Here a Bite, There a Bite

It's spring and I'm sure you're spending a lot of time out in the garden. Not only that, summer is just around the corner. And you know what that means!

The bugs are out (or about to be out) in full force. And they're only going to get worse.

I don't know about you, but bugs love to eat me alive. I'm definitely a mosquito magnet, spider magnet, ant magnet, biting fly magnet (what's with those anyway?)...everything magnet. Does that mean I'm sweet?

Not so sure about that. But it never fails that when I'm outside gardening, on a hike, or just sitting out enjoying the outdoors with friends, I will come in with bites everywhere...or I'll come in BECAUSE I'm getting bitten.

Here a bite, there a bite, everywhere a bite bite!

Not only can those bites be annoyingly itchy, but sometimes they can do some real damage to the skin or cause allergic reactions.

Luckily with homeopathy, I know how to tame those bites quickly and prevent them from becoming a huge problem.

You can too!

Here are my favorite homeopathic medicines for those pesky bug bites.

Made from the honey bee, Apis mellifica is a homeopathic medicine that is one of the top two medicines that most every student of homeopathy knows to be useful for helping bug bites.

The types of bites that would respond best to this medicine are those that are of a stinging nature. It only makes sense because honey bees...STING!

It's also very useful for edematous swellings that are better from cold applications. So think of what might happen to someone who is stung by a bee. The area will swell. So ANY bug bite that has a fluid-filled swelling appearance to it would call for Apis mellifica.

I like to keep this remedy on hand in 6c, 30c, 200c, and 1M potencies. For most generalized bug bites for which I would choose this remedy, I would use a 6c or 30c potency every hour or two as needed. However, if there are signs of a more serious allergic reaction, I'd reach for one of the higher potencies and use it every few minutes if needed.

This is a little lesser known homeopathic medicine for bug bites. But it's a heavy hitter!

Made from carbolic acid, this medicine can tackle allergic reactions to bee stings. It's especially useful when the person starts to feel very ill and there's swelling of the face and tongue. The bites can appear very similarly to Apis mellifica which I talked about above.

Have Carbolicum acidum in a 30c or 200c potency and use it frequently (minutes apart) while on your way to the emergency room. You might not need to go in because homeopathy can be powerful enough to stop an allergic reaction, but you want to get there in case you do need further attention.

This medicine is made from Histamine. And what are reactions to bug bites? Histamine reactions!

While Histaminum is not technically used homeopathically (similar symptoms) and instead used isopathically (exact symptoms), it can still be a very good remedy for bug bites.

When bites have that typical histamine reaction of redness, burning, and itching, then reach for this medicine in a 6c or 30c potency and take as needed (this may be minutes or hours apart).

This is the second of the two top remedies most people will use for bug bites. It is made from Wild Rosemary. The key feature of this medicine is that it's useful for ANY puncture wound.

So think about it. What happens when a bee stings you? Or a mosquito bites you? They PUNCTURE the skin. They poke a hole in you.

If any bug bite itches but doesn't really look swollen, then think of Ledum in this instance.

This is my favorite of them all, and it's the one that works best for my family and I. We keep it in bulk quantities in the 200c potency and use it hourly when we've been attacked by mosquitos and are super itchy.

Urtica urens is made from Nettles, oftentimes called Stinging Nettles. So again, we can see why this could make a fantastic bug bite medicine.

Bites that would respond well to this medicine are stinging in nature, itchy, and edematous. Someone might describe the sensation as a prickly feeling or a feeling as if there are ants crawling on them. And a tell tale sign that this could be a very appropriate medicine is that the skin may develop hives or a blotchy appearance.

I like to use Urtica urens in a mother tincture or in a 6c or 30c potency. In some instances, I will alternate this remedy every few minutes with Apis mellifica and/or Histaminum if bites or blotchiness appears all over the body. I've had to do this with my son twice and it worked like a charm fairly quickly.

Be sure you add all of these medicines to your holistic medicine cabinet. You'll want to be well prepared BEFORE bites occur.

As I always say, there are many other homeopathic medicines that could be used for bug bites, but these are some of my favorites and ones I find to be most useful.

As always, I hope you'll share this information with friends and family members that may need it.