Insect bites and stings are an extremely common minor ailment - we don’t really know how many people get bitten by bugs each year, because most instances aren’t reported - but a recent study of GPs discovered that all participants had come across a patient with an insect bite in the previous year.
Insect bites can be uncomfortable or irritating, but most people have nothing to worry about, as it’s straightforward to treat a bite or sting at home:
How to treat a bite or sting
Wash the area with soap and water. If you have a bee sting stuck in your skin, use a bank card or your fingernails. If you have ticks in your skin, use a pair of tweezers - your pharmacist can advise on specially designed tick removers, which may be worth investing in if you spend a lot of time in the countryside.
If you can see that there is swelling in the area, use an ice pack or a flannel soaked in cold water to reduce the swelling. If you can, raise the affected area above the level of your heart to further reduce the swelling.
If you’re in pain, a painkiller will help you - but not all painkillers are suitable for everyone, so speak to your community pharmacist if you are unsure.
To relieve itchiness, speak to your pharmacist about over the counter treatments. It’s important to avoid scratching in order to reduce the risk of infection. If a child has been bitten or stung, trimming and cleaning their fingernails will help avoid any further complications.
Typically, when you’re bitten by an insect in the UK, you’ll experience a minor local reaction, usually a red lump that swells and itches. Lasting anywhere from a few hours to several days, side effects are uncommon, but can result in bacterial infection, large local skin reaction, and in particularly bad cases, life-threatening reactions such as anaphylaxis.
These systemic reactions are rare - and signs of hypersensitivity reactions will usually start within a few minutes. If you’re not experiencing systemic reactions, but you are concerned that an insect bite or sting may be infected, your local pharmacist will be able to assess whether the site of the bite is infected, or simply inflamed.
Antibiotics are not required for most insect bites or stings, and your local pharmacy will be able to provide over-the-counter treatment to help ease the symptoms, including topical creams to help with itching, and antihistamine tablets to reduce pain, swelling and itchiness.
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It’s rare for an insect bite or sting to cause serious problems - but they are still uncomfortable and annoying. Don’t hesitate to pop into your local pharmacy for a conversation about bites and stings.