Is it a spider bite?

You notice a red and itchy area on you skin. Is it a spider bite? Unless you see a spider biting you or nearby, most of the time it's not a spider bite. There're many kinds of bugs in the environment. Most of the time, the bug bite will go away on its own without any treatment. Over-the-counter hydrocortisone may help ease the itch. But if the itch is severe and the redness is expanding with a central pustule, it's time to seek medical attention. You doctor usually will take a specimen and send it to a laboratory for bacterial studies. If not ruptured on its own, the infection site may need to be drained with a lancet. In the meantime you will be prescribed an antibiotic empirically. Based on the study results your doctor may switch to or add another antibiotic. With some hard-to-treat infections, your doctor may try quite a few different antibiotics. In severe cases you may need to be hospitalized and given intravenous antibiotics.