Are bee and wasp stings poisonous? Proper treatment and medication

Bees generally do not attack people on their own, but if a bee believes a person has intruded on them, it will take defensive measures, that is, sting and bite. If you accidentally get stung by a bee, how should we treat it? What medication should be used?

Does a bee sting cause poisoning? What harm does it do to the human body?

Bees and wasps are a class of venomous animals, though their toxicity varies in degree. The stinging harmful bees and wasps fall into 4 categories: hornets, wasps, bees and bumblebees. Among these, the main culprits of harmful stings are the first two categories, namely hornets and wasps. A bee has a hard stinger at the end of its tail, and this stinger is connected to its internal organs; the organ that produces the toxin is called the “venom gland”. When we are stung by a bee, the venom flows along this stinger into our body, causing redness, swelling, heat and pain at the stung area, and sometimes also causing poisoning symptoms such as dizziness, fever, wheezing and nausea. For people with an allergic constitution, it may be fatal.

Bee and wasp stings are one of the common emergencies in clinical practice. They refer to the venomous stinger on the tail of a bee or wasp stinging a person, piercing the human body and releasing venom, thereby causing local or systemic reactions. Clinically, the reactions differ according to individual constitution and the type of bee or wasp venom; mild cases generally show only local redness, swelling, pain and itching, which may ease after a few hours, while severe cases may develop anaphylactic shock, acute laryngeal edema, pulmonary edema, multiple organ failure and so on.

How to treat a bee sting?

Emergency treatment

After being stung, immediately check the sting site. The stinger left in the wound can be picked out with a needle or tweezers, but do not squeeze it, so as to avoid the remaining toxin entering the body. Then use a cupping jar to draw out the venom and reduce the absorption of the toxin.

Because different types of bees and wasps have venom containing different substances, for example bee venom is acidic while hornet venom is alkaline, if it is a bee sting, use soapy water or 5% sodium bicarbonate solution to rinse the wound; if it is a hornet sting, apply acetic acid or vinegar to neutralize the venom. You can also apply externally a hormone ointment, Nantong snake medicine, Paris polyphylla, Herba Lobeliae Chinensis, Viola philippica, dandelion, purslane, sweet wormwood and other herbs crushed and applied externally. Then apply ice to the sting site, which can relieve pain and swelling. If the pain is severe, some pain medication can be taken.

In the early stage, if there is a trend of spread, there may be an allergic reaction, and some anti-allergy medication can be taken. Observe closely for about half an hour; if difficulty breathing, a coarsened breathing sound or wheezing is found, even slightly, send the person immediately to the nearest hospital for emergency treatment. For severe cases, apply a tourniquet at the proximal end of the wound, loosen it once every 15 minutes, and the ligation time should not exceed 2 hours; seek medical attention at a hospital as soon as possible.

Tips for prevention

In daily life and outdoor activities, strictly follow these five principles:

1. Stay away from bees and wasps; do not attack them on your own initiative. When a bee lands on your head or shoulder, gently shake it off; do not swat it. If you happen to encounter an attack by a swarm, immediately squat down on the spot and use clothing to protect your head (bees like to attack people's heads). Drinks and other sweet food waste from daily life should be sealed in garbage bags.

2. Do not wear brightly colored clothes when going up mountains or into the wild.

3. Do not apply perfume during outdoor activities, and do not use fragrant shampoo or deodorant.

4. Try to wear long-sleeved tops and long pants, and wear a hat when going up mountains, to protect the body. At swimming pools and seaside beaches, pay attention to checking whether there are wasps in damp bath towels.

5. After being stung, seek medical treatment at a hospital in time, so as to avoid the spread of bee venom and serious consequences.