Bug off! How to prevent bug bites and insect-borne diseases this summer | hioscar Blog | Oscar
Bug off! How to prevent bug bites and insect-borne diseases this summer
Protect yourself from mosquitoes, ticks, and other pests with these tips.
General HealthClinically Speaking
5 min read
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Mosquitos, ticks, horseflies, wasps…while summer certainly has a lot to offer, insect bites and stings can zap the fun out of the great outdoors. And these pests are more than just an uncomfortable nuisance: the CDC says bug-borne illnesses are on the rise (opens in new tab) in the U.S., with the number of reported disease cases from mosquito, tick, and flea bites tripling from 2004 to 2016. These are serious illnesses like Lyme disease and West Nile virus that can lead to chronic pain, severe long-term health complications, or even death.
As scary as all that sounds, you don’t have to lock yourselves indoors during what’s arguably the best season. Here are some tips from Dr. Amy Esposito, an internal medicine physician at the Oscar Center (opens in new tab), on protecting yourself from itchy bug bites and nasty insect-borne illnesses.
Before going outside
Take a few minutes to find out what insect-borne diseases are present where you live. The CDC offers a map of tick types and diseases in the U.S. (opens in new tab), and you can contact or visit the website of your local health department for more information on your area. It’s smart to take extra care if you’re going hunting, hiking, or camping, but don’t assume you can’t get bitten in your own neighborhood, garden or backyard.
If you’re planning to take a trip, the CDC’s traveler website lists risks and recommendations by destination. When traveling to a part of the world that requires certain vaccinations, be sure to get your shots 4 - 6 weeks ahead of your trip, to give the vaccines enough time to start working.
Protect your skin with the right bug spray and clothing.EPA-registered insect repellents (opens in new tab) are effective and safe, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women. DEET is a commonly known active ingredient that you’ll see on this list, and is effective against mosquitoes, ticks and other bugs. The higher the DEET percentage, the longer the protection will last, up to 50%. It’s recommended you use repellent containing at least 20% DEET on anyone except infants under 2 months. Application is as important as choice: don’t spray repellent under your clothing, and if you’re also planning to wear sunscreen, always apply it first and let it dry completely before layering on repellent.
When hiking, choose light colored clothing (this will make it easier to see any ticks that land on you!), long pants and shirts, and closed-toe shoes. Tuck everything in - shirt into pants, pants into socks - and cover your hair with a hat or bandana. If you want to take it a step further, treat your shoes with permethrin, a highly effective insecticide that will prevent ticks from latching onto your shoes and crawling up to your legs.
While outside
Know where and when you should be outdoors. Avoid dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are the most active. Stay away from places where bugs like to hang out: standing water, tall grass, shrubs, and leaf piles. If you’re hiking, stay in the middle of the trail.
Protect your home’s outdoor space against mosquitos and ticks. Anything that collects standing water - like a birdbath or kiddie pool - should be emptied out once a week. Deer are common carriers for ticks, so put fencing around your yard to cut off their free ride. Installing a standing or ceiling fan in outdoor areas where you commonly relax is also a smart move - in addition to keeping you cool, it will keep away mosquitoes, which don’t like flying into fast moving air.
Once you’re back indoors
Shower within two hours of being outside. Do this not only to wash bug spray off, but to remove any ticks on your body that haven’t latched on yet. Toss your clothing in the dryer for 10 minutes to kill any ticks that might still be crawling around.
Do a full body tick check. Be vigilant - check your entire body, including your scalp and skin folds like your groin, armpits, and in and behind your ears. Don’t forget your belly button!
If you do find a tick, don’t panic. How you remove it is important: don’t grab it by your fingers, twist or jerk it. Doing so could cause the tick’s head or mouth parts to break off while still attached to the skin. Avoid the old advice of using matches, nail polish or petroleum to force the tick to unlatch naturally - the longer it remains in attached to your body, the greater chance for disease transmission. Use tweezers, pull upward with even pressure, and make sure all parts of the tick are removed from skin. Never crush the tick between your fingers - dispose of it by flushing it down the toilet.
What to do if you’re bitten or stung
If you experience flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, muscle aches or stiffness) or a rash in the days following a bug bite, talk to your primary care provider (opens in new tab) immediately. Certain tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease can be prevented if antibiotics are started within 72 hours of being being bitten. This is a critical and often missed step.
If you’ve been stung by an insect, remove the stinger as soon as possible by gently scraping a fingernail or credit card over the area. Don’t squeeze the stinger or use tweezers, which could push venom further into the skin. Ibuprofen can take the edge off the pain, and if you’ve been stung on the arm or leg, elevating the limb can help. Keep an eye on the affected area - if you notice swelling increases over the next couple days you should talk to your doctor.
Always wash the insect bite or sting with soap and water, and never scratch - it only increases irritation and the chances of skin infection. If your bug bites lead to troublesome itching, nonsedating oral antihistamines such as cetirizine (Zyrtec) or loratadine (Claritin) may provide relief. Topical creams containing calamine or praxomine can also hit the spot.
