The Most Dangerous Bug Bites and Stings

As summer washes over the northern hemisphere, so do bug bites and stings, leading to rashes, diseases, and potentially-deadly allergic reactions. Being able to tell a sting from a bite and recognizing its source is extremely important, as it could help inform your doctor better about the appropriate treatment to your problem.

How to identify different bug bites

But why are stings and bites more common in summer, to begin with? Well, as biology teachers tell us, invertebrates such as insects and arachnids are “cold-blooded” (or ectotherms, in more precise terminology), meaning that they don’t have an internal heat-regulating system as we mammals do. This means that, in order to survive, many bugs need a warm and humid climate. An additional reason people get bit and stung more often in the summer is that they tend to spend more time outdoors, leading to more exposure to all sorts of creepy crawlies.

 

Spiders

Brown recluse, note the darker markings on the head.

Spiders are among the most hated and feared arthropods around, but in most cases the revulsion is unwarranted. Spiders are not parasitic nor especially territorial and do not bite unless provoked. In fact, most people who report getting bitten by a spider don’t actually see the culprit and just assume it was a spider because of the symptoms, which can also appear in cases of bed bug and flea bites, and even herpes and MRSA.

 

Female black widows are black with red markings on the abdomen.

That being said, spiders *can* bite if agitated or threatened. In those rare cases where you are absolutely certain a spider is to blame (never assume it was unless you saw the spider), the bite can trigger an allergic reaction or get infected.     

In most cases, an icepack, some antihistamines, and an antibiotic ointment will do the trick. If you can definitively identify the spider as either a brown recluse (native only to the southern US, east of I-25) or a black widow, seek medical attention.

Again, there is no reason to assume a spider bite unless you see the spider in action, and in some cases, misidentifying a non-bite lesion caused by disease could lead to misdiagnosis and severe damage.

Mosquitoes

If you ask someone what animal kills the most humans every year, some might think about snakes, a particularly clever person may answer “humans”, but the deadliest creature around is actually the mosquito. Though the malicious, sleep-disrupting bloodsuckers aren’t venomous and rarely induce allergic reactions, they can transmit several dangerous diseases, including malaria, dengue fever, Zika and West Nile virus. North of the Tropics, disease transmission is not a serious risk, so if you live in North America or Europe, you should be perfectly safe.

Note: crane flies, sometimes called “daddy long legs” are often misidentified as giant mosquitoes. They are actually completely harmless, beyond their annoying buzz.

Ticks

Though awareness of deer-ticks and Lyme disease is on the rise, not many people are aware of other species of ticks and the unique risks they pose to those bitten, such as tick-induced red meat allergy, Powassan virus, and more. In all of these cases, the best treatment is prevention. Wear longer clothing while hiking through grass, do not lie on exposed grass and check for ticks after spending time outdoors. If you find and remove ticks on time, they won’t have enough time to transmit the disease.

Bees and wasps

While bees are generally timid creatures and are crucial for the pollination of countless flowers, as well as honey production, wasps and hornets aren’t as easy to forgive. All of these buzzers are venomous, but the venom itself isn’t dangerous for most people, except in some extreme cases, such as the Asian giant hornet. Bees, wasps, and hornets pose the greatest danger to allergic people who may go into anaphylactic shock, which may result in asphyxiation or heart attack.

Both bees and wasps get aggressive in close vicinity to their nest. The problem with wasps is that they tend to nest in close vicinity to humans. And while bees are not interested in humans, wasps are curious and may be drawn to us because of a scent they picked up. If a wasp does land on you, remain still and wait until it flies away. If you’ve got a wasp nest problem, call a professional exterminator. Attempting to remove the nest by yourself may result in a cloud of furious wasps.

Kissing bugs

Endemic to the Americas, these innocuously-named parasitic insects are not named for their romantic tendencies, but rather for their feeding M.O.
Kissing bugs (sometimes more aptly nicknamed “vampire bugs”) are bloodsuckers, and as such prefer areas where the skin is easier to break, namely the lips and around the eyes.

Kissing bugs are vectors of the Chagas disease, a parasitic infection which can result in an abnormally enlarged colon, esophagus or heart chambers. If the heart is affected, the disease can result in heart failure, while an enlarged colon or esophagus may cause food or fecal matter to become lodged, requiring surgery to remove it.

 

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Some First Aid solutions

We don't wish on anyone these kinds of injuries as we are about to discuss. However, it is no small secret that most accidents occur in the home, including cuts, suffocation, bruises and concussions.

It is crucial to know what to do when these things happen, as you never know how long of a time you can allow yourself to wait for the ambulance to arrive. Actions taken immediately after an accident have many a time saved lives or at least decreased the damage of the injury. The things you do right after the accident are extremely important. 

And so, keep these advice close by, as it is so much better to have and not need, than to need them and not have...

Nose Bleeds

Nose bleeds occur when the gentle blood vessels inside the nose break. This could happen easily due to weather conditions, a strong blow or a chronic leaky nose. 

What to IMMEDIATELY do: Sit on a chair and lean your body forward. Pinch your nose closed right below its bridge, where the bone meets cartilage. Maintain pressure for 5-15 minutes. You can also use an ice pack to keep pressure.

Some suggest laying cold metal on the back of the neck or along the spine to narrow the blood vessels and stop the bleeding. For this method, any metal item will do, such as a table spoon, a coin or a key. And so it is advisable to keep a metal item in the freezer for just this case.

What NOT to do: Do not tilt your head back, as you may swallow the blood and it may enter your lungs.

When to seek medical aid: Contact a doctor if you aren't able to stop the bleeding after 20 minutes, or if there is no good reason for it, or if it is accompanied by headaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears or visual impairments.

Sprain

Sprains may occur when the ligaments around the joints are over stretched. Sprains are often accompanied by bruises and swelling.

What to IMMEDIATELY do: On the first day, put ice on the injured area and change it every 20 minutes. Bandage the hurt area with an elastic bandage to keep the area from moving and don't move it for 24 hours. Afterwards heat the area to get the blood flowing again.

What NOT to do: Do not try to 'work through the pain', it will only get worse and you may end up doing further damage.

When to see medical aid: If the problem doesn't get better within a few days, go to a doctor.

Burns

First degree burns can cause redness of the skin. 2nd degree burns may cause blisters and 3rd degree burns may cause blackened skin and damaged deep tissues.

What to IMMEDIATELY do: When it is a 1st or 2nd degree burn, put it under flowing cool water or put wet towels on the area.

Common house-hold treatments to reduce pain: A soaked teabag will bring about immediate relief, owing to the healing qualities of Tannins, which are known as tissue shrinkers. 

Soak a bag of tea in cold water, and then put on the skin. These are also a great solution for sunburns.

Uncooked potato: Take off the shell of an uncooked potato, cut it into slices and put on the burnt area, so the liquid coming out of the potato will calm down the burn.

Vinegar: In case of a light burn, white vinegar or apple vinegar will do the work. Pour a little vinegar on a cloth towel and put on the burn for a while, the vinegar will disinfect the area and will stop the wound from becoming infected.

What NOT to do: Don't put ice on big burns. Ice may damage the skin or make the injury worse. You cannot use antibiotics or butter either.

When to seek medical aid: If these are 3rd degree burns, or electrical or chemical burns.

Open Wounds

Open wounds in the skin need to be quickly treated to prevent infection.

What to IMMEDIATELY do: Place  a strip of gaza on the wound and apply direct pressure to stop the bleeding. If these are minor cuts and scrapes, wash with water and soap and smear a thin layer of vaseline or antibiotic cream, and cover with a band-aid or bandage.

What NOT to do: Do not wash nor put a regular cream on a large, deep or very bloody injury. Instead go seek medical aid.

When to seek medical aid: If the wound is deep and becomes infected, accompanied by heat, redness, swelling or red stripes around, or if it has a foreign object in it (such as a nail) - go seek medical aid immediately.

A blow to the head

The skull provides our brain with very good protection, and so only rarely does it get hurt, but if it is a strong blow, the neck, back and soft tissues can get seriously damaged.

What to IMMEDIATELY do: If the person is unconscious, call an ambulance. If the area looks like it is bleeding, treat it like a cut but make sure to follow up with a doctor who will check for internal injuries. You can put a bag of ice on the area to decrease the swelling.

What NOT to do: Don't leave the injured person alone. Especially when they are asleep. Wake them every 3-4 hours and ask simple questions ('What time is it?' 'What day/date?' 'What is your name?') to make sure there is no brain injury or concussion. 

When to seek medical aid: If the person harmed is convulsing, feeling dizzy or nauseous, vomits or displays obvious changes to behavior.

Suffocation

Suffocation is a rare occurrence and when it happens it can be deadly. When a person is choking they cannot cough strongly enough to breath or talk and his face will begin to get blue or red.

What to IMMEDIATELY do: Call an ambulance. If the person is more than a year old lean him forward and with your palm hit his back firmly, between the shoulder blades, five times.  If that doesn't work, stand behind him and put one fist over the navel area, leave one thumb up and put another hand on top. Apply pressure inwards and up in the direction of the ribs, 6-10 times, using the Heimlich maneuver. 

If you are alone, press your stomach on something solid like a kitchen counter or use your hands to press above the navel.

What NOT to do: Do not drink water if there is a strong cough.

When to see Medical Aid: In cases of a serious suffocation.

Poisoning

Possible risks at home include cleaning materials, Carbon dioxide and pesticides. Even stings can be poisonous for some people.

What to IMMEDIATELY do: If a person is unconscious or is having trouble breathing, you must take them immediately to seek medical aid. Be prepared to give out the next details quickly: What is the substance involved, how much was taken, when, what is the weight and age of the person?

What NOT to do: Don't wait for the symptoms to start to call for help. Don't try to vomit and don't drink anything, unless a medical professional has told you so.

When to seek medical aid: Always and right away.

An object enters the eye

Anything that enters the eye, whether it is a grain of sand or a chemical mixture, can cause pain and may harm the cornea.

What to IMMEDIATELY do: Try to blink the foreign object away. If it doesn't come out, wash the eye by holding the lid open under a faucet. 

What NOT to do: Do NOT rub your eyes. Even a small amount of dirt may scratch your cornea and cause infection and irreparable damage. Never try to dislodge a large object yourselves, or an object buried deep in the eye. Leave that for professionals.

When to seek medical aid: If a chemical material like bleacher enters, or it is a large object or one that is lodged deep in the eye - go to the emergency room immediately. If it is a small object but it causes swelling or disrupts your vision  - call a doctor.

PS- THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.

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