Mosquito Bite Allergy - Mosquito Bite Swelling

There can be many reasons why you might get a mosquito bite swelling, however, it is usually an allergic reaction. If you move to somewhere new, you will often get some mosquito bite swellings, but after a few months or longer mosquito bite swelling will not occur. Sometimes it takes a lot longer for your body to build up a tolerance. Eighteen months, if you move to another country.

Mosquito Bite Swelling

Mosquito bites irritate because when a female mosquito bites you, she squirts saliva containing proteins and enzymes into the wound. This saliva has a number of purposes that we know of: it deadens the vicinity of the bite and makes your blood run more liberally (anti-coagulant). It may also include a mild antiseptic.

However, these proteins and enzymes are sooner or later picked up on by your body’s immune system (typically within 24 hours) and your body releases antibodies and histamines in an attempt to protect itself from the antigens that the mosquito has injected into the wound. These histamines are the real source of the itchiness from mosquito bites.

This is where the problem begins. Most individuals suffer from a little itching and a small hard swelling. This mosquito bite swelling is not what is meant by an allergic reaction, although it is actually an allergic reaction causing the mosquito bite swelling. True allergic reactions are much worse and often necessitate professional treatment. You will know if you are allergic.

Some people go on to become tolerant to mosquito saliva and hardly show any mosquito bite swelling at all. In my experience, this requires 18-24 months of being bitten day after day. It is not worth letting mosquitoes bite you in order to achieve this condition.

Mosquito Bite Allergy

While it is true that anybody that gets a lump and or an itch after having been bitten by a mosquito is suffering from an allergic reaction, that 'normal' lump and itch is not what professionals in the field call a mosquito bite allergy.

A real mosquito bite allergy is far worse and you will know that you have to see a doctor if you are truly allergic to mosquito bites.

It is a similar scenario with bee or wasp stings. Nobody likes getting stung by bees or wasps: it hurts, swells up and goes away. an allergic reaction, you might say. However, some people go into shock after being stung by a bee or wasp, sompe people go into a coma and some people die.

It is very rarely so severe with a mosquito bite allergy, but it certainly is far worse than the normal 'allergic' reaction. You would definitely know it if you had a mosquito bite allergy.