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Spiders, Ticks, and Bees–Oh, My! Management of Bites and Stings By Our July Student Pharmacist, Amy Reed.

Have you ever had a lovely day in the great outdoors tarnished by the nuisance of a bite or sting? They can be uncomfortable and most people are unsure of how to treat themselves when a bite or sting occurs. We’re here to help you learn how to take care of any pesky encounters with bugs!

Here in Ohio, some of the most common offenders for stings and bites are bees, wasps, spiders, and ticks. If someone starts to swell excessively from a bite or sting, especially in the neck or facial region, they will need immediate medical attention. Most individuals with a known allergy (i.e. bee stings) should have an emergency EpiPen on their person. These people need that quick dose of epinephrine to keep their airways from swelling shut, and may even need to be taken to the emergency room or urgent care afterwards.

 

Management of:

 

Spider Bites:

  • Wash the bite area with soap and water and apply a cold compress (10 minutes on, then 10 minutes off for 30-60 minutes).
  • To prevent infection, use a topical antibiotic (ex. Neosporin).
  • For discomfort or pain, take Tylenol (acetaminophen).
  • Elevating the bite area can help reduce swelling.
  • If possible, catch the spider in a baggie for identification if any unusual symptoms occur.
  • Some spiders found in the Midwest are poisonous and may cause tissue damage (ex. Brown Recluse Spider and Black Widow Spider). If you experience the following symptoms, report to the nearest emergency room or urgent care:
    • Headache, fever, nausea/vomiting, cramping, dizziness, a blue/purple coloring around the bite with a whitish outer ring (like a bull’s eye), or a burning pain that is delayed (hours to days after the bite).

Tick Bites:

  • Remove the tick gently. Using fine tweezers, grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible and pull gently. You do not want to puncture the tick’s body, as it contains contaminated blood from yourself and possibly other creatures that the tick has taken a bite out of. Do not try to dig out any remnants left in the skin as this may cause further damage.
  • Place the tick in a sealed plastic baggie. This will suffocate the tick and retain it just in case there is a risk of Lyme disease and it needs to be tested.
  • Wash the bite area with soap and water.
  • Apply a topical antibiotic to prevent infection (ex. Neosporin).

Bee Stings:

  • Remove stinger by gently scraping a flat object (like a credit card) across the skin. Do not use tweezers to pinch the stinger since there is a venom pouch on the end. Pinching this pouch may either push more venom into the skin or burst the pouch, increasing the skin reaction.
  • Wash the area with soap and water and apply a cold compress (on the skin for 10 minutes, then off for 10 minutes for 30-60 minutes).
  •  You can reduce itching and discomfort by trying some of the following:
    • Wet baking soda with water and apply paste to the wound for 15-20 minutes.
    • Use a non-prescription (over-the-counter) product made for stings.
    • Use Tylenol (acetaminophen) for pain.
    • Use Benadryl (diphenhydramine) orally or topically to help reduce allergic symptoms/itching/inflammation.
    •  If any of the following occur, these can be a sign that the stung individual has a potentially life threatening allergy to bee stings and must seek emergency medical treatment:
      • Coughing, a ‘tickle’ in the throat, swelling, tightness in throat or chest, dizziness, sweating, nausea/vomiting, a rash that is no longer just at the sight of the stinger, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information:

http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/healthcare_services/emergency_services/non_traumatic_emergencies/spider_bites/Pages/index.aspx

http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/healthcare_services/emergency_services/non_traumatic_emergencies/bee_stings/Pages/index.aspx

http://www.uptodate.com/contents/what-to-do-after-a-tick-bite-to-prevent-lyme-disease-beyond-the-basics

 

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