There are many different kinds of insect bites that one may experience in his lifetime. Some bites are harmless but there are some which are dangerous. Some may only cause itchiness and discomfort while others may be painful. It is however important and helpful in knowing the difference between the different bites in order to determine the kind of treatment needed. In this article, the difference between tick bites vs spider bites is discussed.
Just like other insect bites, most of the tick and spider bites are harmless to humans. Not unless one is bitten from a venomous spider or an infected tick. Below are a few tips on how to distinguish tick bites vs spider bites.
- The first thing to do is to think about what made you notice the bite. Tick bites are small and unnoticeable by many victims until signs and symptoms begin to appear. . The symptoms usually start to show days after one got bitten. Spider bites on the other hand vary in size. Those who get bitten by spiders usually experience or notice the signs and symptoms almost as soon as bitten.
- The next thing one can do is to assess the severity of pain from the bite. In most cases, tick bites are painless. But the pain from an infected tick bite will only begin develop a few months after the bite. Spider bites may and may not be painful. If it becomes painful hours after the bite, there’s a higher chance that it is from a poisonous spider.
- Next thing is to look at the bite. As previously mentioned, tick bites are difficult to see because of its very small size. However, if a bulls-eye pattern appears, it proves that the bite is from a Lyme disease infected tick. Spider bites are mostly swelling and red in appearance. A black widow spider’s bite will sometimes show a double-fang mark at the bite area.
- The last thing to do is to judge the symptoms. Some of the tick bites can be dangerous, specifically bites from infected ticks. They can be carriers of diseases such as Lyme disease and others. Symptoms from Lyme disease may include fever, fatigue, muscle aches and a skin rash with ring like patterns that appear to be like a target bull’s-eye. At the later stages of the disease, it will cause an inflammation of heart muscles and problems with the central nervous system.
For non-poisonous spider bites, the symptoms are somewhat similar to a bee sting which may include redness, swelling and a painful bite. Symptoms of a poisonous spider bite are more severe. At first, the spider bite may or may not be painful but after about 30 minutes, the bite will start to become painful and swollen, cause a burning sensation and fluid-filled blisters will appear on the skin. Within 8 hours, more severe symptoms will start and these may also include stomach and back pain, nausea and vomiting, muscle pain and rigidity, difficulty in breathing, and skin deterioration.
Whichever the bite may be from, tick bites vs spider bites, it is important to seek medical help, especially if one is experiencing any discomfort like pain, or if the skin develops any unusual changes like blisters or bull’s-eye pattern.