Got stung by something running on the trail today

[theeedude]

Took today off and was running in the woods, then bam sharp sting in the back of my head. I just got a short haircut yesterday. Now it still kind of stings and tingles and there is some swelling. I called my doctor, hopefully he calls me back soon, otherwise I am going to urgent care center. I have an interview at 3pm too, and now I got this on my mind, or on my head to be precise

 

[crt1530]

Fortunately, lyme disease is entirely curable if you catch it early enough. It would be best to see a doctor as soon as possible to make sure it's a tick bite and not from some debris that fell out of a tree. Sounds like you have everything under control. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[GenHoth]

You're doomed. Dibs on the computer!

 

[KK]

you would go to urgent care for a sting? seems alittle excessive. Heck calling your doctor for a sting is excessive. What makes this sting any different than a normal sting?

 

[crt1530]

Originally posted by: KK
you would go to urgent care for a sting? seems alittle excessive. Heck calling your doctor for a sting is excessive. What makes this sting any different than a normal sting?

Deer ticks (presumably common in the woods the OP runs in) carry lyme disease, which left untreated can have serious lifelong chronic symptoms. It is completely curable when caught early, but when left untreated for a protracted period can cause irreversible damage.

Link

 

[KK]

Originally posted by: crt1530

Originally posted by: KK
you would go to urgent care for a sting? seems alittle excessive. Heck calling your doctor for a sting is excessive. What makes this sting any different than a normal sting?

Deer ticks (presumably common in the woods the OP runs in) carry lyme disease, which left untreated can have serious lifelong chronic symptoms. It is completely curable when caught early, but when left untreated for a protracted period can cause irreversible damage.

Link

Deer ticks don't sting. Most times you won't know that they have dug into your skin until you're naked in the shower.

 

[Check]

I would guess it was a yellow jacket or some other stinging insect and was not a deer tick. Deer ticks typically don't hurt when they bite and you would have to pull the tick out since they don't just bite you and leave quickly like a mosquito or a black fly. Deer ticks tend to hang around in tall grass or low lying brush, not in trees, so if you were in the middle of the woods there is a very low chance of one of them jumping from a tree to attack your head.

You will be fine for you interview tomorrow at any rate since Lyme's Disease doesn't affect you immediately. If you are still worried about it being a deer tick your doctor will prescribe you an antibiotic that you'll have to take for about a week or so.

What region of the US are you in?

 

[theeedude]

I called my doc, let him decide. I got insurance for a reason. Interview was today, it went well.
As far as yellow jacket, I don't think so, first it was around 50 degrees when I ran, plus I didn't hear anything flying before and after. I was running under some trees, so that makes most sense to me.

 

[theeedude]

OK Doc says tick bite would take a longer time before it swells and hurts, and not be an abrupt thing like this, so he is not worried.
Maybe it was a yellow jacket, but I was running too fast to hear it fly up on me... Weird.

 

[Turin39789]

ticks don't sting. Now you know.

 

[theeedude]

Originally posted by: Turin39789
ticks don't sting. Now you know.

It just seems kind of too cold for anything else. What would a yellow jacket or a bee be doing out at under 50F? Plus I didn't hear anything before or after, nor did I see anything flying around.

 

[GenHoth]

I'm pretty sure you encountered one of these. But it got the back of your head and not the front