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EPSOM SALT COMPRESS:
Thanks for having such a great site for information. It's
sorely needed out there. I wish every school, business and first
aide station had up to date info on bites.
I recieved an unidentified bite a year ago - several "test
bites" (what the heck was THAT?) followed by what felt like a
red hot pin.
Location: inguinal (left side crotch 1/2 way between bikini
line and middle of pubic hair - ouch)
One hour later, very little irritation.
Next morning, "ingrown hair" looking spot
24 hrs. fried egg looking swelling and tenderness - area the
size of my hand raised and tender, area the size of an egg yolk
hard, hot and really painful, small blister in the middle.
I tried applying a hot compress to bring it to a head - BIG
mistake
3 days - red streaks radiating across my abdomen, hot,
swollen, tender, purple
The nice people at the emergency room lanced the swelling
(which didn't produce nuthin' even after a great deal of fishing
about) and put a bandage on it. I was advised that if it healed
over too soon they would put in a drain. Sent home with
antibiotics.
Over the next couple of days I couldn't lift my left leg -
not painful, just wasn't going to happen. After that pain in
joints, numbness in my fingers and worst of all was the
headache. Like a migraine but worse. It stayed open for a couple
of weeks.
After dealing with the pus and a hole the size of 1/2 a golf
ball, the site has healed and now itches sometimes but no pain.
One year later: happened again.
This time I put an ice pack on immediately for a half hour
followed by a epsom salt compress. My great grandmother would
use them for all kinds of bug bites.
Wrap up a handfull of epsom salts in gauze or tee-shirt (dry)
and bandage over bite, moisten it thoroughly but not drippy.
Wrap with a damp cloth and cover with an ace bandage. Be careful
not to wrap too tight and keep it damp. Apply ice pack over this
off and on. I left this on for 24 hours. When I removed the
bandages, you could see the outline of the swelling with the
salt pack "un"swelled in the middle. The bite site underwent the
blister phase then I was left with a small hole the size of a
pea which healed up very nicely. I still had the joint pain,
numbness, headache (yowzer!) and fuzzy brain issues, but did not
have the massive infection and subsequent necrotic tissue.
I've spoken to some "old folks" and medical people about this
and everyone agreed in their own language that the "pizen got
drawed out". I'm trying to find any contraindications beside the
obvious (child, elderly, poor circulation, immune deficient,
diabetes..)
The hardest part is having friends and neighbours scoff at my
advice and ignore the bite until 7-10 days later. Eeeewww. See a
doctore or be prepared to suffer for a long time - maybe
lifelong. thanks for listening. sf
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