Coping with Springtime Nuisances
Spring Brings with It Annoyances like Splinters and Fire Ants
Feb 25, 2009
Old-time home remedies are often the best way to go with springtime nuisances like fire ants and jellyfish. No, you really aren't supposed to have someone urinate on your jellyfish bite. For what to do, read on.
Look Out for Splinters
Spring means fewer clothes and increased bare skin perfect for picking up splinters from sitting down at a wooden picnic table, or on an old deck chair, or from just handling the wood for the barbeque.
Splinters are especially hard on kids: all that poking around with the needle looks worse than it feels. To prevent infection and stop the pain, however, they must be removed. One less painful way to ease it out from under the skin it to let warm water do the work. Give the affected area a good 10-to-15 minute soak. This causes the wood to swell, causing the splinter to pop out on its own.
If the soak doesn't do the trick, put an ice cube on the splinter. This helps numb the area so that the removal doesn't hurt as much.
It is important to have the right tweezers for the job. Be sure to cleanse them first in isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Apply a good dose of hydrogen peroxide to the splinter itself while you're disinfecting. It will clean the wound and lift out any flecks of debris.
Fire Ants
Seek medical attention immediately if you have any of these symptoms: severe chest pain, severe sweating, slurred speech, loss of breath, serious swelling or nausea. These could be the result of an allergic reaction.
Avoid scratching the pustule, which can lead to infection. Do not break open the pustules. Even if they are thoroughly cleaned, you run the risk of infection and scarring. Just leave them alone
- After washing the bites, quickly apply one of the following:
- baking soda and water (thick paste)
- bleach and water (half and half)
- meat tenderizer and water (thick paste)
- ammonia
- crushed aspirin (thick paste)
- salt (thick paste)
- Tea Tree oil
- Alternately apply for five minutes: cotton ball soaked in ammonia, followed by a cotton ball soaked in peroxide. Continue for 20 minutes.
These can reduce the pain and itching. You can carry a small spray bottle of one of these mixtures with you to use immediately if you know you will be in an infested area.
Apply an ice cube to reduce pain and itching.
Jellyfish
Jellyfish are one of the most common stinging marine animals. Their long tentacles contain stinging cells. When they brush against you, these cells pierce your skin and release a poison. If you should have a close encounter with one, here are some suggestions.
Most stings and cuts are minor, and you do not need to seek emergency care unless you experience vomiting, nausea or intense swelling. Also, seek help if you have trouble breathing. The jellyfish venom is painful but usually harmless unless you swim in the South Pacific where bites can be fatal.
First things first. True or false: Applying urine is the answer to jellyfish stings. Answer: False. It is ineffective and can leads mostly only to embarrassment. The first order of treatment is to apply vinegar.
Scrape the tentacles out from the skin the way you would scrape out a bee stinger. A credit card works well for this. Don't try to pull them out with your fingers or you will inject more venom into the skin. You can make this easier by putting some baking soda or shaving cream on your skin. Rinse only in saltwater. Fresh water will activate any stinging cells that have not already ruptured. Do not rub the skin for the same reason.
Neutralize the stinging cells by rinsing with one of the following:
- Vinegar - Splash on as soon as you can. Make a 50-50 mixture with salt water.
- Ammonia - can also be effective.
- Alcohol - Rubbing alcohol is preferred but any kind will do in a pinch.
- Meat tenderizer - It contains an enzyme that deactivates venom protein and it can help prevent the rupture of stinging cells. Dissolve it in saltwater and pat on.
- You can also use a paste of baking soda and saltwater.
- Purify with peroxide.
Finally, relieve the itchy skin with antihistamines. Reduce the swelling with hydrocortisone cream. Take pain reliever if pain persists.
Forewarned is forearmed. Be like the Boy Scouts. Have a wonderful spring, but be prepared.
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