Red Alert – Tips to Tell When Mosquito Bites Bring on Allergic Reactions

Insect Stings, Urgent Care Blog

Some people are allergic to mosquito bites and don’t even know it until they’re bitten and have a severe allergic reaction. These reactions are usually more serious in children because adults become less sensitive to insect bites over time, so they have much milder reactions. Mosquito bites leave their mark with an itchy red bump, but this is not the result of the bite itself, but actually the reaction of the body’s immune system to the mosquito’s sticky saliva. If you’re unsure whether you or your loved ones are allergic to these insect bites, you need to find out so you can react the right way if you have an allergic reaction. Discover the symptoms of an allergic reaction to mosquito bites, as well as the signs that a bite signals some other type of trouble.

Symptoms of an Allergic Reaction

While allergies to mosquito bites are rare, their reactions can be severe enough to require emergency medical treatment. And MD Now is the fastest and easiest way to get the medical care you urgently need without hospital hassles or long waits for a doctor’s appointment. You can tell if you’re having an allergic reaction to mosquito bites if you experience any of the following:

  • A large area of itching
  • Dark bruises around the site of the bite
  • Hives near the bite
  • Lesions
  • Anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening condition that causes the throat to swell up and severe wheezing and demands emergency medical attention.
  • Lymphangitis, which is an inflammation of the lymph system.

Signs That Something Else Is Bugging You

Not everyone is allergic to mosquito bites, yet many wrongly assume that they are and that a recent bite is causing them to suddenly feel ill. It’s also important to realize that certain mosquitoes have been known to transmit serious diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, encephalitis, chikungunya, and other tropical illnesses. These diseases have typically been found more in people who have traveled abroad, but sporadic cases have been noted in Florida during the summer. If you experience any of these problems, they’re not due to an allergic reaction, but they do require urgent medical treatment, which you can find at your nearest MD Now.

  • Fever
  • Strong, persistent headache
  • Body aches
  • Rash
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Fatigue
  • Confusion
  • Neurological changes that cause poor coordination or muscle weakness. 
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