Introduction
Especially in the summertime it often happens: a bee or wasp stings and it hurts. How to treat a bee or wasp sting correctly depends on various factors. If symptoms such as pain and swelling are limited to the area around the sting, usually not much needs to be done – the symptoms disappear after a while even without treatment. On the other hand, some people react very sensitively due to an allergy and show symptoms that extend beyond the puncture site. Shortly after a bee sting, they may experience respiratory and circulatory problems (anaphylactic shock), which can be fatal if left untreated.
Treatment/Therapy
In the case of a bee sting, the first thing to check is whether the sting has got stuck in the wound. This is the rule with bees, wasps usually get away with their sting. The poison bag containing the poison hangs from the sting.
If it is crushed, the poison it contains can enter the wound. Therefore, the sting should be carefully “scraped out” with a nail or removed with tweezers, without exerting pressure on the poison sac. Once the sting is removed, an attempt can be made to suck the poison out of the wound with the mouth.
As a preventive measure, the wound can be disinfected and, in people who have not been vaccinated, a tetanus vaccination can be administered. In most cases, nothing more needs to be done in principle after this – the symptoms disappear within a short time even without therapy. For less hard-boiled people, there are a number of different ways to relieve the pain and itching.
At the beginning it is recommended to keep ice wrapped in fabric or a cool pack on the affected area for about 5 – 10 minutes. If the pain is more severe, painkillers such as ibuprofen or diclofenac in low doses can be helpful. Diclofenac can also be applied as a cream around the wound.
Creams containing cortisone or creams with an antihistamine can provide relief in cases of severe itching. In addition, household remedies such as the application of mashed onions or raw potatoes are often used in Germany. In the event of an allergic reaction to a bee sting, the emergency kit should be used and a doctor should be called.
If there is uncertainty about removing the sting and a general practitioner is nearby, he or she can show the person affected the correct technique. A doctor should be consulted immediately if the symptoms are very severe or an allergy to bee or wasp venom is known. In an emergency, an emergency doctor can also be called.
If an infection of the wound with reddening, swelling or even pus formation becomes apparent in the course of the days, a doctor should also be consulted due to the necessary treatment with antibiotics. People who suffer from an insect venom allergy must always carry the so-called “emergency kit” with them in summer. This is prescribed by a doctor after general symptoms such as vomiting, shortness of breath, itching in various parts of the body or circulatory failure after an insect bite have occurred.
The aim of the emergency kit is to prevent or alleviate life-threatening symptoms by taking medication early on. According to current guidelines, the emergency set should contain an antihistamine with rapid onset of action, a cortisone preparation, adrenaline for inhalation or injection, and a so-called “beta-sympathomimetic”. The emergency medication is to be used immediately when the first symptoms appear.
The adrenaline and the beta-sympathomimetic must only be used when breathing difficulties begin. In addition to using the medication in the emergency set, allergy sufferers should always consult a doctor after a bee sting. Various homeopathic medicines can be used to treat the pain, swelling and itching after a bee or wasp sting.
Among the most popular medicines are globules containing Apis mellifica (honey bee), Ledum (marsh spur), Staphisagria (larkspur) and Urtica urens (nettle). It is important to understand that the active ingredients in the globules are only present in minimal amounts due to a high dilution. Their effect has not been proven.
In the case of allergy sufferers, people with extensive homeopathic knowledge primarily recommend avoiding the allergen and often also carrying out hyposensitization. Once the sting has been literally removed from the wound, there are several ways to counteract the pain. A low-cost and demonstrably effective option is to cool the wound.
This can be done by holding a cool pack or ice wrapped in fabric for 5-10 minutes on the affected area. This can be repeated several times until no further improvement can be seen. Besides ice, there are pain-relieving ointments and creams that can be applied around the wound.
Diclofenac-containing medicines are frequently used. If the pain is severe, low-dose painkillers such as ibuprofen, diclofenac or Aspirin® can be taken. They have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.
An old household remedy for pain and other local symptoms after a bee sting is the onion. It can either be cut in half and rubbed onto the wound or applied as a puree using a compress. The onion is said to reduce pain and have a disinfecting effect.
In order to destroy the bee venom and thereby shorten the pain, the application of heat or baking soda should also help. Heat can be applied to the sting using a spoon heated briefly in hot water; baking soda should be dissolved in a little water before application. Studies have not shown whether these home remedies work.
If a bee stings under the foot, the pain is often severe due to the sensitivity of the sole of the foot. It is also important to make sure that a sting that has got stuck under the foot is properly removed. This often requires asking another person for help. It is also important that the foot is not put under strain for a short time – increased pressure on the wound can increase the pain and delay healing. To reduce the risk of infection of the wound in the following days, a thorough disinfection should be carried out before putting on shoes and the wound should be covered with a plaster.
