Bug bite or shingles or poison ivy?

[nanette1985]

I have this thing on my arm that started out as a small bump, but then got itchy and turned into a 2" itchy red patch. I assumed it was a bug bite. I've been putting cortisone lotion on it, which helps with the itchiness.

My neighbor says it looks like shingles, so I looked up shingles pics, and except for being red, it doesn't really look like those pics. There's a lot of poison ivy in the woods around here.

I'll be darned if I'm going to a doctor for a bug bite.

How to tell the difference?

 

[unokitty]

Have you had chicken pox? If you haven't had chicken pox, you likely can't get shingles.

I think that your inclination that it is a bug bite or poison ivy is most likely correct.

Best of luck,
Uno

 

[z1ggy]

Does it hurt like hell if you touch it?? If not, then it's also not shingles.

Most likely a bug bite.

 

[jaha2000]

itchy red patch - sounds like ivy to me...
If a bug bite got that big seems like it would also have pain associated with it

 

[EagleKeeper]

Take rubbing alcohol and soak the area.

IF it is ivy, the oil that is causing the itch will dry out.

However, you should know if you came into contact with ivy - it does not jump out at you.

Were you in a ivy location with short sleeves on and brushed up against the plants?

 

[ch33zw1z]

Poison Ivy will breakout for up to 2 weeks, and not only in the area that was in contact with the plant oil.

Shingles doesn't feel the same...unfortunately I know...Chances are you don't have shingles.

 

[JamesV]

Poison ivy wouldn't be in just one big bump, and you'd know from the agony if you had shingles (my aunt had it around her eye which was months of torture).

Was the red bump like a target? With the red a ring around the area? That could be Lyme disease, which I've had; starts out as a bump that just itches, and turns into nightmarish pain all of a sudden after a few weeks.

Probably just a bug bite though.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Poison ivy wouldn't be in just one big bump, and you'd know from the agony if you had shingles (my aunt had it around her eye which was months of torture).

Was the red bump like a target? With the red a ring around the area? That could be Lyme disease, which I've had; starts out as a bump that just itches, and turns into nightmarish pain all of a sudden after a few weeks.

Probably just a bug bite though.

That's a good point. Although tick bites resulting in lyme disease don't have to leave a "bullseye" circle.

 

[CDC Mail Guy]

When in doubt...see a doctor.

 

[Krazy4Real]

You don't have shingles... trust me, you'll know if you have shingles.

 

[sixone]

Is the red area round? If so, it's a bug bite. Lanacane Maximum Strength is da bomb - I get huge red welts from mosquito bites, and that stuff really works.

If you have some, try Neosporin w/Pain Relief, it works in a pinch, though not as well as Lanacane.

 

[nanette1985]

Hey gang. Thanks for the comments. No, not painful to touch. Yes,I had chicken pox as a child. Suppose it's time to get one of those shingles vaccines.

I'm familiar with Lyme ticks - with 4 kids - we spent summers on Block Island for years. Also familiar with poison ivy - but this didn't look like poison ivy.

It's starting to get better. Still, I'll put some more ointment on it tonight.

If it gets worse, yup. I'll do the doctor thing.