Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Is The Treatment For Ant Bite ?
Posted on
Mon, 30 May 2011
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Mon, 30 May 2011
Answered on
Last reviewed on
Question : my friend thinks she may have been biten by an ant in Bali on her foot and now a few hours later she is in much pain and her foot has swollen ..
it happened about 6 hours ago and her foot is getting worse could it have been a spider or even possibly a sea snake not sure what to do because im in australia and she is in bali indonesia and \we are talking by phone?
Hi,
Thanks for the query.
The treatment for ant bite depends on the severity of the condition. Simplest ant bites don't require any treatment. But in severe cases if there is ant venom allergy etc then emergency treatment is required.
The type of ant that has bitten is important because in tropical areas like Bali, there are various poisonous ants present.
1. Your friend should see a doctor immediately. Local doctors may know more about the type of ant and how poisonous they are.
2. She can apply ice packs on the foot. This will help in reducing the swelling.
3. Ask her to thoroughly wash her foot with soap and water/antiseptic.
4. Anti Histaminics like loratidine or cetrizine can be taken as a precaution.
If there is any pus discharge, fever, breathlessness etc, she needs to go to the emergency room at the earliest.
In case of poisonous ants, anti venom would be required and would be prescribed by the local doctors as they should be able to identify the ant and the severity of its bite.
Hope this answer helps you. In case of any doubts, I am available for the follow ups.
Thanks for the query.
The treatment for ant bite depends on the severity of the condition. Simplest ant bites don't require any treatment. But in severe cases if there is ant venom allergy etc then emergency treatment is required.
The type of ant that has bitten is important because in tropical areas like Bali, there are various poisonous ants present.
1. Your friend should see a doctor immediately. Local doctors may know more about the type of ant and how poisonous they are.
2. She can apply ice packs on the foot. This will help in reducing the swelling.
3. Ask her to thoroughly wash her foot with soap and water/antiseptic.
4. Anti Histaminics like loratidine or cetrizine can be taken as a precaution.
If there is any pus discharge, fever, breathlessness etc, she needs to go to the emergency room at the earliest.
In case of poisonous ants, anti venom would be required and would be prescribed by the local doctors as they should be able to identify the ant and the severity of its bite.
Hope this answer helps you. In case of any doubts, I am available for the follow ups.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
im pretty sure it happened while she was surfing through more information she thought it was her board but there was no bleeding and the pain got worse over time .. the pain foot is burning ..and feeling kind of dizzy.. could have been sea snake . she has muscle restriction in her joint of her foot...
Hi,
Yes,if it was in the water,then there are innumerable possibilities.She needs to go to the hospital immediately esp if she is feeling dizzy,nauseous,breathlessness.Call her and tell her to seek medical attention asap.
Don't delay.
Regards,
Yes,if it was in the water,then there are innumerable possibilities.She needs to go to the hospital immediately esp if she is feeling dizzy,nauseous,breathlessness.Call her and tell her to seek medical attention asap.
Don't delay.
Regards,
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
