First Aid for Insect Bites & Stings

Understanding Insect Bites and Stings

Summer in Canada means spending more time outdoors, which inevitably leads to encounters with mosquitoes, black flies, bees, wasps, and ticks. While most bug bites and stings are merely annoying, causing temporary pain, redness, and itching, some can trigger severe allergic reactions or transmit serious diseases like Lyme disease or West Nile virus.

The Difference Between Bites and Stings

It's helpful to distinguish between a bite and a sting, as the body's reaction and the required treatment can differ:

• Bites: Insects like mosquitoes, fleas, bedbugs, and ticks bite to feed on your blood. They inject saliva containing anticoagulants and proteins that your immune system recognizes as foreign, triggering a localized allergic reaction (histamine release) that causes the familiar red, intensely itchy bump.
• Stings: Insects like bees, wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets sting as a defense mechanism. They inject venom into your skin, which causes immediate, sharp burning pain, followed by redness, swelling, and localized heat.

When a Sting Becomes an Emergency (Anaphylaxis)

For most people, a bee or wasp sting results in localized swelling and pain that subsides within a few days. However, for a small percentage of the population, a sting can trigger a life-threatening systemic allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Seek emergency medical care immediately (call 911) if you or someone else experiences any of the following symptoms after a sting:

• Difficulty breathing, wheezing, or shortness of breath
• Swelling of the lips, tongue, face, or throat
• Dizziness, faintness, or confusion
• A rapid, weak pulse
• Hives or a rash spreading far beyond the site of the sting
• Nausea, vomiting, or stomach cramps

If you have a known severe allergy and carry an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen), use it immediately as directed and still seek emergency care.

Home Care for Mild Reactions

For typical, non-emergency bites and stings, immediate home care can significantly reduce discomfort:

1. Remove the stinger: If a honeybee stung you, the stinger may still be in your skin. Scrape it away quickly with a firm edge (like a credit card). Don't pinch or use tweezers, as this can squeeze more venom into the skin.
2. Wash the area: Clean the bite or sting site thoroughly with soap and water to prevent secondary bacterial infection.
3. Apply a cold compress: Apply an ice pack wrapped in a cloth for 10-15 minutes to reduce swelling and numb the pain.
4. Elevate: If the bite is on an arm or leg, elevate it to help reduce swelling.
5. Don't scratch: Scratching breaks the skin barrier, inviting bacteria (like Staphylococcus) to cause a secondary infection (such as cellulitis or impetigo).

Pharmacist Prescribing for Bites, Stings, and Tick Exposure

If over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams or oral antihistamines (like Reactine or Claritin) aren't providing enough relief from intense itching or localized swelling, our pharmacists at Ultima Pharmacy can help.

Under the minor ailments program, we can assess severe local reactions to insect bites or stings and prescribe stronger topical corticosteroids (such as betamethasone valerate) to rapidly reduce severe inflammation and stop the itch.

Crucially, we can also assess tick bites. If you have been bitten by a blacklegged (deer) tick in an area endemic for Lyme disease, and the tick was attached for more than 24-36 hours, time is of the essence. We can prescribe a prophylactic dose of antibiotics (doxycycline) to significantly reduce your risk of developing Lyme disease, provided you seek treatment within 72 hours of removing the tick. Visit our North York pharmacy today for immediate, expert assessment.