2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code W57

Patient Education

Insect Bites and Stings

Most insect bites are harmless, though they sometimes cause discomfort. Bee, wasp, and hornet stings and fire ant bites usually hurt. Mosquito and flea bites usually itch. Insects can also spread diseases. In the United States, some mosquitoes spread West Nile virus. Travelers outside the United States may be at risk for malaria and other infections.

To prevent insect bites and their complications:

• Don't bother insects
• Use insect repellant
• Wear protective clothing
• Be careful when you eat outside because food attracts insects
• If you know you have severe allergic reactions to insect bites and stings (such as anaphylaxis), carry an emergency epinephrine kit

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Spider Bites

Though many people are afraid of spiders, they rarely bite people unless threatened. Most spider bites are harmless. Occasionally, spider bites can cause allergic reactions. And bites by the venomous black widow and brown recluse spiders can be very dangerous to people.

If you are bitten by a spider, you may see a reaction similar to that of a bee sting, including redness, pain and swelling at the site. To treat a spider bite:

• Wash the area well with soap and water
• Apply an ice pack or a wet compress to the area
• Take over-the-counter pain medicine, if needed
• Consider using antihistamines for severe swelling
• Seek medical treatment for small children and adults with severe symptoms

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Tick Bites

What are ticks?

Ticks are small parasites. They may look like insects, but they have eight legs and are related to spiders. Ticks feed on the blood of people and warm-blooded animals. There are many types of ticks in the United States, and they live in different parts of the country.

Ticks can be different colors and sizes. They can be light-colored, reddish brown, or dark brown. Some ticks are so small that they can be difficult to see. Ticks may get on you if you walk though areas where they live, such as tall grass, leaf litter or shrubs.

Why do I need to be worried about tick bites?

If you spend time outdoors or have pets that go outdoors, you need to beware of ticks. When they bite, certain types of ticks can pass on germs that cause different diseases. Sometimes the symptoms can be mild. In other cases, you can have serious, long-lasting health problems. Some of the diseases you can get from a tick bite (called tickborne diseases) include:

• Lyme disease
• Alpha-gal syndrome (tick bite red meat allergy)
• Babesiosis
• Ehrlichiosis
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Tularemia

What happens if I get bitten by a tick?

You may not feel it when a tick bites you. The tick can stay attached to your body for several days. If that tick is infected, it can pass along any germs to you once it starts sucking your blood. But if you catch it and remove it before it has filled up on your blood, you are less likely to get infected.

How do I remove a tick?

If you find a tick attached to your skin, remove the tick as soon as you can. You could use a tick removal device or a fine-tipped tweezers:

• Using the tweezers, grab the tick as close to your skin as possible.
• Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick. You want to remove the whole tick in one piece if you can. If the mouth-parts of the tick break off and stay in the skin, try to remove them. But if you can't remove them easily, then leave them.
• Thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

When do I need to contact my health care provider about a tick bite?

Many tickborne diseases can have similar signs and symptoms. The most common are:

• Fever
• Chills
• Aches and pains
• Rash

If you develop any of these symptoms within several weeks of removing a tick, contact your provider.

How can I prevent tick bites?

There are steps you can take to prevent tick bites:

• Avoid wooded, brushy, and grassy areas, especially during warmer months.
• Wear insect repellent with DEET, picaridin or another U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellent.
• Wear light-colored protective clothing.
• Treat your clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin.
• Tuck your pant legs into your socks and your shirt into your pants.
• Remove your clothing after being outdoors. Check your clothing for ticks and remove any ticks that you find. Wash and dry your clothes at high temperatures.
• Check yourself, your children, and your pets daily for ticks and carefully remove any ticks you find.

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Code History

• FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
• FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
• FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
• FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
• FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
• FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
• FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
• FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
• FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.