• Reference Number: HEY1010/2025
• Departments: Emergency Department
• Last Updated: 30 November 2025

Introduction

This leaflet has been produced to give you general information about your treatment of bites or stings. Your healthcare practitioner will have considered several factors when assessing your wound, including what you were bitten or stung by, the location of the bite or sting, and your individual risk of infection.

Most of your questions should be answered by this leaflet. It is not intended to replace the discussion between you and your doctor but may act as a starting point for discussion. If after reading it you have any concerns or require further explanation, please discuss this with a member of the healthcare team caring for you.

Wounds and bites

Puncture and Open Wounds

These wounds will have been thoroughly cleaned by the practitioner caring for you. Due to the high risk of infection, they may not be closed with stitches, steri-strips, or glue. Instead, a dressing will be applied. You’ll need to attend your GP or a Dressing Clinic within 5 days for a wound check and/or dressing change. The practitioner may also have provided you with spare dressings to take home.

Stings and Insect Bites

Stings and insect bites can cause an inflammatory reaction, leading to redness, swelling, and itching. These symptoms are common within the first 48 hours and are usually not a sign of infection. To reduce the risk of secondary infection, maintain good hygiene and avoid scratching the affected area.

Treatments offered

Usually, no treatment beyond simple first aid is needed. You may find the following helpful:

– Cold compress: Applying a cold compress (e.g., a cold, wet flannel) can help relieve symptoms. Avoid heat, as it may worsen them.

– Topical creams: Use topical corticosteroids (such as hydrocortisone) as directed to reduce inflammation and itching.

– Oral antihistamines: Take antihistamine tablets as instructed. These may cause drowsiness – if this happens, avoid driving, operating heavy machinery, or drinking alcohol.

– To help manage your pain, we recommend taking regular, simple pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, which can be purchased over the counter. If you have allergies or medical conditions that prevent you from using pain relief or anti-inflammatory medication, please seek advice from your GP or pharmacist.

– If you have been prescribed antibiotics, it is important to complete the full course, even if your symptoms improve. If you experience any signs of an allergic reaction or side effects, contact your GP or NHS 111 for advice.

When to seek further advice?

Signs of Infection

It is normal for the wound to be itchy, slightly red around the edges, or have a small amount of discharge. These are common signs of the healing process and not usually a cause for concern.

However, if the redness continues to spread over the next few days, if you develop flu-like symptoms (such as fever, chills, or fatigue) or if you develop any joint swelling please seek further medical advice.

Should you require further advice on the issues contained in this leaflet, please do not hesitate to contact the Emergency Department on Tel: 01482 482102 / Tel: 01482 482118.

General Advice and Consent

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Consent to treatment

Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats you, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to you. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.

The information you receive should be about your condition, the alternatives available to you, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:

• you must be able to give your consent
• you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
• you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person

Information about you

We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.