As soon as you've been stung by a bee, remove the sting and venom sac if it's been left in your skin. Do this by scraping it out, either with your fingernails or something with a hard edge, such as a bank card.
When removing the sting, be careful not to spread the venom further under your skin and don't puncture the venom sac. Don't pinch the sting out with your fingers or a pair of tweezers because you may spread the venom. If a child has been stung, an adult should remove the sting. Wasps and hornets don't usually leave the sting behind, so they could sting you again.
If you've been stung and the wasp or hornet is still in the area, walk away calmly to avoid being stung again. Most insect bites and stings cause itching and swelling that usually clears up within several hours. If local swelling is severe, your GP may prescribe a short course of oral corticosteroids , such as prednisolone, to take for 3 to 5 days.
If you have an allergic reaction after being bitten or stung, even if it's just a skin rash hives , your GP may prescribe an adrenaline pen an auto-injector and show you how to use it. You'll also be referred to an allergy clinic for further tests and treatment. If you develop blisters after being bitten by an insect, don't burst them because they may become infected.
Blisters don't usually cause pain unless they rupture burst and expose the new skin underneath. If possible, use an adhesive bandage plaster to protect the blistered area. See your pharmacist if the bite or sting fills with pus and feels tender to touch, your glands swell up and you feel unwell with flu-like symptoms.
Your pharmacist may prescribe oral antibiotics medicines to treat infections caused by bacteria. You'll need to take these as instructed, usually 2 to 4 times a day for 7 days.
If you have the symptoms of a systemic reaction SR , it could lead to anaphylactic shock. Anaphylaxis may need to be treated with an adrenaline injection, antihistamines, oxygen or an intravenous drip directly into a vein. If previous insect bites or stings have caused a large skin reaction, such as redness and swelling more than 10cm 4 inches in diameter, your GP may refer you to an allergy clinic.
The criteria for referring someone to an allergy clinic may vary depending on what's available in your local area. Immunotherapy desensitisation or hyposensitisation is a possible treatment option if you're allergic to wasp or bee stings. It involves being injected with small doses of venom every week to alter your body's immune response to venom.
You need to be observed after each injection to make sure you don't have an allergic reaction to the treatment. Over time, your body becomes used to the venom desensitised and you're no longer at risk of anaphylaxis.
When a high enough dose has been reached, the injections are given at four to six-week intervals for a further two to three years. Your allergist allergy specialist will decide how much venom is injected and how long the injections need to continue for.
This will depend on your initial allergic reaction and your response to the treatment. For more information about immunotherapy, see treating allergies. If you've been bitten by a tick, remove it as soon as possible to reduce the risk of getting a tick-borne infection, such as Lyme disease a bacterial infection that causes a pink or red circular rash to develop around the area of the bite.
If you suspect that you have a tick bite, complete our self-help guide to assess your symptoms and find out what to do next. Return to Symptoms. Next Review Date:. Avoid scratching the bite because it will cause further swelling and increase the risk of infection. Most tick bites will heal within three weeks. Read more about how Lyme disease is treated. Secondary bacterial infections are a common complication of insect bites and stings. They include:. An infection can occur if you scratch an insect bite or sting, or it may be introduced at the time you're bitten.
Infections are usually treated with antibiotics. Lyme disease is an infection caused by a species of tick known as Ixodes ricinus. Ticks aren't insects — they're small arachnids. Your risk of developing Lyme disease is increased if you spend a lot of time in woodland or heath areas as these areas are where tick-carrying animals, such as deer and mice, live. The initial infection is characterised by a red rash that gradually expands outwards from the site of the bite. Antibiotics are usually used to treat the infection.
If untreated, the long-term effects of Lyme disease include problems with the nervous system, such as:. The condition can also damage the joints, which can lead to arthritis and, occasionally, heart problems, such as inflammation of the heart muscle myocarditis and inflammation of the fluid-filled sac that surrounds the heart pericarditis. West Nile virus is an infection with flu-like symptoms that is spread by mosquitoes. There have been no reported cases of West Nile virus in the UK, but there have been cases elsewhere in the world.
Malaria is a tropical disease caused by an infection of the red blood cells. It can be transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. Each year, there are around 1, cases of malaria in travellers returning to the UK. A certain type of malaria caused by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum is potentially fatal. It accounts for more than half of all cases of malaria in the UK each year. It's particularly important to follow this advice if you've had a bad reaction to an insect bite or sting in the past.
Ticks are small arachnids that are mainly found in woodland areas. They attach to your skin, suck your blood and can cause Lyme disease. If you're bitten by fleas, mites or bedbugs, you may have an infestation in your home.
Try to find the source of the infestation before taking steps to eliminate it. For flea infestations, treat the animal, its bedding, household carpets and soft furnishings with an insecticide. Thoroughly vacuum your carpets and soft furnishings. For bedbug infestations, your home will need to be thoroughly treated with an insecticide by a reputable pest control company. See the GOV. UK website for details of pest control services and more information about how your local council can help with an infestation.
Seek medical advice before travelling to a tropical area where there's a risk of catching malaria. You may need to take antimalarial tablets to avoid becoming infected. When you reach your destination, make sure your accommodation has insect-proof screen doors and windows that close properly. Sleeping under a mosquito net and spraying rooms with insecticide will also help prevent you being bitten. Home Illnesses and conditions Injuries Skin injuries Insect bites and stings.
Insect bites and stings See all parts of this guide Hide guide parts 1. About insect bites and stings 2. Symptoms of insect bites and stings 3. Treating insect bites and stings 4. Complications of insect bites and stings 5. Preventing insect bites and stings. About insect bites and stings Insect bites and stings are common and usually only cause minor irritation. Symptoms of an insect bite or sting When an insect bites, it releases saliva that can cause the skin around the bite to become red, swollen and itchy.
Non-urgent advice: Speak to a pharmacist if:. There also might be a small dot at the center. Multiple randomized bites in one area are not uncommon. A localized reaction can mean more swelling, redness and itching than usual. Children, people with an impaired immune system or those who are extremely allergic to the saliva may exhibit more severe symptoms.
Between one and two million people around the world die from mosquito-borne diseases each year, according to the Prairie Research Institute of Illinois. Among these diseases, malaria is the most notorious, but in the United States, West Nile virus and mosquito-borne encephalitis are the most prevalent. If you or your loved ones have been bitten, watch for symptoms such as headaches, fevers, chills, body aches, stiffness, joint pain, confusion, swollen lymph glands, disorientation, weakness or skin rashes.
If any of these occur, see your doctor right away. Scratching mosquito bites can lead to secondary infection if you break the skin or reopen the bite. Dirt from under your nails is the culprit here, and can lead to staph, strep and other bacterial infections. To help prevent infection and stop the itch, Ohio State University recommends washing the area of the bite with soap and water. Use anti-itch cream, calamine lotion or antihistamines to lessen the itch.
You can also use an ice pack to numb the area, thus negating the itch while reducing swelling. Cover exposed skin with long pants and sleeves. Wear a hat, a light scarf and work gloves if the weather allows. Mosquitoes can bite through light clothing, but if you bunch material, it keeps the mosquito away from your skin.
Keep properly fitted screens on all windows of your home and be sure they are in good repair. You can use mosquito netting on strollers, playpens, beds and even your own head with a mosquito hat. Screened in porches are a great way to enjoy the outdoors while protecting your family from the itch and disease of mosquito bites.
Outdoors, make sure there is no untreated standing water anywhere on or around your property. Of course, a mosquito repellent that contains DEET is essential, especially if you plan to spend any amount of time outside, particularly in the woods or other natural habitats of mosquitoes. Be sure to follow all instructions and warnings on the label. For homes that have large mosquito populations, other measures might be necessary such as removing hidden mosquito breeding grounds, applying residual sprays and other methods employed by pest management professionals.
Why Do Mosquito Bites Itch? This will help reduce the swelling and itching. If desired, this can be followed with calamine lotion, which contains a mild topical anesthetic that may ease the discomfort. Infected or just a itchy aggravation? And getting bitten so badly may just remind you to take an ounce of prevention next time. You forgot the bug spray.
And you scratched and scratched. Our expert explains the signs of infected mosquito bites — and what to do about them. Learn more about vaccine availability.
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