Why does inflammation occur? “Your body is mounting an immune response,” says Mount Kisco, New York-based dermatologist David Bank, M.D. This means your body is trying to fight off a foreign substance (your saliva). “How you respond is largely determined by your immune system,” Dr. Bank explains.
What are the symptoms of insect bites?
“Everyone has a different reaction to mosquito saliva,” says Dr. Farhang. “Most people experience redness, swelling, and itching at the bite site, but some people experience a more severe hives-like reaction (also called welts or wheals) due to an allergic reaction.” She adds that the swelling and itching may last longer if you’re in a new place (with a new type of insect), in a new season, or if you haven’t been bitten in a while.
Of course, not all nasty bites are mosquito bites. The most common biting pests in summer are spiders and ticks. Spider bites can occur both indoors and outdoors, but symptoms vary slightly. “Symptoms of spider bites include localized pain, itching, redness, swelling, and a feeling of heat,” says Dr. Farhang. If you’re bitten by a venomous spider, you may experience additional symptoms, such as muscle pain, cramps, sweating, headaches, and ulcers. If that’s the case, visit an emergency room.
But you’ll notice the difference. “Spider bites are very rare,” adds Dr. Anar Mikhailov, a board-certified dermatologist in Burlington, Massachusetts. “Mosquito bites are multiple bites, whereas spider bites usually occur once. Like mosquito bites, spider bites can itch, but mosquito bites never hurt.”
Tick bites can cause mild symptoms such as swelling and pain, but usually do not itch. In many cases, there is no need to worry, but you should monitor for signs of Lyme disease, such as a bull’s-eye rash, fever, and fatigue. Fly and ant bites can also occur in the summer, but they are less common than mosquito bites and are characterized by pain and generalized symptoms rather than itching.
When should I see a doctor for an insect bite?
As a rule of thumb, any time you’re concerned your skin isn’t healing properly (if the swelling or itchiness isn’t gradually improving day by day or hasn’t cleared up after a week), you should see a doctor, says Dr. Mikhailov. If the skin opens up or develops an ulcer, a professional opinion is needed. “Even a simple bug bite can become infected if you scratch it too much,” adds Dr. Farhan.
If you have any flu-like symptoms, like fever or nausea, you should see a doctor (and if you’re having trouble breathing, go to the emergency room right away). You could be having an allergic reaction, or you could have been bitten by something else, like a deer tick, which carries Lyme disease. “Ticks are one of the best-known vectors for diseases like Lyme disease, encephalitis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, and babesiosis,” says Dr. Mikhailov.
What about mosquito-borne diseases?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionThere are more than 200 species of mosquitoes in the U.S., about a dozen of which carry disease. The most common bites are what the CDC calls “nuisance mosquitoes,” which don’t carry disease but are, as you might imagine, very annoying.
Source: Allure – www.allure.com
