Most bites and stings are minor and can be
treated at home. But you should seek medical attention if you experience the
following symptoms:
Signs of allergic reaction: Some people can experience anaphylaxis, a severe,
life-threatening allergic reaction. This is a medical emergency that warrants
calling 9-1-1 immediately. Signs of an allergic reaction, which may occur within
seconds to minutes, include sneezing, wheezing, hives, nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, sudden anxiety, dizziness, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and
itching or swelling of the eyes, lips, or other areas of the face. If you or
your child has ever had an allergic reaction to a sting or bite, you should be
evaluated by an allergist. In some cases, you may be advised to wear a medical
identification tag that states the allergy, and to carry epinephrine, a
medication used to treat serious or life-threatening allergic reactions.
Sometimes allergy shots may also be recommended.
Symptoms of Lyme disease: Lyme disease, which is transmitted through the bite
of an infected tick, can cause fever, headaches, fatigue, and a skin rash that
looks like a circular red patch, or "bull's-eye." Left untreated, infection can
spread to the joints, heart, and nervous system. It is rarely, if ever, fatal.
Patients who are treated with antibiotics in the early stages of the infection
usually recover rapidly and completely. Antibiotics commonly used for oral
treatment include doxycycline, amoxicillin, or cefuroxime axetil (Ceftin).
People with certain illnesses related to the heart or the nervous system require
intravenous treatment with drugs such as ceftriaxone or penicillin.
Symptoms of West Nile virus: West Nile virus, which is transmitted by
infected mosquitoes, can produce flu-like symptoms including fever, headache,
body aches, and skin rash. While most infected individuals have mild disease and
recover spontaneously, infection can be serious or even fatal. There is no
specific treatment for West Nile virus.
Symptoms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever: Initial symptoms may include fever,
nausea, vomiting, severe headache, muscle pain, and lack of appetite. The
characteristic red, spotted rash of Rocky Mountain spotted fever is usually not
seen until the sixth day or later after symptoms begin. But as many as 10
percent to 15 percent of patients may never develop a rash. Rocky Mountain
spotted fever is treated with antibiotics.
Signs of infection: It is normal for a bite or sting to result in redness of
the affected area and minor swelling. But if a bite or sting becomes infected, a
fever may develop or the redness or soreness may worsen. In cases of infection,
an antibiotic is the typical treatment.
The word "rash" means an outbreak of red bumps on the body. The way people use this term, "a rash" can refer to many different skin conditions. The most common of these are scaly patches of skin and red, itchy bumps or patches all over the place.
Diarrhea is a change is the frequency and looseness of bowel movements. Cramping, abdominal pain, and the sensation of rectal urgency are all symptoms of diarrhea. Absorbents and anti-motility medications are used to treat diarrhea.
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by physical symptoms. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults.
Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are considered primary headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by disease. Headache symptoms vary with the headache type. Over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief for most headaches.
Hives, also called urticaria, is a raised, itchy area of skin that is usually a sign of an
allergic reaction. The allergy may be to food or medications, but usually the
cause of the allergy (the allergen) is unknown.
Lyme disease is a bacterial illness, which is spread by ticks when they bite the skin. Initially the disease affects the skin causing a reddish rash associated with flu-like symptoms. It takes weeks to months after the initial redness of the skin for its effects to spread throughout the body. Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics. Lyme disease can be prevented by using tick avoidance techniques.
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The causes of vomiting differ according to age, and treatment depends upon the cause of nausea and vomiting.
Itching can be a common problem. Itches can be localized or generalized. There are many causes of itching to include: infection (jock itch, vaginal itch), disease (hyperthyroidism, liver or kidney), reactions to drugs, and skin infestations (pubic or body lice). Treatment for itching varies depending on the cause of the itch.
Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C.). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal: rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease- producing organisms.
Sepsis (blood poisoning) is a potentially deadly infection with signs and symptoms that include elevated heart rate, low or high temperature, rapid breathing and/or a white blood cell count that is too high or too low and has more than 10% band cells. Most cases of sepsis are caused by bacterial infections, and some cases are caused by fungal infections. Treatment requires hospitalization, IV antibiotics, and therapy to treat any organ dysfunction.
An allergy refers to a misguided reaction by our immune system in response to bodily contact with certain foreign substances. When these allergens come in contact with the body, it causes the immune system to develop an allergic reaction in people who are allergic to it. It is estimated that 50 million North Americans are affected by allergic conditions. The parts of the body that are prone to react to allergies include the eyes, nose, lungs, skin, and stomach. Common allergic disorders include hay fever, asthma, allergic eyes, allergic eczema, hives, and allergic shock.
Myofascial pain syndrome is muscle pain in the body's soft tissues due to injury or strain. Symptoms include muscle pain with tender points and fatigue. Treatment usually involves physical therapy, massage therapy, or trigger point injection.
Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that affects a number of different areas of the body at one time, and can be fatal. Causes of anaphylaxis can be food allergy, latex allergy, allergy to insect or but stings/bites, asthma, or other materials or conditions. Symptoms include flushing, itching, hives, anxiety, rapid or irregular pulse. Severe symptoms may be throat and tongue swelling, swallowing, and difficulty breathing. Some disorders appear similar to anaphylaxis such as fainting, panic attacks, blood clots in the lungs, heart attacks, and septic shock. If you think that you may be having an anaphylactic reaction, seek emergency care or call 911 immedately.
The majority of spiders in the United States are harmless. Two exceptions include the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider. Symptoms of a harmless spider bite generally involve redness, irritation, and pain. alized symptoms of bites from black widow and brown recluse spiders may include: nausea and vomiting, fever, headache, abdominal pain, joint pain, and more. In general, a brown recluse spider bite or black widow spider bite may require medical attention. The information includes pictures of the brown recluse and black widow spiders for identification.
Chiggers are a mite belonging to the Trombiculidae family. Chiggers are most commonly found in grassy fields, gardens, parks, forests, and moist areas around lakes or rivers. Contrary to popular belief, chiggers do not burrow into the skin. Chiggers insert a feeding structure into the skin and inject enzymes that destroy host tissue. The chiggers then feed on this dead tissue. The most common symptom of a chigger bite is itching. Treatment generally includes antihistamines and calamine lotion.
Necrotizing fasciitis is also known as a flesh-eating bacterial infection, Fournier's gangrene, suppurative fasciitis, and necrotizing cellulitis. The disease is occasionally caused by fungi, but most cases are caused by bacteria that enter the skin through insect bites, cuts, puncture wounds, or surgical incisions. Symptoms include pain, redness, swelling, fever, chills, skin ulceration, bullae formation, black scabs, gas formation, and fluid draining from the site of infection. Treatment involves hospitalization, the use of intravenous antibiotics, and debridement of the necrotic tissue.
Ticks are known transmitters of disease to humans and animals. Tick-borne diseases include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Q fever, tularemia, babesiosis, and Southern tick-associated rash illness. Infected ticks spread disease once they've bitten a host, allowing the pathogens in their saliva and mouth get into the host's skin and blood. Tick bites are typically painless, but the site of the bite may later itch, burn, turn red, and feel painful. Individuals allergic to tick bites may develop a rash, swelling, shortness of breath, numbness, or paralysis. Tick bite treatment involves cleaning and applying antibiotic cream.
The most common cause of a black eye is due to an injury to the face or head. Most black eye injuries are minor and heal on their own, however, some may lead to significant injury. In addition to trauma to the face, cosmetic surgery can cause a black eye(s) as a side effect. People should be aware of the situations in which medical care should be sought immediately for a black eye.
Bees, wasps, and fire ants are related insects that belong to the Hymenoptera order. There are thousands of species of wasps found throughout the world. Common wasps are yellow jackets and hornets. Types of bees include honey bees, the Africanized honey bee (killer bee), and the bumble bee. There are four types of reactions to a bee or wasp sting; 1) local reaction, 2) systemic allergic reaction, 3) toxic reaction, and 4) delayed reaction. Individuals who have a systemic or toxic reaction generally require immediate medical treatment to prevent anaphylactic reaction, and possibly death.
Chagas disease is an infection caused by the T. cruzi parasite. Symptoms of Chagas disease include rash, swollen lymph nodes, fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and the Romaña sign. An ELISA test is used to diagnose Chagas disease. Treatment depends upon the phase of the disease and the patient's age.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is an infectious disease that's transmitted by the bite of a tick infected with the Rickettsia rickettsii bacterial organism. Initial symptoms of RMSF include fever, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain and severe headache. Later symptoms include rash, abdominal pain, joint pain, and diarrhea. Treatment usually involves a tetracycline antibiotic.
West Nile virus (West Nile encephalitis) is a brain infection caused by a virus. People become infected with the virus after they're bitten by a mosquito that has fed off of a bird that's infected with the West Nile virus. Symptoms in humans include fever, headache, rash, body ache, and swollen lymph nodes.
The majority of stinging insects in the United States are from Bees, Yellow Jackets, Hornets, Wasps and Fire Ants. Severity of reactions to stings varies greatly. Avoidance and prompt treatment are essential. In selected cases, allergy injection therapy is highly effective.
Yellow fever is an infectious disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Side effects are rare with the yellow fever vaccine. Symptoms include fever, chills, back pain, nausea, vomiting, and headache. Treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms.
Viral hemorrhagic fever(s), or VHFs are a group of illnesses caused by distinct families of viruses. Many of these viruses are life-threatening, and classified as biosafety level four (BSL-4) pathogens. Viral hemorrhagic fever viruses are caused arenaviruses, filoviruses, bunyaviruses, and flaviviruses. The viruses are carried in rodents and transmitted through urine, fecal, saliva, or other body excretions from the infected rodents. Symptoms of viral hemorrhagic fever include marked fatigue, dizziness, muscle aches, loss of strength, fever, and exhaustion. Severely ill patients may also suffer shock coma, seizures, delirium, kidney failure, or nervous system malfunction. There is no established cure for viral hemorrhagic fever.
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