Bug Bite Treatment Specialist Q&A

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.