Early last July, while traveling in Ohio, I got bitten by chiggers. No big deal, a few days of itching, and within two weeks, it would heal off. Or so I thought.

The bites itched much more than all other chigger bites I have ever had, and the itch continued for 8 weeks (despite using prescription cortizone or whatever cream, and lots of anti-itch lotions of all kinds), before it slowly tapered off. It almost drove me out of my mind, and I had around 70 or 75 bites overall, 35 alone on my lower right leg.

Then the bites went dormant. They formed small scars, and most of them are still dormant, or healed off.

However, on my right ankle, there are three bites (they were the worst ones to begin with) which have started up itching like crazy again. They turned red/purple again and have swollen up.

My question: Is this normal? I have never experienced chigger bites like this.

Some weird bacterial or viral infection (primary, secondary)?

Shall I see my doc again, or wait it out (it's driving me crazy again)?

I am at the point where I would not hesitate to ask the doc to just take a scalpel and cut the bumps out of my skin.

Any thoughts?

 

My question: Is this normal? No

 

Some weird bacterial or viral infection (primary, secondary)? Yes, probably bacterial.

 

Shall I see my doc again, or wait it out (it's driving me crazy again)? Yes, likely need antibiotics. 

 

Despite what many believe, chiggers don't stay in or under the skin. If you have continued complications after the initial contact, it almost always a bacterial infection that started due to the sores being open when itching.  Good luck. DW got them 2 years ago while working i her garden. 2 sores were slow to heal and antibiotics cleared it up.