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Bug Bite Treatment

Bug Bite Treatment Specialist Q&A

Bug bites are prevalent and usually cause minimal discomfort. However, some bites are painful and might cause a severe allergic reaction. Bug bite symptoms can include discomfort, rashes, irritation, swelling, itching, burning, and numbness. Most bug bites cause irritation and swelling that goes away within a few hours, but if some bites are not treated properly, they can lead to serious infections. If you have a bug bite on your foot, consult Dr. John W. Scivally, DPM, and Dr. Robin K. Lie, DPM, at Bay Area Foot and Ankle Associates for proper care. For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We have convenient locations to serve you.

Bug Bite Treatment Specialist Near Me in Walnut Creek and Brentwood CA
Bug Bite Treatment Specialist Near Me in Walnut Creek and Brentwood CA

Table of Contents:

What does a bug bite look like on your foot?
How do you know if a bug bite is serious?
What happens if you don’t treat an infected bug bite?
Where to get trusted treatment for bug bites near me?
How long do bug bites last on feet?

Bug bites are incredibly common, particularly around the ankles and feet as we walk through grasses from which bugs can jump, or our ankles are left exposed while we wear full-length clothing otherwise. Some bugs also seem to just prefer biting at the ankles or feet of people, such as mosquitoes or fleas. However, the skin on our feet can be a bit more sensitive, causing slightly worsened symptoms, including significantly more itchiness, if a bug bite occurs on one of our feet.

What does a bug bite look like on your foot?


The bug bite on your foot will look a bit different depending on the type of bug that delivered the bite, with the most common symptom including redness, maybe a small bump, and significant itchiness at the site of the bite. Some bites can appear as a darker red right in the center or develop blisters. Likely, a bug bite on your foot will also look fairly similar to if the bite occurred in most other areas of your skin, but your feet and ankles are most likely to be bitten by bugs, as they are typically the easiest parts of your body to access for most bugs that live in grasses or are on the ground. Bug bites are most likely to occur on any skin that is exposed, with the feet being a commonly bitten body part.

How do you know if a bug bite is serious?


Most bug bites are not a medical concern but might require some at-home remedies to relieve itchiness as the bite heals. However, there are some scenarios in which a bug bite is more serious and requires medical attention, either for eventual treatment to prevent infection or in some emergency cases. Signs that a bug bite requires emergency medical attention include dizziness, difficulty breathing or swallowing, being stung or bitten more than 10 times at once, causing you to feel ill, as well as any significant and rapid swelling around the site of the bite. Signs that the bite may be becoming infected include the development of pus around or in the bite, pain, swelling, or redness that increases around the bite, and if your glands are swollen.

What happens if you don’t treat an infected bug bite?


If a bug bite becomes infected and the infection is left untreated, the infection can eventually spread throughout the rest of the body, leading to sepsis in severe cases. The bacteria that is left in the bite that is causing the infection causes an infection in the skin called cellulitis, which causes increased pain, swelling, and redness in the area around the site of the bite. If cellulitis is left untreated, it can spread to the joints, bones, blood, and heart, becoming life-threatening if the infection continues to persist. If caught before spreading, a doctor can easily treat the infection through a course of antibiotics.

Where to get trusted treatment for bug bites near me?


Bug bites are a common problem that affects specifically the ankles and feet, with them being the most commonly bitten area. If you have been bitten by a bug on the ankles or feet, our two highly experienced doctors of podiatric medicine, Dr. John W. Scivally and Dr. Robin K. Lie are qualified to provide any necessary medical care here at Bay Area Foot and Ankle Associates. Most bug bites are mild, but it is important to know where you can go for necessary medical attention if you or a loved one have suffered from a bug bite that is more severe or has become infected.

How long do bug bites last on feet?


Most common, mild reactions from a bug bite anywhere on the body, including the feet, will resolve themselves within a few days, and in some cases, just in a few hours. These mild reactions include minor swelling, pain, redness, and itching. In these cases, the symptoms of the bug bite will go away on their own, with only cases of severe bites caused by toxic insects or other bugs, an allergy to the bug that delivered the bite, or an infection developing at the site of the bite requiring medical attention for effective treatment. If the bug bite has not continued to gradually go away or is still actively painful or red after one week, medical attention is recommended.

For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We have convenient locations to serve you. We serve patients from Walnut Creek CA, Brentwood CA, Concord CA, Pleasant Hill CA, Pittsburg CA, Antioch CA, Alamo CA, Danville CA, Oakley CA, and surrounding areas.