Now that warm weather is here, doctors will start to see lots of insect bites and stings. Unfortunately, some people have dangerous allergies. So if you or your loved ones experience a sting or bite from a wasp, bee, hornet, scorpion, fire ant or other beastie, please keep an eye out for worrisome symptoms.
Symptoms of a dangerous reaction (anaphylaxis) include difficulty breathing or swallowing, chest pain, rapid heart rate, facial and mouth swelling, dizziness, the sensation that you might lose consciousness (caused by low blood pressure), a widespread red rash that itches (called hives or urticaria), and, sometimes, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms are your body’s way of saying, “Take some Benadryl and go to the doctor!”
Preferably, you should seek out an emergency department with the staff and equipment necessary to treat and stop the reaction. Call an ambulance if you need to — you aren’t bothering anyone.
While at the hospital, you may receive more oral or injected Benadryl or another antihistamine, as well as oral or injected steroid medication to settle down your body’s immune reaction. You may also be injected with epinephrine (also called adrenaline). Epinephrine helps to quickly reduce the dangerous throat and bronchial swelling. It also supports blood pressure and reduces hives.
You may also be treated with oxygen, breathing treatments and IV fluid, depending on the severity of your reaction. Occasionally, if a person has a great deal of throat or tongue swelling, a physician will place a tube into their airway to ensure their ability to breath until things resolve.
Here’s the good news: Most people just experience pain, local redness and swelling at the site of the bite or sting and do not need to be evaluated by a physician. Almost all of those cases can be treated at home with cool compresses, non-prescription pain medicine and over-the-counter antihistamines for itching. Antibiotics are not necessary unless the redness grows and becomes hot to the touch (or fever develops) over the next few days, indicating a skin infection called cellulitis.
Now that warm weather is here, doctors will start to see lots of insect bites and stings. Unfortunately, some people have dangerous allergies. So if you or your loved ones experience a sting or bite from a wasp, bee, hornet, scorpion, fire ant or other beastie, please keep an eye out for worrisome symptoms.
Symptoms of a dangerous reaction (anaphylaxis) include difficulty breathing or swallowing, chest pain, rapid heart rate, facial and mouth swelling, dizziness, the sensation that you might lose consciousness (caused by low blood pressure), a widespread red rash that itches (called hives or urticaria), and, sometimes, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms are your body’s way of saying, “Take some Benadryl and go to the doctor!”
Preferably, you should seek out an emergency department with the staff and equipment necessary to treat and stop the reaction. Call an ambulance if you need to—you aren’t bothering anyone.
While at the hospital, you may receive more oral or injected Benadryl or another antihistamine, as well as oral or injected steroid medication to settle down your body’s immune reaction. You may also be injected with epinephrine (also called adrenaline). Epinephrine helps to quickly reduce the dangerous throat and bronchial swelling. It also supports blood pressure and reduces hives.
You may also be treated with oxygen, breathing treatments and IV fluid, depending on the severity of your reaction. Occasionally, if a person has a great deal of throat or tongue swelling, a physician will place a tube into their airway to ensure their ability to breath until things resolve.
Here’s the good news: Most people just experience pain, local redness and swelling at the site of the bite or sting and do not need to be evaluated by a physician. Almost all of those cases can be treated at home with cool compresses, non-prescription pain medicine and over-the-counter antihistamines for itching. Antibiotics are not necessary unless the redness grows and becomes hot to the touch (or fever develops) over the next few days, indicating a skin infection called cellulitis.
What about spiders, you ask? First, I rarely see allergic reactions to spider bites. Second, only two species of spiders cause problems in our part of the country. The black widow causes minimal pain at the bite, but sometimes leaves tiny fang marks. Subsequently, victims develop muscle cramps in other parts of the body, such as the neck, back and abdomen. Fever, chills, nausea and vomiting also may occur. Pain medications in the hospital are often necessary due to the intensity of the symptoms.
Brown recluse spiders cause a stinging bite, with worsening pain and redness over eight hours. A blister then forms, which falls off, followed by the formation of an ulcer. These ulcers almost always resolve with time, but occasionally require antibiotics and specialized wound care by healthcare professionals. Fortunately, these spiders are reclusive — hence, the name! As a general rule, most of the red bumps and bites of summer come from creatures other than the poor spiders, which are often falsely accused.
So get out there and have fun this summer! Just be vigilant about the dangers of the tiny but fascinating creatures that share our world. And don’t be afraid to call for help if your encounter with one goes badly.