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 | Are there any prescription treatments for insect bites? |
|  Biting insects include mosquitoes, fleas, and bedbugs. Arachnids, such as ticks and spiders, can also deliver painful bites. Seek medical attention for a bite from a poisonous spider, if you develop a bull's-eye shaped rash after a tick bite, or if you notice signs of infection such as fever, increasing redness, swelling, or pus. Very few people are allergic to insect bites. Get immediate medical care if you have an allergic reaction and experience difficulty breathing, fainting, or extreme itching and swelling after an insect bite. If you get an insect bite, gently wash the bite area with soap and water. Insect bites are usually a minor nuisance that heal on their own within a few days. But bites sometimes cause extreme itching and discomfort. Scratching or rubbing the bite may cause even more redness and irritation and can lead to infection or delayed healing. Most insect bites can be treated with self-care and over-the-counter products. In severe cases, your doctor may recommend prescription drugs such as hydroxyzine (brand name Atarax) to prevent itching and swelling. If the bite becomes infected, antibiotics may be necessary. In some areas of the country--especially the Northeast, the north-central region, and the Pacific coast--ticks may transmit a bacterial infection called Lyme disease. To prevent tick bites, wear long sleeves and pants and use insect repellent when walking in tick-infested areas--especially in spring and summer, when ticks are most likely to be active. If a tick fastens itself to your skin, use tweezers to remove it, being careful to take the head out of your skin. A circular rash may form around the site of the bite. In addition to the rash, early symptoms of infection include fever, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms such as aches and pains in the muscles and joints. Prompt use of antibiotics can clear up most Lyme disease infections. If you frequently work, hike, or camp in tick-infested areas, consider getting vaccinated against Lyme disease. If you have had a severe reaction to an insect bite or a sting in the past, ask your doctor about carrying a bee sting kit. Bee sting kits contain the injectable medicine epinephrine, which can help stop life-threatening allergic reactions.Sources:Balch JF, Balch PA. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Avery Publishing Group, 1997.Drug Facts & Comparisons. Facts & Comparisons, 2006.Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs. American Pharmaceutical Association, 2000.Micromedex® Healthcare Series. Thomson Micromedex, 2006.Professional Guide to Conditions, Herbs, and Supplements. Integrative Medicine, 2000.Silverman, H.M., Romano, J., Elmer, G. The Vitamin Book. Bantam, 1999.This answer prepared 6/11/01.This information updated 1/30/2007. |
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