Don’t let bites bug you
By Charity Vogel
NEWS STAFF REPORTER
Updated: 07/01/08 7:13 AM
Summer is here, which means bugs are, too. Bees. Wasps. Mosquitoes. Spiders. Ants.
Hey — can we go inside yet?
Rather than retreat, a Western New York doctor with expertise in bug bites advises that the best thing to do when the summertime stinging arrives is to get prepared — and then react quickly, when a sting happens.
“You’re going to get bitten, no matter what you do,” said Dr. Rick Vienne, a doctor of internal medicine at Lifetime Health Medical Group, which is based in West Seneca. “Bugs have been here longer than we have, and they know how to find us.”
To prepare ahead of time, Vienne advised people with known allergies to make sure that their epinephrine pens are easy to find, and not expired.
Secondly, people should make sure that they apply insect repellents correctly, according to the package instructions.
That’s especially true for people with children, the doctor said.
“They usually put on more than they need,” he said.
As for treatment after stings occur, Vienne recommended the following course of action:
• Stay calm. Panic or running will increase the venom’s spread through the body.
• Ice the stung area, and lower the limb where the sting occurred if possible.
• Apply a topical cream, an over-the- counter variety, to reduce the itch and redness.
• Take an ibuprofen product to reduce inflammation, if it’s safe for you. (Check with your d+octor if you’re not sure.)
• Take Benadryl, if needed, to reduce itching. Be forewarned, it could cause drowsiness, so don’t take it if that will create problems.
• Spider bites should be referred to a doctor’s care. You’ll know a spider bite because it will typically be redder, and hurt more, than other types of bites, the doctor said.
For those planning summer vacations, awareness about the insects and bugs in out-of-town locations is important, said Vienne.
Not all bugs are like those in Western New York — some, like scorpions, can do far more damage.
He advised travelers to inform themselves, and adapt their precautions to the places they are visiting.
