What to do at home when bitten by a bee or wasp
Summer is the time for vacations, trips to the sea, fruits and vegetables and... wasps with bees. These insects are especially active in the warm period and meeting them often turns into combat. A wasp can attack without being provoked, its sting is safe for most people, but very painful. Medical practice shows that most people do not know what to do when bitten by wasps/bees, however, dobrobut.com will help change this situation.
How dangerous are the bites of bees or wasps
Among all Hymenoptera insects, there are several species that most often sting people. It:
- bees;
- wasps;
- hornets;
- bumblebees.
The first two have the dubious "honor" of being leaders in aggressive actions.
The danger of the bites of these insects is somewhat exaggerated. The majority of those stung are not at risk of anything, except for some discomfort. At the moment of the bite, there is a sharp pain and burning sensation at the site of the sting, which passes over time. After that, swelling develops, and its severity depends on how much fat or loose tissue is under the wound. Redness after a bee or wasp bite is common.
The presence of fiber under the skin is an important factor affecting the general condition of a person after a bite. Situations when the sting is stuck in the area of the lips, soft or hard palate, or tongue are dangerous. In this case, there is a pronounced local reaction in the form of severe swelling, which can block the upper respiratory tract, and the person will simply suffocate.
In general, wasp and bee venom is safe. A healthy person can be "killed" only by the bites of several hundred insects. As a result of the bite of a dozen bees, there was a general reaction in the form of a rise in temperature (more often in a child), chills, weakness.
Allergic reactions to the poison of hymenoptera are more dangerous (this group of insects includes wasps and bees). In this case, upon first contact with the poison, sensitization occurs, i.e. failure of the immune response. The second contact starts a chain of pathological reactions, as a result of which an allergy develops.
The least dangerous is localized urticaria - the appearance of an itchy, spotted red rash on certain parts of the body within a few minutes (spots merge, forming reddened "fields" of an uneven shape), slight weakness may occur. Swelling at the site of a bite is no different from swelling in the absence of allergies. When the rash spreads over the whole body, it is a generalized urticaria - a more serious condition that is not yet life-threatening, but can be a harbinger of serious complications.
One of these serious conditions is Quincke's edema. In this case, first of all, the soft tissues of the face swell - lips, eyelids, cheeks. The transition of swelling to the neck is dangerous due to the development of swelling of the larynx - a life-threatening condition in which the upper respiratory tract is completely blocked. Death occurs within a few minutes from suffocation.
An even more dangerous, albeit rare, complication of a bee or wasp sting is anaphylactic shock. In this case, within a few minutes, the patient's blood pressure drops sharply, the pulse increases, and rashes all over the body occur. The skin becomes pale, cold sticky sweat appears. The result of anaphylactic shock is death from acute cardiovascular failure. But only if the patient was not helped.
Wasp or bee sting: what to do at home
If a bee has stung, the first step is to remove the sting. For this purpose, tweezers or a sterile needle are used (you can roast an ordinary sewing needle on fire). The bite site should be treated with an antiseptic and ice should be applied to reduce the absorption of poison into narrowed blood vessels. Some mothers are interested in how to relieve swelling in a child after a wasp bite. Ice will help to reduce its severity.
Locally it is desirable to apply any hormonal ointment - hydrocortisone or prednisolone. If the victim is prone to allergies or the bite occurred in a dangerous place (oral cavity, neck, face), it is necessary to drink a tablet of one of the antihistamines — Tavegil, Suprastin. Loratadine and cetirizine are not recommended in this case.
Severe course of allergy requires administration of drugs in the form of injections. Most often, this is available only to specialists who administer adrenaline, prednisolone, suprastin intramuscularly, and in critical cases - intravenously. With anaphylactic shock, drip infusion of various solutions may be required, without which it is impossible to raise low blood pressure. In addition, the victim is laid on his back, his legs are raised above the level of his head. In case of loss of consciousness and in the presence of vomiting, the patient should be put aside.
In the case of Quincke's edema, which is accompanied by swelling of the larynx, a mini-surgery may be required, which can only be performed by a qualified doctor. In this case, the soft tissues of the neck are dissected in a certain place so as to reveal the lumen of the larynx. A tube is inserted into it, through which the victim will breathe. This operation is called cricoconicotomy and in some cases it is the only way to save a person's life.
A wasp or bee sting is usually safe, but requires attention. No one knows how the human body will react to such an injury. Therefore, at the slightest signs of discomfort in the body, you should immediately call an "ambulance" and follow all the recommendations of a specialist.
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