Dear readers! If someone has ever been bitten by a bee or wasp, they know how unpleasant and painful their bites can be. What to do if you are bitten by a bee? How to properly and quickly provide help at home, when you need to see a doctor and what you need to do to avoid such danger.
Acute pain, swelling, itching and redness at the site of the bite are not the worst things, although a lot of effort must also be made to make all these symptoms go away faster. A much greater danger can be caused by allergic reactions, which can appear literally immediately or even after a few minutes. The most severe allergic reaction may be angioedema or anaphylactic shock.
One day I was bitten by a stray shoulder. I was walking along the railway and suddenly, out of nowhere, a bee flew at me and bit me on the eyelid. And we just had a session. The swelling of the eyelid developed very quickly. In my youth, everything seems tragic... How ashamed I was that I came to take the exam with such a swollen eye.
I still remember those sensations: there was unbearable pain at the site of the bite, the eyelid instantly swollen, and then there was a painful burning sensation at the site of the bite for a long time.
What is the reason for such a stormy clinic? The fact is that during a bee sting, a poison is released - histamine, which causes swelling, pain, itching and rash. When a bee stings, unlike a wasp, having bitten a person, it leaves its sting in the skin and dies.
According to statistics, approximately 2% of the world's population may be allergic to a bee or wasp sting. Individual intolerance to their poison can cause severe allergic complications: Quincke's edema or anaphylactic shock. Of course, such complications are quite rare, but can sometimes lead to death if medical assistance is not provided in time. Exactly, during, since these complications develop very quickly, approximately 10-30 minutes after the bite.
What to do if bitten by a bee - first aid
What you can do at home
- If the bite occurs on the hand, you must quickly remove all the rings from the hand, otherwise the onset of swelling may disrupt the blood supply to the fingers.
- Wash the bite area with soapy water, wherever the wound is.
- Then you need to carefully remove the sting from the skin. It is not possible to remove a bee's sting so easily, since it has jagged edges, which prevents its free removal. With a wasp sting, everything is much simpler. Remember that bees die after being stung? This is because they lose an important organ when the skin is pierced. Therefore, the sting must be removed very carefully with tweezers; some experts even recommend scraping it off with some hard object. But it is best to carefully squeeze the sting and the sac of poison out of the skin. If you remove one sting, the remaining poison in it may still be released.
- Apply any cold that is at hand to the bite site to slow down the absorption of the poison into the bloodstream. You can make a lotion from cotton wool soaked in cold water with ammonia (ratio 1:5) or diluted alcohol (ratio 1:3).
- Take one of the antihistamines: suprastin, diazolin, tavegil, clarotadine, etc. How to relieve the pain from a bite? For acute pain, take painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs: aspirin, analgin or its analogues, ibuprofen.
- Drink warm tea and go to bed if you are stung by a bee for the first time, you don’t know how your body will react.
What to do if you were not at home
- Calm down, don't panic. Try to squeeze out the sting along with the venom sac.
- Apply any cold to slow down the absorption of the poison into the blood.
- Go to any nearby pharmacy, buy alcohol wipes (disposable alcohol wipes for injections are sold) and some antihistamines.
- Sit down (if possible) and observe how you feel. If you notice changes in your condition, ask for medical help.
Allergic reaction to an insect bite - symptoms
In some people, an allergy to an insect bite does not appear immediately, after about 30 minutes. But in children, an allergic reaction can develop much earlier. Therefore, you need to carefully listen to the changes in your body during this time.
Allergic urticaria - signs
An allergic reaction manifests itself in the appearance of a rash over the entire or part of the body, reminiscent of a nettle burn. It looks like clearly defined blisters of pale pink or red color rising above the surface of the skin, which can disappear when pressed.
The number of elements of the rash can vary from several and can be confluent over the entire surface of the body, and in size from several millimeters to several centimeters. Hives are always accompanied by severe itching.
Signs of Quincke's edema
It most often occurs upon repeated contact with the allergen, but quite often occurs upon first contact. With edema, biologically active substances (histamine) in large quantities enter the bloodstream, cause spasm of the capillaries, and impede the exit of the liquid part of the plasma from the vessels into the intercellular space. Water especially accumulates in those areas where there is a lot of loose fiber - this is the upper part of the body and genitals. The severity of edema varies: from mild swelling and difficulty breathing to severe forms and suffocation as a result of swelling of the larynx.
In the case of such an allergy, the face and all its parts begin to swell very quickly: eyes, tip of the nose, lips, ears. The eyelids swell so that only slits remain; lips swell and become large. The skin is pale, hot to the touch, dense, and does not give way.
If help is not provided, the swelling spreads lower to the neck, upper torso, and abdomen. The fingers on my hands swell like sausages, and backside the hands swell like pillows.
It is especially dangerous if laryngeal edema develops, the signs of which may include:
- Sore throat;
- Hoarseness of voice;
- Barking cough;
- Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
All these symptoms indicate that you urgently need to take antihistamines and call ambulance.
Anaphylactic shock, signs and first aid
Prevention of insect bites
Now you know what to do if you are bitten by a bee and correctly provide assistance if necessary. Such situations can be avoided if you follow some rules. Bees and wasps love to flock to sweets. Therefore, use the following tips:
- Keep sweet foods and drinks covered and fruits covered. Do not use sweet-smelling perfumes during the hottest part of the day.
- In summer, it is better to wear clothes in white or neutral colors - insects will fly towards bright colors. Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs near hives or in meadows where bees fly more often. Don't go barefoot.
- If you see a bee or wasp flying, or worse, a swarm, do not wave your arms, in this case you risk being stung by a bee.
- When repairing the roof or windows of your home, be careful that you may encounter a swarm of bees.
Conclusion
I have encountered similar symptoms from bee stings. Believe me: it's very scary. But only proper assistance will help preserve health, and possibly life.
Although bee venom is a very useful medicine that is used for many diseases. You can read more about this in my article “”.
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Walks in nature often end in insect bites, including bees. The phenomenon itself is unpleasant, however, with increased sensitivity it can lead to serious consequences. You need to know what to do if a bee sting occurs, how to remove the swelling in order to prevent poison from entering the body and prevent complications.
Swelling after a bee sting
The following measures can prevent the development of complications and tumor formation. If a bite occurs, you need to do the following:
- Carefully remove the insect's sting and squeeze out the poison from the wound.
- Next, you should treat the affected area with ethyl alcohol, ammonia or apple cider vinegar.
- Applying dandelion juice or mallow juice to the wound will help prevent swelling.
- For multiple bites, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids and administer an adrenaline solution.
Swelling after a bee sting
If swelling spreads to the face, you should immediately consult a doctor. Due to the penetration of poison into the blood, the affected areas begin to swell. If present, a serious allergic reaction may occur.
It is especially dangerous if the bee stings in the throat or is accidentally swallowed. The resulting swelling after a bee sting can block the airways. Another danger of bee venom is allergy, which manifests itself in the form of anaphylactic shock, in which there is disruption of the nervous system, decreased blood pressure and swelling of the bronchi.
How to relieve swelling from a bee sting?
To combat the resulting inflammation, it is good to use special ointments and creams against insect bites. However, in the absence of such remedies, you can resort to home medicine.
Enough effective means is a compress with soda slurry:
- Sprinkle the affected area with baking soda and add a couple of drops of water.
- Stir until a paste-like consistency is obtained.
The use of activated carbon helps get rid of swelling in just a day.
Swelling resulting from a bee sting can be removed using an alcohol compress with an alcohol mass fraction of no more than 70%.
Lubricating the bite site with Zvezdochka ointment will help cope with swelling.
You can prevent the formation of swelling by applying ice to the bite site, which will immediately relieve the burning sensation and painful sensations.
Most effective means is refined sugar, applying which to the bite site allows you to draw out the poison.
- mint juice;
- celandine;
- parsley
Simply chew the plant and apply it to the sore spot. You can also resort to onion juice.
Tea tree oil relieves inflammation and removes poison from the body.
Most often, the pain after an insect bite quickly subsides, but if your health suddenly worsens, you need to call an ambulance.
Medicines for bee stings
To eliminate pain, topical painkillers are used. They contain 
components such as pramoxine, hydrocortisone and lidocaine.
Also, products containing baking soda or oat extract are used for application to the skin, which helps to cope with itching.
If swelling is observed for three days, then it is recommended to take antihistamines to eliminate the poison. Diphenhydramine, Pipolphenol or Suprastin are taken in combination with Analgin three times a day. If laryngeal edema develops, Ephedrine (5%) is additionally administered.
Appearance allergic reaction with breathing problems and a drop in blood pressure requires serious treatment with injections of Adrenaline and steroids. In some cases, a tube may be inserted into the trachea and IVs placed.
Bee stings are not a rare occurrence in the summer. In most cases, bee stings are completely harmless to people and go away on their own within a few days. All you need to do is relieve the swelling and itching from the bite and reduce the pain.
Help, and urgent help at that, is required only if you have an allergy or have been bitten by several bees at once. Here you need to seek help from medical institution, since a bee sting can lead to more severe consequences and even death. In other cases, you can use home remedies to relieve swelling, swelling and itching.
Why do bees sting?
Bees and people have lived together for millions of years, and bee stings are part of our lives. Every person has been stung by a bee at least once in their life. Why do bees sting?
Most bee species are beneficial to humans. After all, few people will refuse the fragrant product that bees give us - honey. But their bites are unpleasant, painful and in rare cases can be fatal.
As a rule, bees are not aggressive creatures. Their stinger is designed for defense, not attack. After all, after being stung, the bee dies. As a rule, bees sting only in self-defense, when there is a threat to the bee or bee colony, when a person will destroy the hive or swarm of the bee colony. In this case, you can get multiple bee stings.
Reaction to a bee sting
A bee sting can cause different reactions in different people. This can range from temporary pain and discomfort at the site of the bite to an allergic reaction. It is not at all necessary that if you had one reaction with one bite, then exactly the same will happen with another sting.
The body's allergic reaction to a bee sting can be divided into:
Moderate
Mild allergic reaction
For most people, the symptoms of a bee sting are minor and go away within a few hours. It can be:
Instant, sharp burning, pain at the site of the bite;
Redness in the sting area;
Small White spot at the site of the sting;
Swelling around the sting area. 
Moderate allergic reaction
Mild allergic reactions may include:
Severe redness at the site of the bee sting;
Swelling at the site of the bite, which gradually increases over one or two days;
Mild allergic reactions usually resolve within five to ten days.
Severe allergic reaction
A severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to bee stings is potentially life-threatening and requires urgent treatment. Anaphylaxis can occur in a small percentage of people who are stung by a bee. Signs of anaphylaxis may include:
Skin reactions, including hives, itching, redness, or paleness of the skin;
Labored breathing;
Swelling of the throat and tongue;
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
Dizziness or fainting;
Loss of consciousness.
People who have such a strong reaction to bee stings are likely to have exactly the same reaction the next time they are stung. In this case, you need to consult a doctor and take measures to avoid such severe consequences.
In these people, after multiple stings, bee venom accumulates in the body and may experience very severe symptoms, including:
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
Headache;
Dizziness;
Weakness and loss of consciousness;
Convulsions;
Increased temperature and fever.
Multiple bites require medical attention for bites from children, older adults, and people with heart or respiratory conditions. 
First aid for a bee sting
Bee venom contains proteins that affect skin cells and the immune system, causing pain and swelling around the sting site.
When a bee stings, it inserts its stinger, which contains poison, into the skin. The faster you remove the sting, the weaker the reaction will be.
First aid for bee stings consists of just a few simple steps.
Remove the sting as quickly as possible. You can remove it with your fingernails or tweezers. Although some doctors recommend using a regular plastic card to remove the sting. The sting is easily removed. When removed with tweezers or fingernails, more poison enters the body.
Wash the bite area with soap and water.
Apply a cold compress or ice to reduce swelling and pain.
For a moderate allergic reaction, you can apply hydrocortisone ointment to the bite site to reduce redness, itching, and swelling.
You can take an antihistamine to reduce itching.
Avoid scratching the bite area as this may increase the risk of infection.
Home remedies for bee stings
Swelling, swelling and itching are the most unpleasant consequences of a bee sting. There are many home remedies that can help reduce and relieve discomfort.
Lavender essential oil. Lavender essential oil is very soothing and can help relieve the discomfort associated with bee stings. This is one of the few essential oils that can help in such a situation. The oil can be used either diluted with carrier oil or undiluted. Read more about all the properties of lavender oil here.
Soak a cotton swab or pad with essential oil and apply it to the bite area. Try to apply the swab to the place where the sting was. Apply twice the day of the bite and once the next day.
If there is a reaction to the oil, dilute it with any neutral vegetable oil in a 1:1 ratio.
Dirt. Mud applications help well with the initial pain immediately after a bite.
For this a small amount of dilute dirt (any) with a small amount of water and smear the bite area.
After some time, rinse well with water. 
Baking soda. Baking soda is a good home remedy for bee stings to relieve swelling and itching. Make a paste from baking soda by adding a small amount of water.
Apply soda paste to the bite site where the sting was removed. You can fix the paste with an adhesive plaster.
Rhubarb juice. If a bee stings in the country and rhubarb grows on the plot, the rhubarb juice will also good remedy for bee stings. Pick a rhubarb stem and squeeze the juice directly onto the bite.
If necessary, you can repeat the treatment of the bite site with juice. Be aware that rhubarb can stain your skin. But it's not scary. Everything will be washed away.
Parsley. You can treat the bite site with a decoction of parsley. If this is not possible, squeeze the juice onto the bite site.
Plantain leaves. Plantain leaves can be used together with parsley. But if a bee stings in a park or forest, look for a plantain nearby. There must be one. Squeeze the juice or crush the leaf and apply to the bite site.
Yarrow and plantain. Make a compress from a decoction of these two plants, applying it to the bite site. A compress made from a decoction of yarrow and plantain relieves irritation, itching and reduces pain. Change the compress every two hours.
Onion. Onion juice relieves itching, pain and swelling at the bite site. Cut the onion head and apply the cut to the bite site. You can grind it in a blender and apply the puree, securing it with a bandage.
Aspirin and activated charcoal. Crush a tablet of aspirin and activated charcoal. Dissolve with a glass of water. Moisten a cotton swab or pad and apply to the bite site. Activated charcoal absorbs bee venom, and aspirin soothes pain and itching.
Aloe juice. Aloe vera juice is another good remedy to reduce pain and relieve itching from a bee sting. If you grow aloe at home, tear off a leaf and cut it in half. Apply the cut to the bite site.
To relieve irritation, you can lubricate the bite area. olive oil, honey and or dissolved validol tablet.
May help relieve itching and reduce swelling ammonia. But they need to treat the bite site no more than four times a day.
As you can see, there are enough home remedies that can help with a bee sting, relieve swelling and swelling and reduce itching.
This is what a bee sting and swelling from the sting looks like 
Ointment for bee stings
Summer is the time for country trips, hikes and outings. And it is not always possible to avoid such a nuisance as a bee sting. After all, bees are working hard at this time, stocking up on nectar. Make an ointment that can help with a bite.
To do this you need:
2-3 teaspoons beeswax
1 tablespoon coconut oil
4 drops essential oil lavender
0.5 teaspoon honey
Melt the wax with coconut oil and remove from the stove.
Add honey, and when the mixture has cooled a little, add lavender oil. Stir and pour into a jar with a lid.
Always take it with you when going for a walk in the park or forest.
Prevention of bee stings
As mentioned above, bees are not aggressive insects. We ourselves provoke her attack. And no repellent will help avoid being stung. You just need to follow simple preventive measures.
Avoid fragrances, including hairspray, scented soaps, lotions, and body oils. Bees love the sweet smell and are attracted to it. Place a hat or other head covering on your head.
Don't wear clothes bright colors, especially large floral patterns.
Be careful with food. Sweet sodas and other drinks attract bees.
A stain from sweet jam, preserves, or marmalade can also attract a bee with its aroma.
Do not wear loose, loose clothing when going for a walk. It's summer, of course it's hot. But a bee can fly under your clothes.
If you know you're going to a place where there's a chance that bees will be in high concentrations and flying, wear long pants and shoes. If you accidentally step on a bee, you won't feel the bee sting in your shoes.
Cover trash containers near your home and promptly remove fallen fruit so that it does not attract bees.
When there is a possibility that a bee may fly into the house through a window, hang a net over the windows. If this does happen, there is no need to wave your hands or a towel, driving the bee through open window. Most likely it will fly towards you, and not out the window. Wait until the bee calmly sits on the glass and remove it with a towel. Under no circumstances should you grab it by the wings with your hands. In this case, a bite is guaranteed. The bee has a very fast reaction.
When driving a car, close the windows to prevent bees from accidentally flying in.
What to do if a bee starts flying near you
Don't move. Stop and be still for a minute until the bee flies away. Waving your arms and other sudden movements provoke bees to bite.
You can gently blow on the bee to make it fly away from you.
When near the hive, there is no need to talk loudly, shout, or wave your arms. If the bee does bite you, quickly remove the sting. In addition to bee venom, the bee releases pheromones, thereby signaling to other bees “Danger is nearby.” This does not mean that the entire swarm will rush at you, but there is a chance of being bitten.
Morsus apis is the Latin word for a bee sting. The actual sting does not occur, since the bee only knows how to sting, and this can carry a different emotional and physiological load.
On the one hand, bee venom is considered useful, having many healing properties, on the other hand, bees can be the culprit of a severe allergic reaction. In addition, there is one more nuance - no matter what the result of the bite, the bee dies in any case. The poison that the hardworking insect secretes contains cytostatics, including histamine, acetylcholine, mellitin and others. In addition, the poison contains many amino acids, protein compounds, hydrochloric and orthophosphoric acid; this entire extremely active mixture can provoke allergies in humans.
Bee sting allergy
A bee sting, or more accurately, ranks second on the sad list of causes of anaphylactic shock caused by allergies. The reaction to a bee sting manifests itself quickly and threatens the same serious problems as an allergy to medications, which leads the ranking of factors that provoke anaphylaxis. There are statistics stating that more than 500,000 people suffer from bee stings around the world every year; in the United States alone, anaphylaxis caused by bee venom kills about 100 people every year.
How does an allergy to a bee sting develop?
Allergy-provoking substances are found in a bee sting; when an insect bites, it injects poison under the skin, and it spreads very quickly through the bloodstream without lingering in the subcutaneous tissue. This is what explains the systemic effect of bee venom on humans; thus, the diffuse, non-localized nature of the allergy is the main, main danger for the victim.
Symptoms of a bee sting allergy
Symptoms develop as quickly as a person is sensitized to the poison, that is, how sensitive the body is to the components of bee venom. In mild cases, the allergy is manifested by local swelling and urticaria localized at the site of the bite. If hyperemia and swelling spread throughout the body, a dangerous complication is possible - anaphylactic shock, which develops within a few minutes, less often hours.
Signs of a bee sting:
- Acute pain, burning at the sting site (caused by phosphoric and hydrochloric acids contained in the poison).
- Swelling and characteristic white dot at the site of skin damage.
- Redness at the sting site.
- Progressive swelling throughout the body.
- Itching spreading throughout the body.
- Hives.
- Rapid breathing, dry cough.
- Difficulty breathing, asthma attack.
- Rarely - nausea and vomiting.
- Headache.
- Impaired consciousness (delirium).
Symptoms of anaphylactic shock, which is caused by an allergy to a bee sting:
- Labored breathing.
- Rapidly developing swelling (especially in the neck and larynx).
- Dizziness.
- Pallor skin(cyanosis).
- Thready pulse.
- Fall in blood pressure.
- Cramps.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Asphyxia.
Bites on the arm, neck, especially on the tongue are the most dangerous and manifest themselves with acute, rapidly developing symptoms. A bee sting in the back, chest, or leg can also cause an allergy, but it is much milder and rarely ends in anaphylaxis.
It is believed that the sting of one bee does not pose a serious threat to human health; all signs of the sting disappear after 3-4 days. More dangerous are multiple stings, which even in non-allergy sufferers can provoke intoxication and lead to death. From 200 to 350 bites at a time is considered incompatible with life in a healthy person, although there are extreme people who have gradually accustomed themselves to poison and can tolerate up to 1000 stings at once.
Allergy to a bee sting is most often diagnosed in young children, women and the elderly. According to statistics, all 1.5% of people in the world have a true allergy to a bee sting, that is, they are extremely sensitive to the components of bee venom. Other allergy sufferers react to natural histamine, which is found in the contents of a bee sting.
Consequences after a bee sting
The most dangerous complication after a sting is anaphylaxis. For sensitive allergy sufferers, even one worker bee sting can be fatal.
In addition, in allergology, reactions to a bite are divided into toxic, when general intoxication of the body develops, and ordinary. Toxic substances, in turn, are divided into the following groups:
- Encephalopathy.
- Malignant myasthenia gravis.
- Mononeuritis.
The consequences of a bee sting can be divided into the following degrees of severity:
- Mild severity of the reaction - fever, itching, urticaria and Quincke's edema.
- The second degree of severity is respiratory failure, cardiac arrhythmia, spasms of the bronchi, intestines, swelling of almost all mucous membranes of the body, anaphylaxis
In rare cases, general intoxication, which can be caused by a bee sting, ends in glomerulonephritis, and persistent lymphadenitis is also possible. If a bee stings your eye, persistent blepharitis can lead to cataracts or glaucoma, but fortunately such cases are extremely rare.
The dose limit that the human body can handle is from 1 to 1.4 milligrams per kilogram of weight.
Does a bee die after being stung?
Even if it is not killed by an angry victim, the bee is forced to die one way or another. In a sense, a stinging bee is a disposable syringe or a kamikaze insect. The sting is designed in such a way that after a bite its barbs cling to the subcutaneous tissue and skin and it is impossible to pull it back without effort. The bee, however, tries to regain its weapon, but in this action it dies, since the sting is torn away from the body, along with the glands and internal microscopic organs of the insect. There is a legend that answers the question: does a bee die after being stung? The legend says that in ancient times bees turned to the Gods for help with a request to give them the opportunity to protect their honey. The ancient deities awarded bees with stings and poison, but with one condition: if the poison is directed against a human being, the bee is doomed to death, and the person to recovery. It is not known how many people who were bitten have recovered since then, but today many of the victims are asking the question:
What to do if you are stung by a bee?
Firstly, remove the bee’s “weapon”, that is, the sting, from the body as quickly as possible. The bee does not succeed in this process, which is why it dies, but it is not by chance that man is called the “king of nature”; he has more strength and suitable tools at his disposal.
The sting is carefully removed using tweezers, picking it up as close as possible to the bite site. You need to be careful not to damage the fragile tank with toxic contents. It is much more difficult to remove the sting with your fingers, and, as a rule, the poison is poured under the skin.
The wound should be lubricated with any antiseptic - alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, tincture. If you don't have it at hand medicines, the wound can be moistened with saline solution (1 teaspoon of table salt per glass of purified or boiled chilled water). A solution of water and soda (a glass of purified water - 1 teaspoon of soda) can also help.
A cold compress and ice should be applied to the injury site. This will help stop the spread of poison under the skin and relieve swelling.
A sting victim needs to drink a lot. Alkaline mineral water without gas, simple purified water, weak green tea, in a word, any drink that is “non-aggressive” in the sense of allergies will do. You should not give honey tincture, hot tea or milk on the advice of casual acquaintances. If you are sensitive to bee venom These drinks may trigger or worsen an allergic reaction.
If an affected person develops allergic symptoms, you should give him an antihistamine as soon as possible - Claritin, Zestra, Suprastin, Telfast, Zyrtec. This will help stop and sometimes relieve an allergic reaction to a bee sting.
What to do if you are stung by a bee if the symptoms develop quickly after the sting? You need to call an ambulance immediately. Heart medications should be on hand and preferably ampoules with glucocorticosteroids. However, it is advisable not to carry out independent actions until the doctors arrive.
First aid for a bee sting
In summer, especially in areas where honey-bearing herbs, flowers and trees grow, no one is safe from bee attacks. Therefore, almost everyone should know the algorithm of actions that involves first aid for a bee sting, especially this information is relevant for allergy sufferers and parents of small children.
The action plan is:
- Remove the sting. This is done with tweezers, if you don’t have them, then manicured people come to the rescue female hands: long nails can play the role of tweezers. The sting is removed carefully, taking into account the risk of damaging the capsule with poison.
- The area affected by the sting should be washed with running water.
- It is necessary to blot the bite site and lubricate it with any corticosteroid drug; as a rule, many home medicine cabinets contain hydrocortisone ointment. If such a remedy is not available, an antiseptic will do, which should be present in every first aid kit (hydrogen peroxide, alcohol tinctures).
- Ice and cold must be applied to the injury site. Cold compresses should be changed as they warm up. Cold is indicated for 4-6 hours after the bite.
- If your arm or leg is bitten, you can apply a tourniquet above the injury.
- If itching develops, even in the absence of other signs of allergy, it is worth taking an antihistamine. Over-the-counter antihistamine syrups are suitable for children.
- If the victim has already had an allergic reaction to stings or bee products (honey, propolis, pollen), you need to use more radical drugs - autoinjectors with adrenaline-containing agents. In principle, every allergy sufferer who has a history of reaction to honey, a bee sting, or a wasp sting should have such a disposable instrument (syringe) and a special bracelet with him in case of loss of consciousness. These identification marks and means are needed so that people around can quickly provide the necessary assistance.
Emergency medical care for a bee sting is needed for the following symptoms:
- Severe shortness of breath that progresses rapidly.
- Rapidly increasing headache.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Cramps.
- Rapidly spreading swelling.
- If many bites occurred at the same time (more than 10 for adults, more than 3 for children).
- If the sting occurs in the throat, eye or tongue, oral cavity.
- If bitten old man with a history of cardiac pathologies.
- If an asthmatic or diabetic is bitten.
Bee sting remedy
Not always in home medicine cabinet There are antihistamines, hydrocortisone ointment or another drug necessary for allergies or stings. What can be a suitable remedy for a bee sting? Here is a verified list of so-called folk ways, which can become an indispensable aid when stung by a bee:
- If you have a tablet of soluble aspirin, you need to put it in a glass of purified water. This solution is applied to the sting site several times.
- Solution baking soda– 1 teaspoon per glass of clean (preferably boiled) water. Moisten a gauze pad and apply to the injury site.
- If aloe grows in the house, you need to tear off the fleshiest leaf and try to squeeze the juice out of it. Aloe juice is applied to the bite site 3-5 times.
- Calendula tincture works well as an antiseptic (contains alcohol) and also relieves inflammation at the sting site.
- Suspended (crushed) activated carbon. Coal should not be applied directly to the skin; it is better, after the sting is pulled out, to neutralize the bite site with an antiseptic, cover with a piece of bandage and apply crushed coal (it must first be slightly moistened).
- Washed plantain leaves need to be mashed and applied to the damaged area. As the leaf fades, it needs to be replaced with a fresh one.
- Cleanly washed garden parsley leaves can also reduce pain and relieve some swelling.
As for raw onions or potatoes, there is no verified evidence that such a remedy for bee stings is effective.
How to avoid a bee sting?
The best way to avoid being stung by a bee is to stay away from these insects' habitats. Prevention has always been and will be the only effective method of avoiding possible troubles.
- To reduce the risk of allergies and simply discomfort, you should know how to avoid a bee sting.
- In the spring and summer, bees actively fly out of the hive in search of nectar - a nutrient medium. Most often, they simply get tangled in a person’s hair and, trying to break free, sting. According to statistics, every third person bitten by a bee is stung in the head area. The conclusion is to cover your hair with panama hats, hats, scarves, especially if you are in areas where bees may live.
- If you go out of town, into nature, you should only walk barefoot where there are no flowers or other fragrant plants. A bee may be collecting nectar just as your bare foot is about to set foot on the coveted soil. You will not notice it in the petals, but it will sting you in self-defense.
- Also, in natural conditions, any picnics and an abundance of aromatic foods on the tablecloth are extremely attractive to bees. In addition, these curious insects love to fly to the smell of perfumes and deodorants. Conclusion - cover the food, forget about perfumes with strong, trailing odors for a while.
- If you see an insect flying straight at you, the “mill” movement will not only not help, but will also harm. No amount of hand waving can drive away an angry bee. Slow retreat into in this case not a shameful flight at all, but a way to avoid unnecessary confrontation and possible allergies.
- The smell of alcohol, even yesterday's alcohol, also attracts bees. This should be remembered by anyone who is going to relax in nature with the help of alcoholic drinks. In addition, alcohol can cause harm after a bite, as it increases vascular permeability, and accordingly, swelling becomes greater.
Prevention is also a pre-prepared first aid kit, which should include antiseptic drugs (alcohol, hydrogen peroxide), aspirin (preferably soluble), antihistamines, gauze, bandage, tourniquet, cardiac drugs (cordiamin, validol, valerian, nitroglycerin). Those who have an allergy or a predisposition to it need to have more serious antihistamines with them, up to a disposable syringe (autoinjector).
How to avoid a bee sting? Of course, no one is safe from meeting this insect; bees fly both in the city and in nature. They are not aggressive by nature, so stinging is either an accident or unreasonable human behavior. In addition, in a sense, a bee sting can become a real medicine, especially if it is prescribed by an apitherapist.
Not only is summer approaching, but also the moment when you could be stung by a bee. Let's figure out why the body reacts this way to a bee sting and what to do for those who begin to develop an allergic reaction after the sting.
To begin with, it should be noted that a bee will not attack a person without a reason. She stings only as a last resort, and then only for her own protection. Therefore, the worst thing you can do when encountering a bee is to start waving your arms. This will only attract her attention and provoke a bite.
Why does a bee die after being stung? The insect's sting contains serrations, which, when bitten, catch on soft skin, and the bee is unable to remove the sting. Making sharp jerks to free itself, the bee pulls out its sting, and with it part of its intestines, after which it dies.
There is no need to kill a bee when it stings - its body will then release a special substance that acts as an alarm signal and causes rage in its relatives. As a result, you may be attacked by other bees.
Composition of bee venom
Bee venom is complex chemical composition, it contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates, acids, essential macro- and microelements. But we will pay attention, first of all, to those substances that are potent toxins.
- Melitin is a basic poison toxin that, when mixed with blood, can destroy red blood cells. Melitin causes inflammation throughout the body and disrupts the normal functioning of the digestive system.
- Apamin - affects the human nervous system, causing stimulation in its various parts.
- Histamine - causes pain, swelling, redness, a severe allergic reaction, which leads to a sharp drop in blood pressure.
- Hyaluronidase is an enzyme that destroys mucopolysaccharides. Once in the body, it contributes to the rapid spread of edema.
- Phospholipase A - increases the inflammatory process and damages blood cells.
What to do if you are stung by a bee?
- Carefully (if you have tweezers at hand, use them after disinfecting them) remove the sting without touching the bag of poison (!). If you squeeze the sting out of the skin, you will damage the pouch and the poison will spread throughout the body faster.
- Since bee venom has an acidic pH environment, it can be neutralized using an alkaline solution (for example, soap).
- After this, it is necessary to disinfect the bite site. Any antiseptic will do (hydrogen peroxide, iodine, brilliant green, furatsilin solution, ammonia solution).
- Do not scratch the affected area under any circumstances, as this will spread the poison into adjacent tissues and increase the risk of infection. To relieve pain and swelling, use a cold compress.
- After treating the wound, take an antihistamine, even if you have not had any allergic reactions before.
- You can use ointments with an antihistamine effect, they will help relieve symptoms.
- Drink as much fluid as possible until the swelling subsides. Avoid drinking alcohol, it will only lead to increased swelling.
Bee sting allergy
An allergic reaction to bee stings develops as a result of an increased reaction immune system human exposure to any of the components of bee venom.
Elmira Dzybova, dermato-oncologist, allergist-immunologist:
If after a bee sting you notice the development of an allergic reaction, then the most important thing is to determine the severity of this allergic reaction and its danger to health.
If a bee has stung you in the area of the limbs or torso and a blister, redness, itching has formed at the site of the bite, but overall you feel well, it will be enough to take an antihistamine and lubricate the site of the bite with special gels after insect bites or corticosteroid cream. In most cases, after a few hours the reaction either goes away completely or becomes less pronounced.
However, if a bee bites you on the face, lip, eyelid or oral mucosa, there is a high risk of developing life-threatening allergic reactions - Quincke's edema, breathing problems or vision problems.
Therefore, if you feel the development of a severe allergic reaction, a disturbance in your general condition or weakness, you must call an ambulance. medical care, and also immediately take an antihistamine!
