The document summarizes information about sunburn and insect bites and stings. It discusses causes, symptoms, and non-prescription treatments for both. Sunburn is caused by UV radiation from the sun damaging skin. Symptoms range from mild redness and pain to severe blistering. Insect bites and stings are caused by mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and other insects. Symptoms include swelling, pain, itching, and potentially severe allergic reactions. Non-prescription treatments for sunburn include sunscreen and pain relief. For insect bites, insect repellent and first aid measures can help provide relief.
The document summarizes information about sunburn and insect bites and stings. It discusses causes, symptoms, and non-prescription treatments for both. Sunburn is caused by UV radiation from the sun damaging skin. Symptoms range from mild redness and pain to severe blistering. Insect bites and stings are caused by mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and other insects. Symptoms include swelling, pain, itching, and potentially severe allergic reactions. Non-prescription treatments for sunburn include sunscreen and pain relief. For insect bites, insect repellent and first aid measures can help provide relief.
The document summarizes information about sunburn and insect bites and stings. It discusses causes, symptoms, and non-prescription treatments for both. Sunburn is caused by UV radiation from the sun damaging skin. Symptoms range from mild redness and pain to severe blistering. Insect bites and stings are caused by mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and other insects. Symptoms include swelling, pain, itching, and potentially severe allergic reactions. Non-prescription treatments for sunburn include sunscreen and pain relief. For insect bites, insect repellent and first aid measures can help provide relief.
Causes Any time our skin is not protected by sunscreen or Although an insect bite and an insect sting clothes and gets too much sun, it can burn or tan. are both Melanin painful, there is a big difference between ▪A complex polymer derived from the amino acid the types of tyrosine. insects that bite and those that sting ▪Melanin is responsible for determining skin and hair colour and is present in the skin to varying Common degrees; depending on how much a population has type of been exposed to the sun historically. insects ▪Basically, people who have dark skin have more that bites Business melanin. People who have light skin have less. Finance Leader Economy Melanin related to mutation (resulting in various Risk skin colour link to melanin level) Profit Depending on the amount of UV radiation received, Rise population group gained different skin colour in Idea different part of world. 1. Mosquito 2. Fly How melanin relates to the skin burn or tan: 3. Flea Our body normally makes melanin to try to 4. Chigger protect the deeper layers of our skin from 5. Tick damage. 6. Spider When our skin gets damaged by the sun's rays, it 7. Fire ant makes even more melanin to try to protect our 8. Scabies mite skin from being damaged even more. That 9. Bed bugs causes the skin to change colour when we go in 10. Lice the sun: Dark-skinned people usually turn darker brown, or tan. Light-skinned people usually turn more red, or burn. Besides tanning or burning, a lot of people also get uneven patches of colour, or freckles. NOTE: Even if we have naturally dark skin or never burn and always tan, that still means the sun is damaging our skin. And we can still get skin cancer and wrinkles some day. sun gives off three wavelengths of ultraviolet (UV) light: ▪ UVA ▪ UVB (Both can penetrate our skin and cause damage) ▪ UVC (light does not reach the Earth's surface) UV rays can alter our DNA, prematurely aging our skin. ▪Over time, DNA damage can contribute to skin cancers, including deadly melanoma. symptoms CLASSIFICATION: Common symptoms of Mild, moderate, or severe depending on several reactions to bites and factors: stings ▪The skin complexion of an individual (fair-skinned 1. Swelling, which may be concentrated complexion has the highest risk of burning). in the affected area or may spread ▪The time of day, duration, and altitude of exposure throughout the body redness or rash to the sun 2. Pain in the affected area or in the ▪Certain medications or chemicals in some skin muscles. preparations can make an individual more 3. Itching. susceptible to sunburn if proper precautions are not 4. Heat on and around the site of the bite taken. or sting. 5. Numbness or tingling in the affected Mild: The first signs of sunburn may not appear for area. up to 4 hours after exposure and may peak between 12 and 24 hours following exposure. Symptoms of a severe reaction Mild to moderate sunburn typically presents with requiring immediate medical symptoms that can include red erythematous skin, treatment include: tenderness, pain, and peeling of skin. • High fever Severe reactions can occur as well and can cause the • Difficulty breathing development of blisters and sometimes fever, chills, • Nausea or vomiting and weakness. In these instances, the individual • Muscle spasms should always be referred to a physician for further • Rapid heartbeat evaluation. • Swelling of the lips and throat • Confusion • Loss of consciousness
symptoms CLASSIFICATION: Common symptoms of
Mild, moderate, or severe depending on several reactions to bites and factors: stings ▪The skin complexion of an individual (fair-skinned 6. Swelling, which may be concentrated complexion has the highest risk of burning). in the affected area or may spread ▪The time of day, duration, and altitude of exposure throughout the body redness or rash to the sun 7. Pain in the affected area or in the ▪Certain medications or chemicals in some skin muscles. preparations can make an individual more 8. Itching. susceptible to sunburn if proper precautions are not 9. Heat on and around the site of the bite taken. or sting. 10. Numbness or tingling in the affected Mild: The first signs of sunburn may not appear for area. up to 4 hours after exposure and may peak between 12 and 24 hours following exposure. Symptoms of a severe reaction Mild to moderate sunburn typically presents with requiring immediate medical symptoms that can include red erythematous skin, treatment include: tenderness, pain, and peeling of skin. • High fever Severe reactions can occur as well and can cause the • Difficulty breathing development of blisters and sometimes fever, chills, • Nausea or vomiting and weakness. In these instances, the individual • Muscle spasms should always be referred to a physician for further • Rapid heartbeat evaluation. • Swelling of the lips and throat • Confusion • Loss of consciousness NON- Preventing sunburn /suntan: Before getting bite or sting PRESCRI 1. Tips (Watch the clock and Wear the right PTION clothes such as sun-protective cloth) 1. Insect repellent MEDICA 2. Protective agents to keep the skin while outside Not designed to eliminate pests makes TIONS in the sun (sunscreen that protects against both people less attractive to the pest. (OTC) UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreen should have a sun protection factor Common active ingredients in registered (SPF) of at least 30 skin-applied insect repellents: And Catnip Oil – from plant Nepeta Cataria Applying sunscreen: sp. Apply sunscreen about 30 minutes Citronella Oil - from the leaves and TREATM before going outside. stems of different species of ENT Use sunscreen even on overcast days Cymbopogon (lemongrass) because UV rays can penetrate clouds. DEET - Chemical name: N,N-diethyl- Reapply sunscreen every two hours -- meta toluamide or more often if sweating heavily or Picaridin - a synthetic compound first swimming. made in the 1980s. It was made to resemble the natural compound Sunburn/suntan piperine, which is found in the group of relief: plants that are used to produce black To treat the burn on two fronts relieving pepper reddened, inflamed skin while easing pain. OTC sunscreen: After getting bite or sting 1. Products typically include a combination of two to six of these 2. The majority of bites and stings can be active ingredients: oxybenzone, treated at home, especially if the avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, reaction is mild. homosalate and octinoxate. Remove the stinger if it is lodged 2. Mineral sunscreens use zinc oxide in the skin and/or titanium dioxide. Then, wash the affected area Next, apply an ice pack to reduce pain and swelling.
3. In addition to these, may treat the
patients with:
Topical anti-itch agents
TREATMENT Commonly used products contain: •1% hydrocortisone – for pruritis Minor to moderate sunburn - initially treated with •Mint oil - counterirritant the use of cool •Menthol - counterirritant cloths or compresses to affected areas; taking cool •Camphor – counterirritant showers or baths; Counterirritant is a substance which creates For treatments: irritation or mild inflammation in one (1) Applying topical agents - aloe vera, various skin location with the goal of lessening protectants, or topical hydrocortisone to the affected discomfort and/or inflammation. areas. *Topical hydrocortisone should never be applied to an area of open blisters. Oral pain relievers – NSAIDs (2) Oral OTC analgesics may be appropriate for (Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Diclofenac) some individuals. and OTC analgesics (Paracetamol / (3) Systemic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs acetaminophen) (NSAIDS) has been shown to decrease inflammation caused by exposure to UV rays. Anti-histamines – to reduce TOPICAL AGENTS: itchiness systemically. • Apply soothing lotions that contain aloe vera to sunburned areas. Antihistamine use to treat various • Topical steroids (such as 1% hydrocortisone symptoms caused by histamine. cream) can help with sunburn pain and swelling. • Long-acting antihistamines provide Not recommended for children below 2 years old, symptom unless prescribed by doctors. relief for up to 8-12 hours, while shorter NON-PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS acting agents last for up to 4 hours but To help treat fever or pain in sunburn; begin • Paracetamol / Acetaminophen working faster • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Oral Antihistamines Ibuprofen tablet 1st generation antihistamines: Naproxen tablet Diclofenac Tablet H1-antagonists / H1-blockers block the • Aspirin (also a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory action of histamine at the H1-receptor, drug) helping relieve allergic reactions. Cause drowsiness in most people (penetrate BBB) eg: Chlorpheniramine Diphenhydramine Brompheniramine Carbinoxamine Dexchlorpheniramine Doxylamine 2nd generation antihistamines: H1-antagonists / H1-blockers Newer drugs - much more selective for peripheral H1-receptors as opposed to the central nervous system H1 receptors and cholinergic receptors. This selectivity significantly reduces the occurrence of adverse drug reactions, such as sedation (calmness) do not penetrate BBB Less likely to cause drowsiness eg: Ketotifen Terfenadine Cetirizine Loratadine Goal of 1. Adequate pain relief treatment 2. Healing 3. Overall skin protection to minimize skin irritation and prevent further complications such as infections. 4. Selection of treatment depends on the severity of the sunburn.