Insect bites Diagnosis

Most of the time, diagnosis is clear because you can identify the insect when it bites you. But sometimes a sting or a bite can appear much later without diagnostic identification. These bites are much more difficult to diagnose since the type of insect is unknown. However, the size and location of the bite will give an indication of possible sources of the bite. Doctors from the following specialties evaluate and treat insect bites:

• Dermatology
• Emergency Medicine
• Family Practice
• Internal Medicine

Medical exams
Diagnosis of an insect bite begins with a medical history and physical exam. Tests are not normally required to diagnose bee stings and insect bites. Diagnostic tests are only likely to be of use if an insect is found on or in the skin to confirm if it is carrying an illness, or not. Your doctor will also recommend possible treatment for an insect bite or sting based by ruling out other diagnostic possibilities (shingles, or chicken pos for example).

Insect venom allergy test - A diagnostic test that might be valuable is an insect venom allergy test. This involves scratching the skin with tiny doses of various insect venoms and looking for the size of the hive that results to measure the allergic reaction to the individual insect venom.

Lyme disease test - If a tick is pulled out of the skin, it should be checked for Borrelia burgdorferi, the cause of Lyme disease, if the person was in an infested area.

Bug bites and stings usually are just annoying and manifest no serious or lasting health problems. But on occasion, they can cause infections that require treatment. Or allergic reactions can be serious or fatal and require emergency help. Learn more about treating mild insect bites as well as more serious allergic reactions. Treatments for various insect bites or stings are presented in the next section on treating insect bites.