Suggest Treatment For Redness And Swelling In The Hand

Posted on Wed, 29 Jun 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 29 Jun 2016 Answered on

Wed, 27 Jul 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : I received a cat bite on the center, back of my hand. My hand is swollen, red and sore. I've been taking Advil and after two days, it's improving. I'm assuming it's healing w/ time, but am wondering if it's effecting me in any other way, ie, upset stomach & mild headache? Do I need an antibiotic? Is it too late? I live 75 miles from the nearest town.

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (27 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
cat bites require antibiotic treatment

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

cat bites get infected at a rate of 80%. This is too high to ignore. Antibiotic treatment is required. Amoxicillin-Clavulanate would be an appropriate choice if there are no contraindications. Since the bitten part was the hand, it would be better if a doctor had a look at it. The hand may get infected and the infection may be hard to manage.

I hope it helps!
Kind Regards!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar