|
|  |
 | What makes insect bites hurt and how can I prevent them?
|
|  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. Bites can cause itching, redness, and swelling because the body reacts to the small amount of insect saliva deposited in bite wounds. The body recognizes the saliva as "foreign" and mounts an immune response against it. Some people react more strongly than others. Insect bites are usually a minor nuisance that heal on their own within a few days. But bites sometimes cause extreme itching and discomfort. To prevent insect bites: Wear long pants, long-sleeved tucked-in shirts, socks, and a hat when possible. Avoid mosquitoes by staying indoors in the morning and evening when the weather is warm. That's when they are most active. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Environmental Protection Agency both recommend that people apply insect repellents containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) and Picaridin (KBR 3023). When traveling in malaria-prone countries, you can treat clothing and bedding with permethrin (Repel) to prevent bites from infected mosquitoes. Never apply permethrin directly to skin.
Infected mosquitoes also spread West Nile virus. Cases occur primarily in the late summer or early fall throughout the United States. The CDC estimates that about 20% of people infected with West Nile virus will develop West Nile fever or the more serious West Nile disease. The most common symptoms of West Nile fever include fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. The common symptoms of West Nile disease include headache, fever, coma, convulsions, and muscle weakness possibly leading to paralysis. People over 50 and immunocompromised people are more likely to become more seriously ill. Currently there is no human vaccine for West Nile virus.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. If you get any of these symptoms after a tick bite, please see a doctor. 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 get an insect bite, gently wash the area with soap and water. Most insect bites heal within a few days. Scratching or rubbing the bite can cause even more redness and irritation and can lead to infection or delayed healing. There are many products available to treat insect bites. Over-the-counter products are usually effective, but alternative therapies are also available. In severe cases, your doctor may recommend prescription medicine. Sources:
Balch JF, Balch PA. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Avery Publishing Group, 1997.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/. Last accessed 11/9/2006.
Drug Facts and Comparisons, Facts & Comparisons, 2006.
Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs. American Pharmaceutical Association, 1996.
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 answer updated 1/30/2007.
|
| 
drug interaction
checker
Is it safe to combine
your medicines?
Find out. |
|
|
Copyright © 1999-2009 drugstore.com, inc. All rights reserved. |
view shopping bag
