Posts Tagged ‘cellulitis’

Is it a Spider Bite ?

Tuesday, May 28th, 2013

We have many patients who ask this very question. We often see patients who seek an evaluation due to a skin lesion that is red, swollen and often very painful. Many times the centers of these lesions look like there is a puncture wound and there is sometimes a scab and/or pus.

Most often, this is not a spider bite.  But we are still glad the patient has sought an evaluation, because it is usually a skin infection that needs treatment.

The good news is that most insects and spiders in the Tampa Bay area are neither poisonous nor dangerous to us. Most often these swollen and painful lesions are infections caused by normal bacteria that lives on our skin and has entered the body due to a scratch, wound, or insect bite.

It is not a surprise that it appears the bite is the culprit of the infection. Most often, however, the bite merely provided an opening for the bacteria to get into the skin and create an infection.

Typically, these infections need antibiotics and many need additional treatment,  which may include draining.  Please be careful not to squeeze these infections or attempt to drain them on your own. Squeezing the lesions can cause them to burst open under the skin which may allow the pus to spread further within the body.

If you are experiencing a painful lesion Suncoast Urgent Care is here to evaluate and treat it on site.

 

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