Insect Bites And Stings

Bites from some insects can also cause illnesses, such as Lyme disease from ticks, scabies from mites, and malaria from mosquitoes in certain parts of the world.

Symptoms of an insect bite or sting

The main symptoms of an insect bite or sting are:

pain and itching where you were bitten or stung
a small, swollen lump on the skin

The lump may look red. Redness may be more difficult to see on black or brown skin, but you should be able to feel a lump.

If you're not sure it's an insect bite or sting

How to treat an insect bite or sting

You can often treat an insect bite or sting without seeing a GP.

Removing stingers, ticks or caterpillars

If anything is left on or in your skin, the first thing you need to do is remove it carefully.

Easing your symptoms

If there's nothing in your skin, or you've removed it, wash your skin with soap and water to help lower the chance of infection.

The bite or sting should get better in a few days. There are some things you can do to ease your symptoms.

Do

put an ice pack wrapped in a cloth, or a clean cloth soaked in cold water, on the bite or sting for up to 20 minutes, if it's swollen
keep the area raised if you can
take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen if the sting is painful
use antihistamines to relieve any itching (but do not use antihistamine cream if you had caterpillar hairs on your skin)
use a hydrocortisone skin cream to reduce itching and swelling

Don't

do not scratch the bite or sting, as it could get infected

When and where to get medical help

Insect bites and stings are not usually serious, but sometimes you may need medical help.

See a pharmacist if:

You or your child aged 1 year or older has an insect bite or sting and:

the skin around it feels hot when you touch it or it looks red - redness can be harder to see on brown and black skin
it's painful
the area looks swollen
there's pus or fluid coming out of the bite or sting

A pharmacist can recommend treatments, such as antihistamines and steroid creams, and give the same antibiotics as a GP if the bite or sting is infected. They can also give advice or direct you to other medical help if you need it.

Find a pharmacy

See a GP if:

a child under 1 year old has an insect bite or sting
you think you or your child have been bitten by a tick and have flu-like symptoms, or a round or oval rash that has a ring around it like a bullseye

Get an urgent GP appointment or help from NHS 111 if:

You or your child has been bitten or stung by an insect and:

the symptoms get worse or are not getting any better
you were stung in your mouth or throat, or near your eyes
you have tummy pain and are being sick
you feel dizzy or lightheaded
you have a high temperature and swollen glands
you were stung more than once
you've had a serious allergic reaction to an insect bite or sting before
you have any other symptoms you're worried about

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online. Call 111 to get advice about a child under 5 years old.

Call 999 if:

you or a child suddenly has swollen lips, mouth, throat or tongue
you or a child are breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or sound like you're choking or gasping for air)
you or a child are struggling to swallow
you or a child have blue, grey or pale skin, tongue or lips (on black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet)
you or a child feel very confused, drowsy or dizzy
someone faints and cannot be woken up
a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)

You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised or itchy.

These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.

Sexual Health Advice

Throughout this series we have help and advice on staying healthy, dealing with Sexually Transmitted Infections, the risks of each type of the most popular gay sex and what to do if the sex you have is not consentual. The topics covered in this series include:

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