What are the signs of a toxic reaction to an insect or spider bite? How can you treat bug bites and reactions at home, and when should you seek medical attention? Get the answers to these questions and more in this comprehensive guide.

Recognizing Different Types of Bug Bites and Stings

Insects like mosquitoes, flies, bees, and wasps can leave behind annoying bites and stings. Crawling bugs, such as bedbugs, spiders, ticks, and fire ants, can also be bothersome. While it’s not always easy to identify the culprit, there are some telltale signs that can help:

• Bedbugs: Bedbugs will leave behind red, itchy, welt-like marks on your body.
• Fire ants: Being stung by red fire ants outdoors will result in an intense burning sensation at the bite sites, lasting for hours or days.
• Flying insects: Stings or bites from flying insects like bees and wasps will typically cause itchy red bumps that clear up within a day or two. Black fly bites can leave small puncture wounds and cause allergy-like reactions.
• Spiders: A harmless spider bite will feel like a pinprick and develop into a small red mark that may resemble a whitehead.
• Ticks: Tick bites can lead to two types of rashes: a red bullseye rash that requires antibiotics for Lyme disease, and a red rash made of tiny dots indicating a Rocky Mountain spotted fever infection.

Home Remedies for Mild Bug Bites and Stings

Many bug bites and stings are more of a nuisance than a serious health concern. For these mild cases, there are several home remedies that can provide quick relief:

1. Apply witch hazel, a natural astringent, to the bite.
2. Cut an onion or garlic bulb and apply the cut side to the bite for a few minutes.
3. Ice the area with crushed ice for five minutes.
4. Make a paste of oatmeal and water or baking soda and water, apply it to the bite for 10 minutes, then wipe it clean.
5. Place a drop of honey on the bite and cover it with a bandage.
6. Soak a washcloth in a mixture of cold water and vinegar, and hold it on the bite for 20 minutes.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Bug Bites and Stings

While many bug bites and stings can be treated at home, there are certain situations where it’s best to seek medical care:

• If you are unable to fully remove a tick from your skin.
• If the bite or sting site appears red, hot, and swollen, which could indicate an infection.
• If you notice red streaks, spots, dimpling, or persistent tenderness around the bite or sting.

Ignoring a bug bite can lead to a serious bacterial skin infection called cellulitis, which requires antibiotics. Contact your doctor if you see any concerning signs or symptoms.

Recognizing the Signs of an Allergic Reaction

In some cases, a bug bite or sting can trigger a severe allergic reaction that requires immediate medical attention. Watch for the following symptoms and seek emergency care if they occur:

• Breathing problems
• Choking or coughing
• Cramps
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Fever
• Flu-like symptoms (body aches, joint pain)
• Headache
• Large, swollen hives
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pain in the chest
• Racing heartbeat
• Swollen face, lips, or tongue
• Tight or closing throat

Understanding Toxic Reactions to Insect or Spider Venom

In some cases, the venom from an insect or spider bite can cause a more severe, toxic reaction that requires medical attention. Symptoms of a toxic reaction may include:

• Severe pain or burning at the bite site
• Swelling that extends beyond the immediate area of the bite
• Redness and warmth around the bite
• Blistering or necrosis (tissue death) at the bite site
• Fever, chills, and other flu-like symptoms
• Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain
• Muscle cramps or spasms
• Difficulty breathing

If you experience any of these symptoms after a bug bite or sting, seek medical care immediately, as a toxic reaction can be life-threatening.

Preventing Bug Bites and Stings

While it’s impossible to completely avoid bug bites and stings, there are some steps you can take to reduce your risk:

• Use insect repellent containing DEET or other active ingredients when spending time outdoors.
• Wear long sleeves, pants, and closed-toe shoes when hiking or spending time in wooded areas.
• Avoid wearing strongly scented lotions, perfumes, or other products that can attract insects.
• Check for ticks after spending time in grassy or wooded areas and remove them promptly.
• Eliminate standing water around your home, as this can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

By understanding the different types of bug bites and stings, knowing when to seek medical attention, and taking steps to prevent them in the first place, you can help ensure a safe and enjoyable summer outdoors.

Treating Bug Bites and Reactions

You probably coexist every day with bugs without much fuss. That is, until you feel a little bite or sting. Bug bites and stings are often harmless and simply irritating. There are also plenty of home and over-the-counter remedies to take the sting away.

Sometimes though, a bug bite or sting requires a visit to the doctor or hospital. Here’s how to know when it’s time to seek medical care.

Bug bite reactions

Flying insects like mosquitoes, flies, bees and wasps can be annoying. Crawling bugs, such as bedbugs, spiders, ticks and fire ants, are also bothersome. It can be tough to figure out what insect bit or stung you. There are a few telltale signs though, including these:

• Bedbugs: If bedbugs bite you indoors, you’ll develop red, itchy, welt-like marks on your body.
• Fire ants: If you’re stung outdoors by red fire ants, you’ll know it from the intense burning sensation at the bite sites. This lasts a few hours or days.
• Flying insects: If you get a sting or bite from a flying insect, you’ll usually get itchy red bumps that clear up in a day or two. There are many different flies, but black fly bites leave small puncture wounds and cause what seems like allergic reactions. Bees and wasps leave their stingers or they fall off your skin right away. This leaves a red mark.
• Spiders: When a harmless spider bites you, their small fangs feel like pinpricks. The bite will turn into a small red mark that may look like a whitehead.
• Ticks: If you get a tick bite, look for two rashes. One is a red bullseye rash, which requires antibiotics for Lyme disease. A Rocky Mountain spotted fever infection needs immediate treatment. This looks like a red rash made of tiny dots.

Home remedies

Some bites and stings look and feel worse than they are. A red, swollen mark shouldn’t alarm you unless you have other symptoms. Treat swollen bites and stings on your body with a medicine from your local pharmacy. You can rub these directly onto your skin. Consider a hydrocortisone cream or ointment that takes away the itchiness and reduces swelling. An oral antihistamine can also work. This is a medicine that reduces the itch.

You can make quick home remedies that can offer immediate relief by simply using items in your kitchen. These ingredients have germ-fighting and anti-swelling properties. Typically, you’ll want to minimize the itching and swelling by doing the following for a bite or sting:

• Apply witch hazel, a natural astringent, to the bite.
• Cut any onion, or a garlic bulb. Apply the cut side to the bite for a few minutes.
• Ice the area with crushed ice for five minutes.
• Mix a paste of oatmeal and water, or baking soda and water. Keep it on the bite for 10 minutes. Wipe it clean.
• Put a drop of honey on a bite. Cover this with a bandage to minimize messes.
• Soak a washcloth in a mix of cold water and vinegar and hold it on the bite for 20 minutes.

When to see a doctor

There are certain times a doctor should handle stubborn marks from a bite or sting. For example, if a tick bites you, but you can’t fully remove it, see a doctor. If the site of the bite or sting appears red, hot and swollen, see your doctor. This could be an infection.

Ignoring a bug bite can lead to cellulitis, a common bacterial skin infection that needs antibiotics. Contact your doctor if you see red streaks, spots or dimpling or feel tenderness that won’t go away.

Bon Secours has many telehealth options to help you treat any pesky bug bites or stings this summer. Our video visits and Evisit services allow you to connect with one of our primary care providers from the comfort of your own home.

When to go to the ER

Head to your nearest hospital emergency room if you feel the following symptoms after a bug bites or stings you. You may be allergic to the insect that you encountered and need immediate medical care.

• Breathing problems
• Choking/coughing
• Cramps
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Fever
• Flu-like symptoms (body aches, joint pain)
• Headache
• Large, swollen hives
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pain in your chest
• Racing heartbeat
• Swollen face or lips and tongue
• Tight or closing throat

Learn about the health care services offered at Bon Secours.

Bites, Burns & Stings | Arlington Urgent Care

Insect bites and stings happen, especially if you spend any time outdoors.
The symptoms of insect bites can vary depending on the severity of the
body’s reaction to the insect’s venom and the type of bug
that bites you. So how do you know when a bug bite is more than just a
nuisance and requires medical attention?

Appointments are not needed, but if you’d like to schedule one you can
call us at (817) 799-7273 or contact us online.

The Thorough Care You Need

In most cases, a bug bite will go away on its own after a couple of days.
However, there are times when they can actually pose a danger to your
health. This is why it is important to educate yourself about the bugs
and insects common in your area and which ones may cause you harm. It
is also a good idea to learn how to treat insect bites and stings on your
own for the quickest relief.

Here at
Urgentology Care, we treat all adults and children over 12 months of age for a wide range
of insect bites, burns, and stings. Insects are a common part of everyday
life in Texas. If you have sustained a bug bite or sting and you are worried
it may be poisonous, please come into our urgent care clinic. We are open
until 7:00 p.m. every weeknight and 2:00 p.m. on the weekends, allowing
us to treat patients for a wide range of bites, stings, and burns that
happen after hours.

When Should I Go To Urgent Care?

Insects are usually harmless, but some people have insect allergies, which
could lead to mild or severe allergic reactions. Unfortunately, individuals
react differently to insect bites when they are allergic, so it is important
that you know your body and what to watch for. Mild allergic reactions
to insect bites or stings may result in hives, itching, and pain around
the site. It can also cause blisters around the bite or sting and make
your eyes itch.

More severe reactions will show up in a matter of minutes after you’ve
sustained a bite or sting and may carry the following symptoms:

• Swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat
• Difficulty breathing
• Nausea, cramping, diarrhea, or vomiting
• Hives
• Blisters
• Dizziness
• Loss of consciousness
• Muscle spasms
• Increased or irregular heartbeat

What Insects Cause Allergic Reactions?

Some of the most common insect bites, burns, and stings we treat here at
Urgentology Care include:

• Mosquitos
• Biting flies
• Spiders
• Bedbugs
• Yellowjackets
• Honey bees
• Paper wasps
• Hornets
• Fire ants

If you are suffering from a mild insect bite or sting, please come into
Urgentology Care right away.