Treatment consists of resting the affected limb or area, cleaning the wound site if present (with debridement of dead tissue if necessary) and treatment with oral antibiotics, except in severe cases, which may require admission and intravenous (IV) therapy. Flucloxacillin monotherapy (to cover staphylococcal infection) is often sufficient in mild cellulitis, but in more moderate cases or where streptococcal infection is suspected then usually combined with oral phenoxymethylpenicillin or intraveous benzylpenicillin, or ampicillin/amoxicillin (e.g. co-amoxiclav in the UK). Pain relief is also often prescribed, but excessive pain should always be considered relevant, as it is a symptom of necrotising fasciitis, which requires emergency surgical attention.
