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Burning bug bite on thigh while sleeping

Posted , 3 users are following.

dan38655
dan38655

Have had three occurrences in the last month or two, a small, un-colored hard welt that suddenly occurs with a strong enough burn to it to awaken me.

Each time was a single welt, which was like an ant bite with an itching burn, and which did not cause discomfort for more than a minute or two after waking.

Always on one inner thigh or the other, and I always followed up by going into the bathroom, closing the door and stripping off a couple of layers of clothing to search thoroughly for the culprit.

Any but a micro-sized bug would have been found, since my layers of long underwear and pj's overlapped and would have trapped the critter.

So what kind of bug bites only once and then disappears? Never had this happen before, but a friend told me she had the same thing the other day and she's not been in my bed. Same location, same symptoms and also while sleeping.

I did some web searching and rule out bed bugs, which typically leave a trtail of 2-4 bites. I don't have pets and rule out fleas since those leave red dots and the itch lasts much longer.

Any ideas on what causes this are most welcome!

I literally lost sleep over this last night when I had to get up to blast out my clothing with a hair drier as the burning welt subsided.

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • angela10215
    angela10215 dan38655

    Posted

    Are you run down?

    Could it be a boil?

    • angela10215
      angela10215

      Posted

      I tried to send you a link on bites. It wont let me. Sorry.
    • dan38655
      dan38655 angela10215

      Posted

      It's definitely a bug bite, just like I would get when one of those micro-sized wasps (flying ant things) flies into my collar while bike riding and zaps me at my waistline since it gets trapped there.

      My health and skin condition are both good, no other related symptoms.

      Again, the intense itch/burn arrives suddenly and dies down in a matter of minutes, and the welt is about a quarter-inch diameter and quite firm and sharply defined, but with no coloration to it at all.

      It appears your message is awaiting moderation since it contains a web link, but you couls also just name the site such that it doesn't create a hyperlink in the text if that makes sense. I can search from there.

      Thanks Angela!

    • dan38655
      dan38655

      Posted

      I guess that I should add that the short duration burn seems more like a defensive sting than a parasite's allergic reaction, since a sting is intended to get your attantion with a shot of the stinging bug's formic acid, which doesn't last long before exausting it's concentration.

      That makes this a very odd case, such a tiny pest and why is it in my drawers, always stinging the same approximate area of my body?

      I've known ticks to consistently find the same location, but this a different sort of critter entirely.

  • Jaybelle
    Jaybelle dan38655

    Posted

    Could be a spider bite. An A&E doc told me they are a surpisingly common cause of allergic reactions in the UK that tend to occur at night and often go unexplained. If you are not having an allergic reaction, you may only notice pain and a small swelling. Most spiders will tend, however, to leave two tiny puncture marks. Whatever the cause, perhaps stripping the bed, a hot wash and serious vacuuming of the mattress are called for as a first response. Good luck!
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