Insect Stings And Bites Health Video

Insect bites and stings can be caused by a variety of insects and lead to inflammations and/or histamine reactions . Learn more about insect stings and bites including treatments and symptoms in this medical video.

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Consult a doctor if the bite becomes overly red
Avoid wooded areas
Do not disturb a bee or wasp nest
Use insect repellent

About this Author

Dr. Ulrich joined On Call Medical Group in 2006. She had previously practiced at Doctors Medical Center in Richmond, Calif., and prior to that worked with the uninsured and homeless population of San Francisco at the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic. Throughout her medical career, Dr. Ulrich as also been involved in numerous medical research studies. Dr. Ulrich holds a B.S. from Harvard University, an M.P.H. for the University of California at Berkeley, and an M.D. from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

SKYLAR ULRICH, MD: Hi. I'm Dr. Skylar Ulrich. I'm going to talk about insect stings and bites. If you've been stung by an insect, generally you'll notice an area of pain, redness, and swelling at the site of the insect bite. Things that you need to look for or to think about seeking medical attention for would be any increase in the redness at the area of the bite over the next 12 to 24 hours. This may be a sign of infection or sign of an allergic reaction. In addition, you'd like to look for any change in the color of the skin, any ulceration, any streaking of the area, or if the area becomes extremely swollen, and there is decreased ability to move that area. In addition, it's important to look for signs of systemic hypersensitivity or systemic reaction to the insect. This would be characterized by the onset of hives, increased swelling of the area where you were bitten, as well as difficulty breathing, wheezing, and any swelling of the face or oral mucosa. The treatment varies depending on which insect you've been bitten by. For straightforward insect bites, typically, ice, topical Benadryl, or topical steroid will be sufficient. Generally, the lesion is self-limiting; however, if an infection has developed, systemic antibiotics might be required and if you have symptoms of a systemic reaction to the insect bite, steroids may be initiated, as well as admission to the hospital. Prevention is by avoiding heavy areas of brush, avoiding picnic areas where there may be lots of bees swarming around, never disturb a bee's nest or a wasp's nest, and using insect repellant when you're out hiking or out in the summertime at a picnic or barbecue, or in areas where there may be a lot of insects.

Insect Stings and Bites Health Video

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