As spring melts into summer in our corner of Arkansas, we are bound together as one because we’ve been outside. Therefore, we itch. Our yards, fields and woods host a robust community of ticks and chiggers, and where there’s water there are mosquitoes – all industrious creatures with needs and wants and families, and if they accomplish their appointed missions, we’ll all itch.
This firsthand folly focuses on natural remedies to ameliorate itching so we don’t scratch ourselves raw. There are other causes of itching such as psoriasis, eczema, poison oak and dermatitis, for example, and the remedies discussed here might work on those conditions as well. There are plenty precautions a person should take to avoid predation by the little suckers mentioned, as they pose health risks to be taken seriously, but there are useful natural products to ease itching caused by pesky bug bites.
What to do
First of all, try to avoid scratching itchy spots because it might damage the skin and prolong discomfort. Average adult humans have about 20 sq. ft. of skin which can itch where it becomes irritated. Itching, technically called pruritis, is a response to something touching nerve endings or blood vessels. The natural reflex is to scratch where it itches, except scratching leads to further itching which triggers more scratching. It is a valiant and challenging demonstration of self-discipline not to scratch, so if necessary you can sit on your hands or wear oven mitts.
Instead of scratching, keep your fingers busy applying one of these remedies:
- Green clay, also called bentonite or montmorillonite clay, mixed with a bit of water becomes like paste. Dab a bit on the bite and let it dry or use a piece of gauze to make a clay pack.
- Apple cider vinegar applied by a cloth or cotton ball to the site acts as an antiseptic to soothe itching. It can also be mixed with the green clay.
- Witch hazel is a shrub that grows around here, and contains natural astringent properties that soothe itching and reduce swelling and redness. The bark, twigs, and leaves contain tannins and polyphenols that can be distilled to make witch hazel tonics. Apply where needed.
- Baking soda mixed with water and made into a paste can be applied to the bite to relieve itching. It also draws out possible infections. Another option would be to pour a cup of baking soda into a warm bath and soak awhile. Cornstarch can be used the same way as baking soda.
- Colloidal oatmeal, or finely ground or steel-cut oatmeal, contains potent antioxidants called avenathramides, which mixed in with bathwater will also work to assuage pruritis. This is a common treatment for chicken pox. You can also make a poultice, as with baking soda, and apply locally on tick bites.
- Peppermint leaves made into a tea or poultice is recommended because it cools and soothes the skin, and the menthol in the leaves is an anti-inflammatory. Just rub leaves onto the skin, or think ahead and freeze peppermint leaves in ice cubes and rub a cube on the bite to numb the area and reduce swelling. Thyme leaves contain similar anti-inflammatory properties.
- Basil leaves contain eugenol, a substance that numbs nerve endings where itching takes place. Fresh leaves rubbed on a bite become a topical anesthetic, or a dab of the tea made from the dried leaves, once cooled, will also soothe the irritated spot.
- Cloves also contain eugenol, so they can be used similarly to soothe itching.
- Juniper berries (which are not berries, but female seed cones) have been used medicinally since ancient times, and Native Americans made salves to relieve skin irritations and heal wounds. A home remedy would be to grind them with cloves and mix with melted beeswax and butter to make a healing salve.
- Flowers of calendula, a member of the marigold family, are used in many herbal products for the skin because of the soothing, anti-inflammatory effect. Flowers can be steeped in olive oil (or almond or sunflower oil) for three or four weeks to make a healing oil, or the same end result can be achieved by packing a jar with the petals and oil and heating the jar on low for awhile. Filter the oil through cheesecloth and apply where needed. People allergic to marigolds or chrysanthemums should use caution with calendula oil.
- Aloe vera is better known for its use on burns and sunburns, but it’s also is useful for tick and chigger bites. Opening a leaf and rubbing the gel on the skin has an immediate soothing effect.
- The volatile oils in lemon juice contain anti-inflammatory and anesthetic compounds, so squeeze some where it itches.
- A common garden weed is yellow (or curly) dock. It is in the same family as rhubarb and buckwheat. The dried root made into a powder is used for a variety of internal complaints, but a poultice of dock is effective for soothing skin irritations. Legend holds that wherever nettles grow in the wild, dock will grow nearby as a vulnerary for the nettle rash. Also, the juice from the stems or leaves can be squeezed onto an itchy spot for quick relief.
- Also sprouting up in almost every garden is chickweed. It has been said the leaves of chickweed soothe everything they touch, and they are edible. Simply grab two or three handsful, soak them in water and apply to the afflicted area. This, of course, would be awkward if the itchy area is the upper thigh.
- An interesting remedy for itching came from The Herb Book by John Lust. He suggested a regimen of applying bean mea l– a paste made from ground-up dried beans – to the bites, rinsing off with chamomile tea and applying the paste again.
Every generation has folk remedies for treating itches naturally. Broad-leaf plantain is another common weed in our neighborhood that might provide quick relief for itching and swelling from insect bites. Burdock root and soapwort are also mentioned, and there are many more. There are shelves and shelves of ointments and salves made by pharmaceutical companies for treating pruritis, but some folks might choose the antidotes growing all around us as humans have done for centuries. They are worth a try, and not only will the itching subside, you’ll smell like an apothecary shop. That’s a good thing.