Symptoms, treatment, prevention and more

Horse flies live throughout North America and are active in wooded areas and near water during the hot months. They will bit all mammals, including humans. Their bite is generally quite painful, making it an undesirable addition to summer activities.

Horse fly bites look like and feel similar to the bites of other flies and other spicy and biting insects. You can have a bite or more bites at the same time. Symptoms usually last a few days before the bite improves or disappears.

Horse -flying bites generally have these symptoms:

• Intense and sudden pain at the time of the bite
• Bosse or round and flattened welding
• WELT or WELTS that can be large or small
• A clear point in the center where the bite occurred
• Itch
• Redness
• Swelling

Some people are allergic to a protein from the saliva of horse flies. These people may have more serious symptoms, such as a larger area of swelling and inflammation, dizziness and whistling breathing.

In rare cases, people can feel serious, potentially fatal allergic reaction Backings of horse flies called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis symptoms include:

• Cough
• Tightness
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea and vomiting
• Swelling of the mouth and respiratory tract
• Difficulty swallowing

If you feel signs of anaphylaxis, Get emergency medical care.

Horse flies bite people for a reason: to eat. While male flies feed on pollen and nectar, horses flies feed on blood. They will sometimes bite you several times in a short time and can hunt you at a short distance in order to obtain a full meal.

Pain and other symptoms are due to the way horses are biting. Unlike mosquito bites, which have a needle -shaped puncture, the oral pieces of horse flies tear the skin and their saliva prevents blood clotting.

Risk factors

If you spend time outside in hot weather, you may be bitten by a horseshoe. Some things increase this risk, such as being near areas where horse flies reproduce or live, in particular:

• Body of water, like pools, lakes, oceans and rivers
• Wooded areasEspecially if there are marshes or streams nearby
• Farms with cattleespecially larger animals such as horses and cows

Horse flies are also more active on sunny days without much breeze, so spending time in direct light when there is no air flow can increase your risk.

A health care provider can diagnose a horse bite by examining your skin and discussing your symptoms, including pain at the time of the bite, and your possible exposure to horses of horses.

Most horses’ flies go away alone after a few days of basic home care. You can treat a horseshoe bite by Cleaning the area with soap and soft waterThen treat individual symptoms such as itching and swelling. Symptom treatments include:

• Over -the -counter steroid cream that you apply to the bite
• Antihistamines you take by the mouth
• Ice that you apply for 10 to 15 minutes at a time throughout the day

Try not to scrape the bite when it itches – it can introduce bacteria and increase your risk of infection.

This tips can help reduce your chances of being bitten:

• Wear an outdoor insective, especially during the day and the summer months.
• Avoid the beaches surrounded by wetlands or marshes, or stay close to the shore near the ocean.
• Wear protective clothes, such as shirts and light pants, when you spend time near areas where are horseshoe flies.
• If possible, choose to spend time outside on more windy or less sunny days, when horse flies are less active.
• Make sure you have properly installed window and door screens without gaps or holes.
• Avoid leaving stagnant water areas around your property.

Most horses of horse flies heal alone without any complications. But until the bite heals, check your skin regularly for signs of infection. These include worsening symptoms, heat or red streaks on your skin near the bite.

In the United States, species generally do not transmit viruses or human bacteria. However, Rare bacterial disease called Tularemia Can be transmitted by all biting flies, including horses of horses. It causes pseudo-Grippal symptoms, including fever, chills, muscle pain and headache. Most people with tularemia are recovered with antibiotic treatment.

Horse flies are aggressive insects with a painful bite. Active during the summer, they reproduce in wet and warm areas such as marshes, streams, ponds and beaches. Redness, itching and swelling similar to other insect bites are common symptoms of a horseshoe bite. Some people are allergic to their saliva and may have a more serious allergic reaction.

You can treat the itching and swelling of a horseshoe bite with ice, antihistamines and over -the -counter steroid creams. Try to avoid horsepower flies during the summer months by wearing insective or protective clothes and remaining away from the areas where they reproduce.