Whenever you spend time outdoors, bug bites are an inevitability. Most of the time, a bug bite is little more than an annoyance, but do you know how to identify the bug bite symptoms that warrant a trip to urgent care? Here, we offer some signs to look out for, so you’ll know the right bug bite treatment.
- An infected bug bite needs professional care. Bug bites that are infected will have symptoms like redness, warmth, swelling, red streaks, drainage from the bite, and pain. You may also have a fever and chills if your bug bite is infected, along with swollen lymph nodes. Don’t hesitate to seek bug bite treatment if you have any signs of infection, because infected bug bites can become dangerous if left untreated.
- A “bulls-eye” rash around a tick bite is a serious symptom. This distinct pattern can be a sign of Lyme Disease, which requires immediate medical attention. Pay attention any time you’ve had a tick bite, though, as not every case of Lyme Disease presents with a rash. If you experience flu-like symptoms like a fever, chills, headaches, or body aches, get your tick bite checked at an urgent care clinic.
- Some bugs should never be ignored. Scabies and bed bugs are two examples of insects whose bites should send you to the doctor. Scabies appears as a rash, typically on the sides and webs of the fingers and the wrists, armpits, and genitals. It’s actually not a rash, but a mite that has burrowed into the skin. Scabies causes intense itching and should be examined by a doctor. Bed bugs live on the blood of animals and people, and if you think you may have bedbugs, you should immediately be treated and have your home treated.
- An allergic reaction to a bug bite can be a very serious matter. Sometimes, people experience allergic reactions to bug bites even if they’ve never had any signs of an allergy before. Mild bug bite symptoms like itching and swelling can be safely treated at home with medicines like hydrocortisone cream or oral antihistamines. However, severe allergic reactions require urgent medical attention. Be on the lookout for hives, itching, and swelling in areas outside of the sting site, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, or stomach cramps, chest tightness or difficulty breathing, and swelling of the throat or tongue or difficulty swallowing. In extreme cases, bug bite allergies can cause anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening. Anaphylaxes symptoms include dizziness, a drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness, and even cardiac arrest, and can start between five and 30 minutes after the bite occurs. If that occurs, it’s imperative that you receive medical care immediately.
The goal of Total Point Urgent Care is to be a convenient healthcare resource for our community. Providing immediate medical care at a fraction of the cost of an emergency room, each neighborhood urgent care clinic in our network offers warm, efficient, personalized care. At our locations in Texas, our on-site technology and services include urgent care, walk ins, primary care, specialty care, routine check-ups, flu shots and other vaccinations, COVID-19 testing, and onsite lab and x rays. Soon, we’ll even offer virtual visits so that our patients can choose telecare instead of risking a trip to the clinic. For convenient medical care, visit one of our locations or contact us through our website.
