How to treat a swelling bee sting?

A bee sting is a situation when a bee jabbed their stinger into your skin. This is common circumstances that a person might occur when they are doing outdoor activity especially the ones that are done around bee hives.

Not all bee stings, especially if it is away from its hives for nectar or pollen. They will only sting if they are being stepped on or threaten. For bees around the hives, they also most of the times only sting when they feel that they are endangered.

A misconception about bee’s inability to live after it stings other mammals including human is still widespread, however, studies have shown that this is not a hundred percent true. Bees with smoother stingers such as queen honey bee, bumble bee as well as solitary bees can sting mammals and human repeatedly.

Only honey bees are the type of bees that cannot pull their stinger back after they sting other mammals so it leaves not only their stingers attached to the skin of objects they stung but also most of its abdomen and digestive parts as well as muscles and nerves. This massive tear on their body is the cause why honey bees die after they sting.

Depending on the severity, an ordinary bee sting usually requires not more than a home remedy. The mild reaction of a bee sting will include pain on the skin setting that was stung, redness, and swelling, and itching.

The more moderate reaction that is required more serious treatment includes swelling on the setting that is apart from the skin that was stung, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and diarrhea. The most dangerous reaction is if your body develops an anaphylactic reaction after you were stung. This reaction will cause immediate low blood pressure, and difficulty in breathing. This condition will require an emergency assistance.

TREATING MILD REACTION OF BEE STING

1. Remove the stinger

When a bee sting, it will release an acidic peptide melittin. This is called venom and mostly will be injected under your skin on your tissue. The first step that you have to do after you are being stung is removing its stinger. By removing the stinger, you will also reduce the venom. The amount of venom will not differ from a bee sting that is being pinched or being scrapped off, as long as the stinger is removed as quickly as possible, it will cause you less pain afterward and also reduce the risk your bee sting will be swelling.

2. Water and Soap

Any wound including animal sting might cause you a further infection if it is not hygienically taken care of. Hence, start with washing your hand with water and soap as well as your skin area that has been stung is always a good way to start as it will help you kill the germs and bad bacteria that live around the stung site.

3. Ice Packs

There are some home remedies that have been trusted and been around for quite sometimes, such as applying Tabasco paste, salt, baking soda, tooth paste, garlic, aspirin and even urine.

For some other animal sting swell such as jellyfish, ammonia does help to reduce the swelling.

However, for the bee sting, those home remedies have not been medically proven can help you on reducing the swollen skin. Whereas, ice packs alone is the best home remedies suggested by the medical team so far.

The swollen skin might be painful within few hours and the swelling also itching will stay about a week. If the swollen skin is not reducing within those days, consider seeking for medical help.

TREATMENT FOR MODERATE BEE STING

1. Apply Calamine Lotion

After practicing the three steps above, you should check your bee sting, if after a couple of hours the swelling part is still in pain or extremely itchy, applying calamine lotion can be a great help for the redness and also the swollen part. The minty sensation can also instantly reduce the itch level that you might undergo.

2. Taking Antihistamine

If the itch you feel is not reducing within a week or so, taking an antihistamine that contains diphenhydramine such as Benadryl is recommended. Prevent from scratching your skin after you are being stung, it will only cause your swelling worse and increase the risk of infection.

TREATMENT FOR SEVERE BEE STING

1. Call Emergency Medical Assistant

If you have had a history of allergic reaction to bee sting, you might have to prepare to contact your emergency medical assistant, especially if you are experiencing difficulty with breathing, dizziness or other severe signs of allergic reaction.

2. Epinephrine Autoinjector

If you have seen your doctor during the time you had your allergy in the past, the doctor might have prescribed you with an emergency Epinephrine Autoinjector to reduce your body’s allergic response. Knowing well of how to use the pen is very recommended for you and for people who are around you most of the times.

3. Oxygen

Always being prepared with a small oxygen tank is a very good prevention for your severe allergic reaction. This will help you during the time you are having a hard time breathing. However, this is only a temporary short time help. So calling your emergency contact soon after you are stung is your very first option to do.