There’s a lot to love about living in the Knoxville area! All of the family-friendly attractions, warm sunny days and friendly neighbors make this part of eastern Tennessee a great place to live.

One thing that is annoying about the South, though, is all of the bugs! The summer time is certainly the time of year when all of the bugs and other creepy crawlies come out. While most of the bugs around us are more of a nuisance than anything, some of them can bite or sting and be really painful.

Read on as our AFC Urgent Care Knoxville team explains some bites and stings to watch out for below.

What Does a Tick Bite Feel Like?

Tick bites are possible at any time of the year, but they are more common from mid-spring to early fall. That means there are ticks around us the majority of the year! Unfortunately, they are so small that they can easily attach to your skin without you knowing it. On top of that, their saliva has a numbing agent in it to help avoid detection while they are embedding themselves.

This is why many people don’t notice a tick bite until they are checking themselves and discover a tick attached. Tick bites are usually easy to identify because the tick will probably still be attached to you. The surrounding skin will probably be red, raised and a bit irritated. Focus on removing it from your skin as quickly as possible to reduce your risk of contracting Lyme disease.

Tick Removal Steps

• Use a clean tweezers and pull slowly and steadily away from the skin.
• Do not twist as you pull.
• Take a picture of the tick.
• Dispose in the garbage in a piece of tape or flush in the toilet.
• Wash your hands and the bite site thoroughly.

Does a Mosquito Bite or Sting?

It’s also mosquito season in the Knoxville area, and we are itchy just thinking about it! Mosquitoes survive off of the blood of others, so when they land on you, they pierce your skin in order to do so. Mosquito bites often feel like a stinging sensation at the moment, and the bite mark left over will turn into a red bump that is raised and often itchy.

Stings can quickly become serious situations. Unlike mosquito bites, bee and wasp stings happen as a defense mechanism. If you are out and about and get stung by something, try to get out of the area as quickly as possible. Stings often cause a reaction immediately and your skin can become inflamed and red and the site can be really painful or sensitive to touch. If you aren’t sure if you are allergic to the particular insect that stung you or you don’t know what it was that got you, watch your symptoms closely. Allergic reactions can become medical emergencies in minutes.

Signs of a Dangerous Allergic Reaction

• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling of the throat and tongue
• The appearance of hives or flushed skin
• Loss of consciousness or fainting

If you are ever worried about an animal or insect bite, come see us at AFC Urgent Care Knoxville.