INSECT BITES & STINGS Essays - Animal Attacks, First Aid

INSECT BITES & STINGS MS.SHOLES 3-5-99 HEALTH PROJECT THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF BITING AND STINGING INSECTS. VENOMUS, AND NON-VENOMUS. THE VENOMUS INSECTS ARE WASPS, HORNETS, YELLOW-JACKETS, FIRE ANTS AND ALL BEES.THE NON-VENOMUS INSECTS ARE THE CHIGGERS, FLEAS, LICE, SCABIES, BED BUGS, TICKS, AND MOSQUITOES. SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF INSECT BITES, AND STINGS EASY TO SPOT. ALL INSECT BITES AND STINGS SYMPTOMES ARE THE SAME THE ITCHING, PAIN, ALLERGIC REACTIONS, AND SWELLING/REDNESS. FOR VENOMUS BITES EVERY THING LISTED ABOVE ARE COMMON FOR NON-VENOMUS THEY ARE RARE. THE DIFFERNCE BETWEEN A BITE AND A STING IS DUE TO THE NATURE OF IT. VENOMUS INSECTS ATTACK AS A DEFENSE MECHANISM, INJECTING PAINFUL, TOXIC VENOM THROUGH THEIR STINGERS TO PUNISH YOU SO YOU'LL STAY AWAY NEXT TIME.NON-VENOMOUS INSECTS BITE AND USUALLY INJECT ANTI-COAGULANT SALIVA IN ORDER TO FEED ON YOUR BLOOD. ALTHOUGH LOCAL IRRITATION AND ALLERGIC REACTIONS DO OCCUR FROM NON-VENOMOUS BITES, SEVERE REACTIONS SUCH AS ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK ONLY HAPPEN FROM VENOM STINGS. INSECT BITES AND STINGS CAN RANGE IN SERIOUSNESS FROM MINOR TO SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTIONS. CONSIDER THE SYMPTOMS WHEN DETERMINING THE SERIOUSNESS. MINOR BITES AND STINGS MAY CAUSE ANY ONE OR A COMBONATION OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMES: STINGING, PAIN, BURNING, REDNESS, RASH, SWELLING, ITCHING, OR NUMBERSIN THE AREA AROUND THE WOUND. SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTIONS MAY ALSO INCLUDE MUSCE AND OR STOMACH CRAMPS, NAUSEA, VOMITING, BREATHING DIFFICULTY, SWEATING, FEVER, DROWSINESS, HIVES, COUGHING, WHEEZING, ANXIETY, DIZZINESS, OR BLURRING VISION. IN THE EVENT THE PATIENT EXPERIENCES ANY OF THESE ALLERGIC SYMPTOMES, SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT IMMEDIATELY. PERSONS WITH A HISTORY OF ALLERGIC REACTIONS SHOULD KEEP ANTIHISTAMINE TABLETS OR A PREPARED INJECTION KIT CLOSE BY IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. FOR TREATMENT OF MINOR STINGS, REMOVE THE STINGER BY SCRAPING THE AREA WITH A KNIFEBLADE, CARD EDGE, OR FINGERNAIL. DO NOT SQUEEZE IT, FOR THAT PRESSES MORE VENOM INTO THE SKIN. WASH THE AREA WITH ANTIBACTERIAL SOAP, APPLY ICE COMPRESS, AND APPLY A SOOTHING LOTION SACH AS CALMINE AND ANTIHISTHAMINE CREAMS TO REDUCE SYMPTOMS. WITH A STING OR A BITE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO WASH THE AREA IMMEDIATELY WITH AN ANTIBACTERIAL SOAP, COVER THE AREA, AND AVOID SCRATCHING. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO TREAT INSECT BITES AND STINGS, PLEASE CONSULT A PHISICAION.