First aid and care for bee stings

Bees are a kind of insect and also nature's porter. They are responsible for the pollination of some flowers. However, most people are very afraid of bees because there is a sharp knife on the tail of the bee. If it encounters external stimuli, it will sting people. The skin stung by a bee will become swollen and red, and pus will ooze after a while, so it must be dealt with and resolved as soon as possible. Here I will introduce to you the solution.

2. After being stung by a bee, the skin will experience a significant burning sensation or itching, with redness and swelling around it. There is often a bruise in the center caused by the sting. In severe cases, blisters may form. A few cases may be accompanied by systemic poisoning, and the stung skin will immediately become red, swollen and painful. If you are stung by a swarm of bees, you may experience dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. In severe cases, you may go into shock, coma, or even death.

1. Bandage

Immediately bandage the proximal end of the punctured limb, and relax for 1 minute every 15 minutes. The total bandaging time should not exceed 2 hours.

2. Pull out the stinger

First check for any stingers lodged in the skin and carefully remove them immediately if found. The method is to stick it with tape and then peel it off or pull out the thorn with tweezers. If the stinger that has pierced the skin is still attached to a venom sac, do not use tweezers to remove it, as this will squeeze out the venom and aggravate the reaction. Instead, use a sharp needle or the tip of a knife to pick out the stinger and venom sac.

The venom of bees is acidic, so you can use soapy water or 5% to 10% sodium bicarbonate solution to wash the wound; the venom of wasps is alkaline, so you can use boric acid powder or vinegar to wash and apply to the affected area to relieve local symptoms.

4. Treatment of local pain, redness and swelling

Calamine lotion can be applied externally to local redness and swelling to dissipate inflammation. If the redness and swelling are severe and accompanied by blisters exudate, 3% boric acid aqueous solution can be used for wet compresses. If the pain is severe, use analgesics as appropriate. If your limbs are stung, you should reduce activity and apply ice packs locally to reduce the absorption of toxins.

5. Keep your breathing clear

If anaphylactic shock occurs, keep your breathing open while notifying emergency services or on the way to the hospital.