How Can Drain Fly Bites Be Treated?

Posted on Sun, 25 Feb 2018

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 25 Feb 2018 Answered on

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 Last reviewed on

Question : friday night i was laying in bed and i felt a pin prick sensation, i dismissed it and then 10 seconds later felt another one and again. i jumped out of bed and saw a bug on my foot that looked like a large drain fly and then it either jumped off or flew. i couldn't find it afterward. i did see however, a drain fly on the wall but it looked smaller than the one that was on me
now they are itching and are red almost like a misquote bite

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (27 minutes later)

Brief Answer:

Apply low dose steroid cream, twice daily!

Detailed Answer:

Hi,

This is clearly an insect bite. It is no way suggests a concerning bite like Lyme disease or spider bite.

At this time, apply betamethasone low dose cream for relief. This will take care of the itching and local swelling and pain. Do not forget to cleanse daily with soap and water as well.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ivo Ditah (6 hours later)

thank you! i was just concerned that it was a deer fly or bed bugs

do you think thats a possibility?

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (46 minutes later)

Brief Answer:

Deer and bedbug unlikley!

Detailed Answer:

Hi,

Deer fly mostly occur in the bushes. Unlikely to happen at home. Bed bugs would bite more than once as that is your bed and you are in it always.

Let's monitor and should this happen again, endeavor to capture the fly, at least with a camera, for review and identification.

Hope I have answered your query.

Take care

Regards,
Dr Ivo Ditah, Internal Medicine Specialist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar