How to know what type of insect has stung me and the reaction from each bite?
Summer has many benefits but the likelihood of insect bites and stings is not one of them. Here’s how to identify them and the animals that caused it.
Summer is a time of sun bathing, beach lounging and swimming in the great outdoors, but unfortunately a lot of these warm weather pastimes can leave you vulnerable for insect bites and stings. During the summer period creepy crawlies can wreak havoc on your skin and leave painful scars and itchy marks.
There are a multitude of creams and lotions that can help soothe the pain if you are unfortunate to fall victim to insects this summer, but to treat it properly you first need to be able to identify the type of animal that caused it.
Here’s a few easy signs which should help you to identify what caused the irritation and how best to deal with it.
How do I know what kind of insect has stung me?
In order to properly identify the type of insect that caused the discomfort, you should take into account the symptoms, the effect it has on the skin and any other reactions you may be experiencing. WebMD has put together a handy list of the most common types of stings and bites in the United States so you can identify the culprit.
These are the types of bite that they have identified:
| Type of animal | Skin reaction |
|---|---|
| Tick | Se queda pegada a la piel y, mientras chupa la sangre, se hincha. Puede producir fiebre o dolor de cabeza o corporal |
| Bee | Hinchazón, dolor y aguijón clavado, con picor y posibles mareos |
| Wasp | Similar a las abejas. El aguijón no se queda dentro |
| Asian Hornet | Dolor e hinchazón, aunque tiene más veneno que una avispa autóctona |
| Horsefly | Mordedura y desgarro de la piel, mareos, debilidad y dificultad para respirar |
| Spider | Mancha con dos puntos centrales y líquido |
| Mosquito | Picor en la zona de la picadura (con un pequeño habón) durante días y molestias en la piel |
| Ant | Inflamación de la piel con algo de pus |
| Tiger Mosquito | Además de la propia picadura: fiebre, dolor en las articulaciones o ‘fotofobia’ |
| Bed Bug | Rojez y posible rastro de sangre, con picores en la piel |
| Flea | Varias picaduras en forma de montaña y alineadas, con mucho picor |
Solutions to soothe itches
The bites of some insects, such as fleas, bedbugs or tiger mosquitoes can be really annoying and even dangerous to health. It is important to treat quickly and appropriately to prevent this from escalating, and as the Quirón clinic points out on its blog 'Your health channel', there are several ways to solve it, especially in the case of unbearable itching:
- Aplicar hielo en la zona afectada
- Levantar el brazo o la pierna en la que ha picado el insecto
- Tomar un antihistamínico de forma oral, si lo ha recetado el alergólogo
- ·La aplicación de un corticoide tópico, siempre bajo consulta médica