Anyone who has ever accidentally sat on an ant hill or an ant trail knows that this can be really unpleasant. Many ant species defend themselves with an acid that can burn the skin terribly. Here you can find out which acid it is, how the ants get it on or into the skin and whether an ant attack is dangerous. You will also find tips on how to quickly get rid of the unpleasant burning and tingling sensation.
How ants defend themselves against attackers
If ants feel threatened, they will defend themselves. It can be enough to get too close to their nest. Anyone who deliberately or accidentally touches it is always perceived as an attacker. Depending on the ant species, the little creatures defend themselves in different ways: some of them have a stinger with which they try to penetrate the skin. Others bite small wounds into the skin with their powerful mouthparts. Still others have developed an acid that they can spray out of their abdomen.
The latter include, for example, the red wood ants, which build the familiar mounds in our native forests. If you approach their dwellings and look closely, you can see how the little animals stretch their abdomen towards the intruder. If you don’t keep your distance quickly, you will feel the formic acid.
How dangerous is formic acid?
Formic acid is unpleasant, but not normally dangerous. The concentration of formic acid that an ant can excrete is relatively low. The effect is therefore usually limited to slight skin irritation, redness, itching and burning.
However, the situation is different if a large number of animals spray with acid at once or if a person is particularly sensitive to formic acid. This can lead to swelling, severe skin irritation or, in rare cases, systemic allergic reactions.
What to do about formic acid on the skin?
If you have been bitten, stung or sprayed with acid by an ant, it can be quite unpleasant. The skin burns, tightens, itches and reddens. Often there is also a tingling sensation. If larger areas are affected, temporary numbness may also occur. These symptoms usually disappear within a few hours or days. We recommend that you also use mint oil, which is also used in our SILICIUM QNUPI roll-on. Mint oil is known to soothe and cool the skin. The vegan oil mixture also contains silicon, olive oil and oregano oil.
Neurological symptom: tingling “like ants on the skin”
The so-called “formication” is not caused by real ants. This symptom is described as a tingling sensation on the skin. It is often accompanied by a feeling of numbness or a general lack of sensation in various parts of the body. These symptoms are also referred to as paraesthesia. For many patients, the symptoms occur mainly at night and deprive them of sleep. These causes may be behind the tingling:
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Nerve compression or damage: Prolonged sitting or standing in a position that puts pressure on nerves can cause temporary formication. Chronic conditions such as a slipped disc or nerve damage from diabetes can also cause tingling.
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Deficiency symptoms: A lack of magnesium or B vitamins can lead to nerve dysfunction and thus also to ant tingling.
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Circulatory disorders: Tingling can occur when nerves and tissue are not supplied with sufficient oxygen and nutrients.
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Neurological diseases: Nerve diseases such as multiple sclerosis, stroke or polyneuropathy are also among the possible causes of tingling and formication.
If you notice these symptoms frequently, you should see a therapist or doctor who can find out the causes and the appropriate treatment.
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