Stiffness/Swelling due to a bug bite - should I be worried?

Question

I got bit late Friday night while sleeping on my finger. I can tell where there is a small like red mark where I was bit. Now it's a couple days letter, my finger is all swollen, red & very stiff I can barely bend my finger. I've been taking benadryl all weekend. Should I wait a few more days or should I have it checked out? Thanks!!

Answer 1

You have probably got the finger infected. Go and see your doctor, he will probably give you some cream and then the swelling should go down within a few days.  

Answer 2

You should get it checked out right away. Especially since you've been taking benedryl the whole time. My son has been allergic to any type of bug bite (including mosquito's) since he was born (he's now 12). I was allergic also as a child and have grown out of most of them but still allergic to some.

Anyway, the best thing over the years has been to take benedryl. When they are more severe the benedryl helps but doesn't stop the reaction. We also used Claritin but it can make you hyper or sleepy depending on your system (benedryl too). For some relief you can put ice on it and it should bring down some of the swelling. Ofcourse there's always things like calamine lotion, bug bite creams, etc. that can help with itching. You can try putting some baking soda on a slightly damp rag (it holds the powder together) and hold it on your finger, it can help take away some of the poison but usually works best right after the bite (the wound is probably closed now).

But your definitely having a reaction. And it seems its getting worse and not better which means your very allergic but not deathly. However, if it continues it can get bad. If it is red and the redness grows down your finger and into your hand then your having a severe reaction that without treatment can spread to your heart and be fatal.

So while right now its in the early stages and your ok, you don't want it to get worse so go get treatment. Also, you never know what bit you, it could be a poisonous spider that can cause you to lose activity in your finger (from nerve damage) or worse if not treated.

I'm not trying to scare you or over react but its always best to get it checked out and find that its nothing or something small then not to and find out its a tic with lyme disease or worse. And it does happen (my 18 yrs old cousin was bit while sleeping in her dorm and got lyme disease and hospitalized for a week). So its better to be safe than sorry. I apologize for writing so much but I wanted to support my answer so you know I'm not just guessing. Good luck!

Answer 3

Go to the doctor ASAP.  If you were bitten by a spider, you could end up with necrosis of the tissue, which means that the tissue dies.  Do not wait to have it looked at!  If it is actually a spider bite, it's important to have it treated immediately to reduce potential tissue damage.

Here is a link with info on spider bites.  I'm also including a link of pictures of brown recluse spider bites.  This is NOT to try to scare you, only to let you know how serious they can be if not treated.  What you have may not be a spider bite, but since you're having swelling, stiffness, and redness, it's better to be safe than sorry.  Good luck!

http://www.health.uab.edu/14973/

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/spider_bi...