I have been bitten by red ants and my foot is very swollen and tight. I've been putting on ice on it and taking Benadryl. Any other suggestions? Thank you.
By kathy from Charleston, SC
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We lived in Charleston for 4 years to separate times while in the navy so I got familiar with those terrible things which we called fire ants. My daughter stepped in them at age 5 and was bothered by a hurt foot for 2 weeks. And we carried them back to our home town state in Tn once in an old tire which we tried our best to kill them. I'm glad we are not around them now. Those mounds got almost a foot high in some places. Here is a site telling how to treat them when bit> hope you feel better. Also stay cool(your body until you get rid of them>it helps!
I don't know if it will help now, but in the future if you are bitten cut an onion and rub all over the bites. They will not be as bad. This has worked when my daughter was covered in fire ants at 3 yrs old and also when I was stung 27 times in the face by a swarm of honeybees.
Upon being bit by red ants, immediately turn your garden hose on and spray legs /feet with the cold water as long as you can stand the cold, this eliminates swelling and itching,than take Benedryl and perhaps apply some gold bond anti itch cream liberally. Works for me and we do have lots of red ants in East Texas!
I've a Corgi and he is constantly scratching himself and has itchy skin, as did the other one I had. Alto treatred with steriods to no avail, and medicated shampoo, bathed regularly to no avail.
Every year all of us in East Texas battle small cockroaches----fumigation and roach traps help but still here they come.
Any suggestions you have to rid us folks of them would be helpful.
If you immediately rub the bites with a banana skin they will not itch or even blister. I use this on my 2 yr old granddaughter!
I think I got this from someone at this site. It really does work and I always keep at least one bottle handle for it. Just take Clorox Bleach and water added to a spray bottle. I guess I do mine about half and half.Put in a Spray Bottle and spray on bitten areas. We have fire ants real bad and you know how they hurt. Give a few minutes and pain, itch and no blisters. Angelheart
I get the same reaction when getting stung by those little darlings. We get armies of them here, too. You mentioned taking Benadryl already--which is what I do, but you may also want to get some topical Benadryl cream and slather that all over the area.
Next time it happens ( and you can bet it will with these rotten little ants--they are insidious!) as someone else here already said, get as much water on the area as possible for at least fifteen minutes to try to flush the venom out, take the Benadryl orally and get the topical cream on ASAP.
If you have an aloe vera plant (everyone should have at least one), put the gel on your bites. Aloe has been used for thousands of years for all kinds of skin problems. I use it on any bites I or my dog get, and it takes the pain away almost immediately. My vet once told me it contains an antibiotic, a cortisone-like substance and a topical anesthetic. Wonderful plant!
I hear white vinegar works on bites. I've used it on spider bites. I would get a large amount of white vinegar, pour into a bucket & warm it somehow. Make sure you ventilate the area, then soak it. On the bites themselves, you can rub vinegar into the skin & surrounding area & let dry. You can do it as often as you can. Get some potassium & take it with some sea salt, like maybe 100mg potassium & 50-100mg of sea salt (sodium). Don't use table salt except to maybe kill weeds in your yard. The potassium & the sodium will balance the excess liquid in your body.
You should see a doctor. Sounds like an allergic reaction.
Put tea tree oil on it, all over. It will take away the pressure and relieve the pain. I use it on everything, especially for tooth aches.
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