Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.

We're talking about bug bites this week on Healthwatch. While most bug bites and stings are more irritating than they are hazardous, some can cause serious - even life-threatening - problems.

Bee and wasp stings can cause pain and swelling. Dr. Robin Carder, a dermatologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says you can prevent some of these symptoms by taking an antihistamine or ibuprofen immediately after being stung. People who know they're allergic to these stings should carry an epinephrine pen and seek medical care if stung.

Tick bites can be a little more difficult to treat. You'll need to remove the tick, making sure the embedded head comes out of the bite. Warming the tweezers you use may make the tick release, and rubbing petroleum jelly on the tick can suffocate it. An expanding circle of redness around the bite could be a sign of Lyme disease.

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