One of the best parts about living in the Knoxville area is all of the fun outdoor opportunities, especially in the summertime. Whether you are laying in the grass near campus or are exploring one of the many parks in town, you are bound to come into contact with bugs.

Bugs can be a nuisance in and of themselves, but they can be even more frustrating if you get bitten or stung! Allergic reactions are possible at any point, even if you have not previously been bitten.

Read on as our AFC Urgent Care Chapman Highway team explains some common bug bites and what they can feel like.

What Does a Tick Bite Feel Like?

Unfortunately, you may not even feel when a tick bites your skin. Ticks are really small and their saliva actually contains a numbing agent, which helps them avoid detection. You probably won’t notice it is on your body until you run your hands over your skin or see it embedded. The site around the bite will be red and raised, and the tick will be sticking out of your skin.

Once you discover the tick, your main goal should be removing it promptly. While not all ticks are carrying Lyme disease, there is no way of knowing at the moment if the tick that is attached to you is diseased. If you can get it off of your skin before it has been attached to your skin for 36 hours, you have a good chance of avoiding getting sick.

How to Remove a Tick Efficiently

• Use a clean tweezers and pull slowly and steadily away from the skin.
• Do not twist as you pull.
• Take a picture of the tick.
• Dispose in the garbage in a piece of tape or flush in the toilet.
• Wash your hands and the bite site thoroughly.

Do Mosquitoes Sting You?

While it might seem like a quick and painful stinging sensation, mosquitoes are looking to ingest your blood, not sting you for protection. Mosquito bites are often small, red and itchy bumps on your skin. They will probably be itchy for a few hours, but the bump will fade in a day or two.

Stings from bees or wasps require a bit more immediate attention. If you think you got stung by something, remove yourself from the area and inspect the sting site. The reaction will probably be painful and can turn a large area of your skin red and irritated. If you aren’t sure what stung you or if it is the first time you have been stung by a particular insect, keep an eye on how you feel. Serious allergic reactions can progress rapidly so do not hesitate to seek medical attention if you start to experience any of the below symptoms.

Signs of a Severe Allergic Reaction

• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling of the throat and tongue
• The appearance of hives or flushed skin
• Loss of consciousness or fainting

If you are ever worried about an animal or insect bite, come see us at AFC Urgent Care Chapman Highway.