During the warmer months, cases of bug bites tend to increase. If you’re someone who spends a lot of time outdoors in the summertime, you’re no stranger to bites from bugs like mosquitoes, horseflies and ticks. However, without proper management, bug bites can become infected. This article will review some of the signs of infection and tips for proper bug bite treatment.
If you have an infected bug bite, AFC Urgent Care Bedford is available to help. Our walk-in clinic in Bedford, MA provides rapid same-day care for minor conditions including infected bug bites. Our board-certified medical providers are trained to provide care for patients of all ages, and we don’t require patients to schedule an appointment in advance. Simply walk into the clinic for same-day care, or save your spot online in advance below.
Can Bug Bites Become Infected?
If you’ve ever gotten a bug bite, you’re probably familiar with how uncomfortable they can be. Bug bites often cause severe itching at the bite site due to the saliva of the bug causing a histamine reaction in your body. However, scratching a bug bite can lead it to become infected by opening up the skin and exposing it to irritants or debris. While most bug bites go away on their own, if you scratch your bug bite, it could become infected.
Signs Your Bug Bite is Infected
If you have a bug bite and are worried it could be infected, it is important to know what to look out for so that you can treat it properly. Broken skin often will scab over in an attempt to heal itself, so the formation of a scab indicates that your bug bite could have been exposed to irritants that could have caused an infection. Similarly, if your bug bite is getting redder and swollen, it may be infected. Heat at the bite site and any discharge like pus from the bite could also indicate an infection.
When to Seek Medical Treatment for an Infected Bug Bite
In mild cases, infected bug bites can be treated at home. However, especially in the case of young children, it is a good idea to get the bite checked out by a medical professional. Children are more prone to developing an infection because they don’t understand not to touch their bug bites. If you have a bug bite that is irritated, try applying triple antibiotic cream and covering it to see if the bite improves. If your bite is not healing after a few days, or is continuing to get worse and more irritated over time, you should seek medical care to rule out a more serious infection.
Walk Into AFC Bedford for Same-Day Bug Bite Treatment
Bite bites are very common during the summer months. If you have a bug bite, it is important not to touch it. Scratching can open the skin and increase your risk of infection. At AFC Urgent Care Bedford, our board-certified medical staff is available all summer long to treat symptoms of an infected bug bite to help ensure you’re able to enjoy your summer! Our walk-in clinic is open 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm to treat mild infections.
At AFC Bedford, our walk-in clinic is open daily to patients in Bedford, MA, and the surrounding communities. We treat patients of all ages, and never require patients to schedule an appointment in advance. We work with most medical insurance providers and offer competitive rates for self-paying patients. Walk in today, or call our team to learn more at (781) 430-8161.
