VERY painful bite/sting

[lunaraine]

Hi all. Something got caught in the hem of my trouser leg this afternoon at about half 3. I felt an extremely painful/stabbing sensation and assume it to be a wasp or bee. Have realised, thinking back, that whatever it was flew in the car window next to my head and there was no buzzing whatsoever, so it's unlikely to be either of those.

Since then, it has been incredibly painful. No itching whatsoever and no swelling. Where at first there was a small red circle of blood beneath the skin (and no obvious puncture) there is now a white almost pus like circle. It is not raised at all and I cannot feel it to be so when I run my finger over it.

I am concerned as it was 8 hours ago and I am still in a significant amount of pain. My ankle, above my heel on the inside, feels tight. Also it hurts right into my heel on the sole of my foot and up to the ankle bone.

Sorry this is long winded but everything I have looked at online talks about itchiness to varying degrees and it simply does not apply to this.

Thanks in advance

[carlton23]

Go to your Chemist and ask the pharmacist.

[China-Doll]

I think there's something called a horse fly which is quite small, doesn't buzz and gives an awful bite.

[China-Doll]

Does this critter look a likely candidate for what you saw?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse-fly

I know I had a mate got bitten by one and his hand swelled up (he's a photographer so not helpful). I can't remember if he was in the country at the time but I think he was.

[Ice.Maiden]

Horse flies DO buzz, lunaraine, and some can be very noisy, but you wouldn't necessarily notice it if you were travelling at the time.
Their bites are vicious, because they cut into your skin with razor-like mandibles, and they can also carry diseases. As carlton says, go to your pharmacist or doctor if the swelling doesn't go down, or you continue to be in pain or have other symptoms like feverishness.
On the other hand, because these insects tend to be found near to water or out in the country, you might've had a wasp sting. The draught of air coming in through your open window'd probably drown out any buzzing sound - which comes from the wings beating, so really, it could've been one of several insects which caused the problem. Hope you've checked in the car to make sure it's not crawling around somewhere!!

[lil75]

I doubt it was a bee or wasp, as I have been stung by both, a bee the other week(right between the toes!) and the pain only lasted for about 20 mins, so as everyone else has said, get it checked out

[carlton23]

I doubt very much it being a wasp as they don`t emerge from their nests until the plums are ripe on the trees, and that is in August. There are several bees which resemble wasps and are often mistaken for them and killed, unfortunately.

[jackthehat]

Go to your GP if you continue to have trouble with this.

My friend was bitten by a horse-fly and, unknown to her, its mandibles were left in her arm.

She ignored it an 2 years later had to have a small operation to remove the resulting 'cyst'.