Bee Sting Treatment

There is always a chance that you can be stung by a bee, no matter where you are. While only a small percentage of the population is allergic to bee stings, which can be fatal, they can still be painful for the rest of us. Also, please remember, you can develop an allergy at any time to bee stings. If you have small children who have never been stung before, you must be especially diligent in keeping an eye on them and you may even have to call an ambulance if they get stung.

A bee's barbed stinger has a venom sack attached that can continue to pump venom into your system for 20 minutes after you have been stung. It also releases pheromones into the air that will make other bees in the area more aggressive and apt to sting also. So it is of utmost importance to remove the stinger as quickly as you can.

First, find the stinger; look for a raised welt on the victim. Look very carefully for a small black dot in the meddle of the welt, it will look like a tiny splinter. If the victim has been stung more than once continue looking for all the stingers, until you find them all.

After you have found the stinger, pull it out as quickly as possible using a sideways scrape with your fingernail, or a stiff flat object such as a credit card and pull or scrape out the stinger. Never try to use the thumb and forefinger or tweezers to pinch out the stinger since this maneuver forces out more venom from the sack down into the wound. It is probably more important to get the stinger out as quickly as possible than to be overly concerned about how it is removed.

If you are just a by-stander it is imperative that you ask the victim if they have allergic reactions to bee stings. If they are, find out if they have a bee sting or anaphylaxis kit. Normally people who are allergic to bee stings usually carry one of these fairly close by. If no kit is available, immediately call an ambulance. It is better to call an ambulance than to try and get the victim to the hospital yourself - unless of course you are within minutes of a hospital. The paramedics on the ambulance will be able to give the victim medication immediately.

If the victim doesn't know if they are allergic to bee stings, watch for headaches, muscle cramps, difficulty breathing, or swallowing, sweating, nausea, fever, drowsiness or unconsciousness. If any of these symptoms appear, call an ambulance immediately.

If the victim has no allergies or signs of allergies, it is now time to treat the sting and make it less painful. If you are not near soap and water, see if someone has a first aid kit. If they do, you can use an alcohol swab to sterilize the sting area.

If it is available, the best choice is to put Emu Oil on the sting after you have washed the sting with soap and water and dried it thoroughly. Emu Oil is anti-bacterial and an anti-inflammatory. Emu Oil will take the itching and pain away almost immediately, and promote healing. Use the Emu Oil in place of an antibiotic ointment.

If you do not have any Emu Oil on hand, place an antibiotic ointment on the sting site.

Application of a cold compress to the sting area may provide some relief. Put an cold compress on the area to reduce swelling. Either a clean washcloth run under cold water, or a baggie full of ice can be used for a compress.

You may want to elevate the area slightly.

If you do not have Emu Oil on hand, consider giving them an antihistamine (Benadryl), or a non-sedating one such as loratadine (Claritan) for itching.

Consider giving them ibuprofen (Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain relief if needed. if you have used Emu OIl as an anti-biotic this will most likely not be necessary as the Emu Oil will relieve their pain within moments of its application.

If it has been more than 10 years since the sting victim's last tetanus booster immunization, they should get a booster within the next few days.

Most insect stings require no additional medical care. Of course, more serious reactions will need immediate medical attention.

If you have multiple stings (more than 10-20 stings) but no evidence of an allergic reaction you should seek medical care for observation anyway. They also may want to take multiple blood tests at that time.

If you are stung inside of the mouth or throat, you should seek medical care for observation as complications may develop which require more intensive management.

If you are stung on the eyeball, you should seek medical care as you may require consultation or evaluation by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).

Bottom line, always watch a sting victim for the signs of an allergic reaction and be ready to call an ambulance if they appear. Bee stings can be fatal if not treated correctly or fast enough when an allergic reaction does occur.

With two million Americans being allergic to stinging insects, it is important to know about bee sting allergies. The degree of allergy varies widely from person to person. Most people are not allergic to insect stings and most insect stings only result in local itching and swelling. Many people will have severe allergic reactions however. Up to a million hospital visits a year result from insect stings. If you are known to be allergic to insect stings, then the next sting is 60% likely to be similar or worse than the previous sting. Since most stings happen in the summer and fall, those are the months when you are at the greatest risk.

An allergic reaction is the body's way of responding to an "invader". When the body senses an "antigen", which is a foreign substance, the immune system is triggered. The immune system normally protects the body from harmful agents such as bacteria and toxins. Its overreaction to a harmless substance (an allergen) is called a hypersensitivity, or allergic, reaction.

Anything may be an allergen. Dust, pollen, plants, medications, certain foods, insect venoms, viruses, or bacteria are examples of allergens. Reactions may be in one spot, such as a small skin rash or itchy eyes, or all over, as in a whole body rash.

Most of the serious medical problems and deaths from bee stings result from an allergic reaction. This happens in certain people whose immune systems are overly sensitive (or allergic) to the venom. When they get stung, their body may over react to the venom, and an allergic reaction may happen throughout their body.

Some immediate reactions are local, which is defined as a two - or three-inch area of swelling, redness and pain that lasts more than 24 hours. Other stings qualify as large local reactions which are defined as those that are larger -- oftentimes an entire limb, or stings that last longer -- but all symptoms are adjacent to stings on the body.

Systemic reactions are allergic responses that are distant from the sting and include symptoms such as hives, generalized itching, generalized swelling, low blood pressure, difficulty breathing, or anapylactic shock, which is a severe reaction involving almost all of these symptoms.

An example of a local reaction is someone who gets stung on the forehead and their eyelids swell, this is a large local reaction. An example of a systemic reaction is someone who gets stung on the foot and their eyelids swell. Large local reactions are rarely serious and are rarely indicators that future severe allergies will occur. Systemic reactions, however, are present and future warning signs.

Yet another type of immediate reaction is a toxic reaction, which can follow multiple stings. This is a direct result of the bee venom and not an allergic reaction. Symptoms can include fever, weakness, nausea, vomiting, and pain. Toxic reactions are rarely serious, but do sometimes sensitize the person and make them susceptible to to future allergic reactions.

Delayed reactions happen when the body's immune system prepares for future stings, but some of the body's defense measures turn against the body itself. These symptoms begin more than four hours after the sting. Delayed reactions include serum sickness (fever, weakness, rash, swelling, and or intense itching which begin a week after the sting), nephrotic syndrome (inflammation of the kidney), neuritis (inflammation of the nerves), or inflammation of other parts of the body.

A honeybee that is away from it's nest foraging for pollen or nectar will rarely sting unless it is stepped on or roughly handled. If a honeybee perceives that it's hive it being threatened it will actively seek out and sting.

It is widely believed that a honeybee can only sting once, this is a partial misconception. If the victim happens to be a mammal or bird the honeybee's stinger will tear out of it's abdomen and lead to it's death in minutes, this is true. This is because the stinger is barbed so that it lodges in the victims skin. The stinger originally evolved for inter-bee combat between members of different hives, and the stinger evolved later as an anti-mammal defense. The stinger can penetrate the chitinous plates of another bee's exoskeleton and retract safely. Honeybees are the only hymenoptera with a barbed stinger.

The stinger's injection of apitoxin into the victim is accompanied by the release of alarm pheromones, a process which is accelerated if the bee is fatally injured. Release of alarm pheromones near the hive or swarm may attract other bees to the location, where they will likewise attack until there is no longer a threat (typically either the victim has fled or died). The pheromones do not dissipate or wash off quickly, and if the victim enters water, the bees will resume their attacks as soon as the target emerges from the water.

The main component of bee venom responsible for pain in vertebrates is the toxin melittin. Histamine and other biogenic amines may also contribute to pain and itching.

Here we will cover some things that you can do to prevent venomous stings.

First, learn what insects in your area can sting. Next, understand what you can do to avoid the problem. Last, know what to do, and whom to call if you get stung. In general, if you look or smell like a flower or wear flashy jewelry you could attract stinging insects.

Short descriptions of common stinging insects follow.

African Honey Bees

The African Honey Bee looks the same as the European honey bee, but is much more aggressive in defending its hives or colonies and can attack without warning. One or eve hundreds of bees target the head in an attack. A sting is no more powerful that that of the European honey bee, , but killer bee victims can be stung hundreds of times. If attacked, cover your head and run in a zig zag pattern and find shelter in a building or car or dark area as quickly as possible. Then quickly remove all stingers from the skin.

European Honey Bees

The European honey bee pollinates crops and flowers. it is about 1 inch long and is colored golden brown with black stripes encircling its fuzzy abdomen. A honey bee's venom is just as dangerous as a rattlesnake, only there is less toxin in the sting. So you must remove the poison sack as soon as possible.

Bees are more easily agitated on cloudy days, or by dark or bright clothing, or by vibrations or loud noises. Bees typically attack the head and ankles. 100-200 stings can be fatal to an adult. If attacked, remove the stinger as quickly as possible and treat the bee stings.

Wasps

Wasps are slender with a relatively thin waist and four wings. Smooth and somewhat shiny, wasps have brightly colored "skin" often with contrasting black and yellow patterns. Females can sting multiple times. The males have wings but no stingers. Wasps are predators and feed on insects and spiders. Because the stinger is not barbed, it can be removed and reinserted repeatedly, each time injecting out enough venom to cause considerable pain.

Bumble Bees

Bumble Bees are large hairy bees that collect and carry pollen on their hind legs to bring it back to the hive. They are often encountered foraging at flowers. Some species choose nesting places around people's houses. Wooden storage sheds and small barns, which may also house small rodents, are a favorite nesting place of bumble bees. Bumble bees are beneficial insects, performing unexcelled pollinating services for such crops as red clover and blueberries. Many species, normally docile and unaggressive while foraging on flowers, turn vicious when their nests are disturbed, chasing intruders for many yards away from the nest. Control is not usually recommended, but if desired, it would be best to find and destroy the nest. Individual bumble bees that get into the house can be controlled with an aerosol. Bumble bees have very few natural enemies, skunks being one of the few animals that find bumble bees tasty, sting and all.

Ants

Many ants can sting or bite and use their venom to kill smaller creature or to keep intruders away. Therefore the best prevention is to avoid stepping on or sitting on all of their nests.

Below are tips on how to avoid being stung by these insects.

When hiking or outdoors:

- Wear plain, light colored clothing; long pants, long sleeves, netting and high-top, lace-up leather shoes or boots that cover the ankles.

- Watch out for stinging insects.

- Use a walking stick - it is a good hiking companion and can be used in an emergency to help avoid a snake or creature, the uses of a good walking stick are endless.

- Carefully look around rocks or logs before stepping down.

- Watch out for bee hives, colonies or swarms when outdoors - don't poke at or touch them.

- Don't place your hands where you can't see.

- Don't wear scents of any kind, e.g. perfume, after shave or hairspray.

- Don't wave at, yell at, handle, annoy, touch or try to play with stinging insects.

When camping or at home:

- Check and shake bedding, clothes, boots and shoes before use.

- Do not leave any food around that is not tightly sealed in glass. Food odors attract insects and wildlife.

- Close and zip then duct tape all tent closures at night.

- Keep a good first aid kit with you.

Here are some things you can do to prevent venomous stings around your home.

- Get rid of rocks, mulch, littler, wood, paper, logs and debris from your yard.

- Wear plain, light-colored and long sleeved clothing when working outside around your yard.

- Keep doors and windows tight fitting with good weather stripping.

- Fill all cracks in the foundation of the house and around water faucets.

- Look before you place your hand under or into something, especially rocks.

- Make periodic checks for bee hives or swarms.

- Be very careful when operating vibrating equipment (lawnmowers, chain saws, weed eaters, etc.) that may disturb a fire ant, bee hive or wasp nest.

- Carefully check all line dried clothing before bringing it into the house.

- Do not leave shoes, boots, drinks, clothing items, and towels outdoors.

- Always protect your feet and wear shoes when outdoors, especially around the pool at night.

- Don't aggravate stinging insects that approach you.

- - Always check your clothing, bed and footwear before getting into them.

If you do find a bee hive, wasp nest, ant nest, or any other such colony of insects call a professional pest control company to come and remove them to avoid being stung.

Use common sense and stay out of the stinging insects way. Do not provoke an aggravating them. Know which insects to avoid and what they look like to keep from being stung.