Bee Envenomation

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee - Muhammad Ali

Bee Envenomation
Bee Envenomation

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What to do if you're stung by a bee

Most bee stings can be treated without medical attention. First aid for someone who has been stung by a bee or wasp includes a number of dos and don'ts.

DO:

  • Stay with the person to watch out for any severe reaction that could develop
  • Call for urgent medical help if there are signs of a severe allergic reaction
  • Remove the stinger promptly if it remains - honey bee stingers are barbed and usually remain in the skin, and prompt removal is needed since the injection mechanism continues
  • To remove the stinger, wipe over it with a piece of gauze, or scrape a finger nail, piece of card or a bank card over it
  • Remain…

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Resources

 What to do if you're stung by a bee

A number of steps can be taken in the home treatment of uncomplicated stings, including some dos and don'ts.

Bee Spotter

There are many medical and home remedies that people use to treat stings but the best course of action is just plain ice You can also take an antihistamine to reduce the swelling and a painkiller to dull the ache.

BuzzAboutBees.net

The first thing to remember is that prevention is better than cure: leave foraging bees, as well as hives and nests well alone and allow the bees to go about their business in peace. In truth, the real risks from a stinging incident are actually not that great, but it's easy for the dangers to be exaggerated.

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

When most people are stung by an insect, the site develops redness, swelling and itching. However, some people are actually allergic to insect stings. This means that their immune systems overreact to the venom. If you are insect-allergic, after the first sting, your body produces antibodies called Immunoglobulin E (IgE). If stung again by the same kind of insect, the venom interacts with this specific IgE antibody, triggering the release of substances that cause an allergic reaction.

eMedicineHealth

Because many of these species live in colonies, if one stings you, you may be stung by many. Although most stings cause only minor medical problems, some stings may cause serious medical problems and even death.

KidsHealth

If you think you have been stung by one of these insects, tell an adult immediately. Some people are allergic to stings from insects. The symptoms of an allergic reaction include hives (red patches on the skin that sting and itch), nausea, dizziness, a tight feeling in the throat, or difficulty breathing. If these symptoms occur, the person needs medical attention right away.

MayoClinic

Bee stings are a common outdoor nuisance. In most cases, bee stings are just annoying, and home treatment is all that's necessary to ease the pain of bee stings. But if you're allergic to bee stings or you get stung numerous times, you may have a more serious reaction that requires emergency treatment.

MedicineNet

Most people will have only a localized reaction to a bee sting. In the normal reaction to a bee sting, the skin is reddened and painful. Swelling and/or itching may also occur, but the pain usually disappears over a few hours. In the so-called large local reaction to an insect sting, the swelling, redness, and pain may persist for up to a week. Areas adjacent to the site of the skin may also be involved in the large local reaction. In a systemic allergic reaction, the entire body is affected. The victim may develop hives, redness, or swelling at sites on the body distant from the site of the sting.

MerckManuals.com

The average person can safely tolerate 10 stings for each pound of body weight. This means that the average adult could withstand more than 1,000 stings, whereas 500 stings could kill a child. However, in a person who is allergic to such stings, one sting can cause death due to an anaphylactic reaction...

SurviveOutdoors.com

Many individuals have been given false information on allergic reactions. As per Auerbach in his Wilderness Medicine text: “There is no correlation between systemic reactions and number of stings in the past or number of stings per incident and severity of an allergic reaction.” “In a study of 138 adults with a history of anaphylactic reactions, 99 had no anaphylactic reaction to later stings, 17 had more severe reactions, and 22 had mild reactions.”

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