How Do You Know if You Are Allergic to Mosquito Bites?

If you are allergic to mosquito bites, you may have a condition called Skeeter Syndrome. This kind of allergy will have more severe symptoms that may require medical attention. Help stop swelling and further damage from scratching with Moskinto Patches.

Skeeter syndrome is a relatively rare inflammatory reaction to mosquito bites, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Symptoms may develop hours after a mosquito bite and can include a large area of swelling, heat, redness, itching, and pain that mimics what would happen with an infection.

Here’s how to tell if skeeter syndrome is happening to you, and what to do about it:

Normal Mosquito Bites These can trigger immediate swelling and redness that peaks after about 20 minutes, followed by small itchy bumps that are usually less than 2 centimeters (about ¾ inch) in diameter, says Catherine Newman, MD, a dermatologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Skeeter Syndrome The mark is bigger and longer lasting. Welts can swell from 2 to 10 centimeters in diameter (up to about 4 inches) within an hour of the bite and progress over the next several days, Dr. Newman says. Bumps can be itchy, red, painful, and warm to the touch.

“Skeeter syndrome is the result of an allergic reaction to proteins in mosquito saliva,” Newman says. “There is no simple blood test to detect mosquito antibodies in blood, so mosquito allergy is diagnosed by determining whether the large red areas or swelling and itching occur after you’re bitten by mosquitoes.”

Allergic reactions

You might not know you have a mosquito allergy until you’ve had a severe reaction. If you are allergic to mosquito bites your swelling will be severe where you were bitten. You will also experience other symptoms that might require medical attention if you have not been diagnosed with a mosquito allergy. 

Mosquitoes can be difficult to avoid but their bites are easy to identify. Here are the symptoms to watch out for if you are allergic to mosquito bites: 

Anaphylaxis

In severe cases of an allergic reaction to mosquito bites, you may experience anaphylaxis. This is identified by throat swelling, causing difficulty breathing, hives, feeling faint, wheezing. You will need to seek immediate medical attention if you have anaphylaxis. 

Extreme swelling

There is typically a small amount of swelling around the bite. If you are having an allergic reaction, the swelling could take over an entire body part that you were stung on. In cases like this, you should not wait to seek medical attention.

Fever

A low-grade fever iis common with allergic reactions. This is your body’s way of fighting off an infection.

Swollen lymph nodes 

If you are allergic to mosquito bites, your lymphatic system may become inflamed. This will cause your lymph nodes to swell. 

You may feel localized pain and tenderness in the area.