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Insect bites and stings - Management
How do I manage large local reactions to an insect bite or sting?
- Treat pain with an oral analgesic (e.g. paracetamol or ibuprofen).
- Treat large local allergic reactions with a short course of an oral antihistamine.
- Offer a non-sedating antihistamine to control daytime symptoms.
- Consider giving an additional sedating antihistamine at night if the itch is interfering with sleep.
- Consider using a short course of an oral steroid (e.g. prednisolone for 3–5 days) if local swelling is severe.
- If the airway is affected, treat urgently as anaphylaxis — see the CKS topic on Angio-oedema and anaphylaxis for more information.
In depth
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