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In the warmer, longer days of summer, you’ll find yourself wanting to spend more time outdoors, which means you’re exposing yourself to a plethora of insects including ticks, mosquitoes, and bees.
Some insect bites can cause a reaction that will leave your skin feeling itchy or covered in red patches.
Here are a few bug bites to look out for.
Ticks
Lyme disease is caused by bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted to humans through a bite from an infected tick. Your chances of getting lyme disease depending upon the kind of tick that bite you and where you were when the bite occurred, and how long the tick was attached to you. More cases of lyme disease have appeared throughout the United States, especially in the northern states.
Lyme disease causes flu-like symptoms such as chills, fever, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint pain. With most cases of the infection, a “bull’s eye” rash appears and can grow up to about 12 inches across.
What to do
If you feel like you’ve been bitten by a tick, the best thing to do is to grab a pair of tweezers and have a steady hand and try to remove the tick. If you suspect you have lyme disease, it’s imperative to seek medical attention to receive blood tests and treatment.
Mosquitoes
When it comes to enjoying the warm summer days, it seems as though misquote bites are unavoidable.
Mosquitoes inject a proboscis, which sucks up small amounts of blood and release anti-clogging agents. The immune system reacts by releasing a histamine, which causes the small itchy bumps that appear on your skin.
What to do
The best ways to prevent mosquito bites include staying indoors during the hottest times of the day, steering clear of standing water, wear light-colored long sleeves and pants when near an infested area, and utilize insect repellent. For immediate relief, try an antihistamine cream, aloe vera gel, witch hazel, to help with the itching and swelling.
Bees
While flowers and plants will make your backyard look beautiful, it’s a complete drag trying to dodge getting stung by a bee. The bee’s sharp, barbed stinger pierces the skin to inject venom called apitoxin, which in many cases, only causes minor pain and swelling at the sting site.
What to do
Treating bee and wasp stings depend upon the severity of the sting, and may require medical attention. Some steps you may need to take if you have an allergic reaction include removing any stingers immediately, applying ice to the sting site, taking an antihistamine or ibuprofen, washing the sting site with soap and water, applying hydrocortisone cream on the sting to relieve redness, the itchiness, and swelling.
If you develop an allergic reaction to a sting bite and you’re concerned, see medical help. AFC Urgent Care Stamford provides immediate relief for allergic reactions to insect bites seven days a week, no appointment necessary.
For more information about the services we provide, please call to speak with us at 203-969-2000.
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