Take the sting out of insect bites!
Insect bites can happen at almost any time of year – during the summer months in the UK, or in the midst of December if you happen to be away from home on holiday or warm weather training! Whenever and wherever they happen, they’re no fun!
So what can you do to relieve your itching and soreness, and not infringe the anti-doping regulations?
In the first few days following an insect bite or sting, the reaction on your skin is as a result of histamine being produced by your body. The best treatment would therefore be an anti-histamine product, such as Clarityn or Zirtec.
It is also possible to use an anti-histamine cream such as Anthisan, but this should only be used for 2-3 days and then stopped, as it is possible to develop a reaction to the cream itself!
Should the bite look worse after the above treatment, and if it begins to look ‘dirty’, it could be an indication that there is an infection. In such instances, it would be advisable to visit your GP, who may prescribe antibiotics.
You can check out UK Sport’s interactive Drug Information Database on their website at www.didglobal.com
