Insect bites are usually self-diagnosable and self-treatable. Typically, insect bites are irritating but clear up after several days. Sometimes, however, insect bites become infected which can lead to serious health risks, including the risk of death. Therefore, it's important to keep a watchful eye on insect bites when you and your children have them and know what signs to look for should urgent care be necessary. Here's what you need to know if you or your child has an insect bite.
When to Go to Urgent Care Immediately
Here are several reasons to go to urgent care when having a bad reaction to an insect bite:
- If you or your child is experiencing difficulty breathing and/or has developed hives after getting bitten by an insect, you'll want to go to the nearest urgent care or emergency room immediately, depending on the severity of their symptoms.
- If the insect bite is red, hot to the touch, swollen, and/or oozing pus, go to the nearest urgent care center immediately. These symptoms are signs of an infection that will need to be treated to avoid developing meningitis, which can be fatal.
- If you're unsure whether it's an insect bite or a spider bite, you may have been bitten by a spider instead. Most spiders are harmless, but some spiders have venom that is toxic to humans. Therefore, it's better to be safe than sorry and seek treatment at an urgent care facility if there is a chance the bite was not from an insect but from a spider instead.
When to Keep a Watchful Eye On Bites
If you don't feel a trip to an urgent care facility is warranted, you'll want to be sure to keep a watchful eye on the bite mark and any symptoms you may experience. It's a good idea to mark the bite with a marker or pen so you can keep track of the size of the swelling and/or redness. If you notice the size of the bite mark increasing instead of decreasing as time progresses, seek medical attention at your urgent care center.
If the insect bite doesn't seem to be serious and is just uncomfortable and itchy, use a topical ointment for insect bites to get some relief from the itching. Be sure to clean the area before applying the ointment and keep the area clean. If the ointment doesn't help after several days, have the bite checked out at the urgent care center.
Contact your local urgent care to learn more.
