Dr. Curt Chaffin, The Allergy and Asthma Group of Galen; member, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical SocietyQ: What can I do about bites and stings this summer?
A: The consequences of bites and stings should be divided into three categories. The first would be the irritations – redness, swelling and intense itching – that we get from bites from insects such as mosquitoes and chiggers. Itching can be managed with topical creams and medicines such as Benadryl or longer-acting antihistamines such as Zyrtec, Claritin and Allegra.
The second category involves more serious and immediate effects that result from stings from fire ants, bees, yellowjackets, wasps and hornets, reactions that can include hives, lip swelling and difficulty breathing; in certain cases they can be fatal. If you think you are having a serious reaction, call 911 and/or seek emergency medical assistance. Afterward, you should be properly evaluated by an allergist to determine whether there was an allergic reaction that may happen again and what steps can be made to prevent it.
The third category are other longer-term consequences that can result from various insect bites such as ticks, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis. These diseases are rare and are not related to allergy, but awareness of them is important.
– Dr. Curt Chaffin, The Allergy and Asthma Group of Galen; member, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society
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