especially active before rain. Their wings have a marble pattern.
3. Lacewing (variegated). Medium-sized (10–11 mm) flies of dark gray color with a yellow abdomen. The wings of males are black, those of females are transparent, with a dark pattern. They prefer the banks of rivers and lakes.

Very often horseflies are called gadflies, not seeing the difference between them. It's a delusion. Gadfly belongs to the group of parasitic flies and do not drink human or animal blood. Their mouth organs are underdeveloped and incapable of feeding. In appearance, the gadflies resemble bumblebees.

How does a horsefly bite manifest itself?

Horsefly is a rather large insect and it is difficult not to notice its approach. However, most often this is exactly what happens. A person catches himself only at the moment of a bite, feeling sharp pain and burning. The trunk of the female is equipped with many razor-sharp stilettos that not only pierce, but cut through the skin.

The first symptoms of a horsefly bite develop very quickly. The area around the wound in the eyes turns red and swells, a painful itching appears. Chills may occur, sometimes the victim complains of body aches and dizziness.

Attention. After a few hours, the symptoms become more pronounced. The bite of a horsefly is itchy, a seal appears around the wound, and swelling grows.

An anticoagulant injected with horsefly at the time of skin damage often causes the body's immune response. Children and people prone to allergies are especially prone to such a reaction. In recent years, even a single bite is increasingly causing a lot of problems and requires medical treatment.

If the attacks of the bloodsucker were of a multiple nature, the well-being of the victim after a while noticeably worsens. In this case, symptoms of general intoxication of the body develop:

• headache;
• chills;
• nausea and vomiting;
• increase in body temperature;
• loss of consciousness.

If such signs of malaise appear, you must call an ambulance or consult a doctor yourself.

Swelling - the main symptom of a bite

It is edema that gives the victim the most torment. It is always accompanied by redness, soreness and severe itching. In people with thin and delicate skin, and most often these are women and children, the swelling quickly grows to enormous size, becomes hot to the touch and acquires a dense texture.

Swelling after a bite of horsefly lasts for several days and often turns into a bruise. Its severity depends on the individual characteristics of the person, the size of the sucked insect and the time spent on the body.

In persons with a tendency to allergies, edema takes on pathological forms. It is not limited to the site of damage and nearby tissues, but extends to the entire affected limb.

The consequences of a horsefly bite

Residents of modern cities do not often encounter these bloodthirsty insects. Therefore, not everyone knows how much a horsefly bite passes and what it can lead to.

To begin with, all people are different. The next day someone forgets about meeting with a bloodsucker. Usually these are men who experience discomfort only in the first few hours after a bite.

It is much harder for women and children. Thin, delicate skin and a high susceptibility to antigens contained in saliva leads to prolonged resorption of edema. All symptoms disappear only on the 5-7th day.

But there are exceptions. In isolated cases, after a bite of a horsefly, serious consequences develop:

1. Enlargement of nearby lymph nodes.
2. The formation at the site of the lesion of a painful cone that resolves for a very long time. Such symptoms are characteristic of children.
3. Infection of the bite site with subsequent inflammation and suppuration. Most often develops after combing the wound.
4. Allergic reaction. It is observed in the first hours after a bloodsucker attack. Usually passes independently, but sometimes requires specific treatment. The manifestations of allergies are very diverse, so let's talk about them separately.

In people with poor blood coagulability, the wound may bleed for some more time after itching and swelling have passed.

Allergy as a bite complication

In recent years, an allergy to horsefly bites has become a fairly common occurrence. The most susceptible to such a reaction are people who already have a history of a tendency to autoimmune processes.

Attention. The risk group also includes children and persons with immunodeficiency. Imperfection or damage to the immune system leads to the penetration of saliva antigens into the general bloodstream and the development of powerful autoimmune reactions.

An allergy with a bite of horsefly manifests itself as follows:

• skin rash of the type of urticaria that occurs throughout the body;
• decrease in blood pressure;
• profuse sweating;
• nasal congestion;
• dyspnea;
• vomiting

In severe cases, anaphylactic shock may develop. This situation occurs extremely rarely and requires urgent medical attention.

What else is the danger of a horsefly bite for a person? Female gnats, being bloodsuckers, can act as carriers of anthrax, helminthic invasions, trypanosomiasis, tularemia and other diseases.

First aid for a bite of horsefly

Horseflies do not come across to us as often as mosquitoes, but the consequences of their bite are much more serious.Therefore, it will not be superfluous to know how to behave properly after meeting with them:

1. The bitten place must be crushed with a solid object. You can take a coin or just press the wound with your finger.
2. Wash the affected area with cool water and soap and treat with any antiseptic.
3. To reduce pain and swelling, apply an ice pack.
4. Eliminate itching and redness will help lotion from drinking soda or applying a special cream.

Tip. If horsefly has bitten an arm or leg and the limb is swollen, heavy and hot, it is necessary to take an antihistamine.

Horsefly Bite Treatment

If the victim was not provided with first aid in a timely manner or it did not bring the desired effect, it is necessary to carry out drug treatment of horsefly bites. Therapeutic measures are usually resorted to by people at risk. As a rule, medical assistance is not required for everyone else.

Pharmacy products

An integrated approach is used to treat bites. It includes lotions, ointments and systemic therapy drugs:

1. Antihistamines - Suprastin, Zyrtec, Claritin. With severe edema, intramuscular administration of drugs is possible.
2. Compresses with Dimexide, ammonia, baking soda, diphenhydramine.
3. Glucocorticoid-based anti-inflammatory ointments - Hydrocortisone, Trimistin, Prednisolone. The remedy for horsefly bites is abundantly applied to the affected area several times a day or ointment applications are made.
4. For better healing and reducing itching, local drugs are used - Rescuer, Bepanten, Panthenol, Fenistil-gel.

Tip. If suppuration of the wound has occurred or a painful bump has formed at the site of the bite, it is necessary to consult a surgeon. The doctor will open the abscess, cleanse the tissue and apply an ointment dressing.

Folk remedies

Very often, horsefly bites occur in the field, where there is no way to use pharmacy products. The victim has to be content with what is at hand. And I must say, medicinal herbs help no worse than patented medicines.

So, how to treat edema from a horsefly bite folk remedies? To the effect of herbal medicine was the best, it is necessary to choose plants with anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects:

• plantain;
• dandelion;
• mint;
• strawberry berries;
• yarrow.

Herbs must be well kneaded until the juice appears and applied to a bitten place.

Tip. If an unpleasant encounter with horsefly occurred on a garden plot, cabbage leaf can be used for treatment. Such a compress quickly relieves swelling, redness and itching.

Salt or vodka lotion helps a lot. Particularly desperate can dilute the salt in vodka, moisten gauze or tissue in the solution and apply to the bite at night.

What can not be done after a bite of horsefly

Above, we examined how to help a victim of a bloodsucker. Now briefly dwell on certain points that must be considered during treatment:

• Do not comb the wound and open the bite site;
• it is forbidden to apply warming compresses to the affected area;
• it is not recommended to take antibacterial drugs to eliminate edema and inflammation. In the absence of a secondary infection, they are useless.

If the bite of horsefly fell on a mole, in no case do not leave the situation unattended. Visit a doctor right away. Do not start local treatment without his permission. Damage to nevus cells can provoke their degeneration into a malignant form.

How to protect yourself from horsefly bites

The bite of a bloodsucker, of course, is not fatal, but it is better not to meet these dangerous insects. A few simple rules will keep you healthy and nerves:

1. Horseflies attack only on a warm sunny day. Consider this circumstance and be careful at this time.
2. Gnus loves dark color and an open body, so for walks in the forest, use a suit of light colors with long sleeves and trouser legs.
3. Repellents that should be applied to clothing and exposed areas of the body will help scare away bloodsuckers. People with individual intolerance to insecticides are recommended to use natural remedies with a pungent odor: essential oils, Golden Star balm.
4. Medicinal herbs with a tart aroma disorient and scare horseflies. The leaves of plants, crushed before the appearance of juice, can be used to lubricate unprotected parts of the body.
5. To prevent insects from entering the house, mosquito nets must be installed. It is recommended to cover the baby in the stroller with a special canopy. In the same way, you can protect the crib.

Tip. To reduce the number of bloodsuckers in the country, plant acutely smelling plants around the perimeter: marigolds, geraniums, mint and lavender.

We are part of the natural biosphere, in which we have to coexist with various organisms, including parasitic ones. There is no escape from this, which means that it is necessary to take all possible measures to protect against bloodsuckers. If the horsefly still bit, do not panic. That's not fatal. Timely and competent actions will help minimize the consequences of an unpleasant meeting.

Attention. The article is for guidance only. A specialist consultation is required.