Q. I was cured of terrible itching from mosquito bites all over my back. My Moroccan friend squashed a ripe avocado and rubbed it on the bitten area.
The relief was sweet, instant and permanent. Have you ever heard of this Old World treatment?
A. We’ve never heard of this unusual remedy. The medical literature has no clues as to why it would work, but it certainly is innovative and doesn’t seem dangerous. It could be quite messy, though, so we’re not sure how many other people will want to try it.
Readers have reported relief from the itch of a mosquito bite with various other remedies. They include application of juice from plantain leaves, sap from a bracken fern, Vicks VapoRub, Listerine, Cepacol, vanilla extract or soy sauce.
A brief application of heat, in the form of hot water, a heated spoon or a Therapik device, often interrupts the itch signal and offers hours of relief.
