What Causes Severe Pain On My Back After An Insect Bite?

Posted on Tue, 29 Apr 2014

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

Tue, 29 Apr 2014 Answered on

Mon, 19 May 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : I wasn sitting in a chair outside and all of a sudden, in an instant, I got a stinging sensation in my back toward the left side. I thought for sure something had stung me or bit me, so I jumped up and started rubbing myself on that spot. Then this was followed by pain in that area that feels like 20 needles sticking into my back. There is not a mark on my back or there does not seem to visually be a spot where I can see that something stung or bit me. But when I move that side of my back or put pressure on that area, I have severe pain of pins pricking me. Otherwise I feel fine, and this came on in an instant. I am currently icing it and took a Benadryl.

Answered by Dr. Geetika Paul (18 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Proper care for insect bite reaction

Detailed Answer:
Hi

I understand your concern regarding your skin problem and I hope I am able to help you in the same .
You rightly seem to have developed vector dermatitis which is a reaction of the skin to insect bite.
You should keep on icing the area. It is good that you are already taking benadryl but since you have a lot of irritation in the area, I would advise you to get cortisone cream and apply it over the affected area . Sometimes insect bite leads to a deep reaction and the skin lesions might come up in a day or two if proper treatment is not taken.
Do not apply any other cream or oil over the area.
Wear cotton clothes so as to avoid any friction over it.

Hope it helps

Please ask if you need any further clarifications

Dr Geetika Paul

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