Bee Stings
Basically, the stinger ‘unit’ is made up of 3 components – a barb to pierce the skin, a poisonous ‘sac’ and a set of muscles which works to push the barb, and thus the poison, even deeper into your skin. This unit works for around 20 minutes even after you’ve been stung to pump more poison into your bloodstream.
Treatment Tips
Safety first! Get away from the bee. Bees release a scent when in danger to attract other bees. If you're still around when reinforcements get there, they'll sting you.
- Follow universal precautions and wear personal protective equipment if you have it.
- Remove any stingers immediately! The longer bee stingers are allowed to remain in the body, the more severe the reaction will be.
- If the victim is allergic to bees, check to see if the victim is carrying an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen®). If so, help the victim use the device as directed. If the victim is supposed to carry one of these devices and does not have it, call 999 immediately! Do not wait for symptoms to appear.
- Watch any victim closely for signs of anaphylactic shock:
Difficulty breathing.
Pale skin and blue lips.
Blotches on the skin.
Rapid pulse.
Breathing and heartbeat stopping.
- If there is any concern that the victim may be developing anaphylaxis, call 999 immediately. Antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benedryl®), can slow an anaphylactic reaction, but will not stop it.
- Non-allergic victims will almost always develop local reactions to bee stings. Redness, swelling, and pain are all common at the site of the bee sting. The pain will usually go away pretty quickly, but swelling may last for more than a day. Use an ice pack to reduce swelling at the site. It's common to develop some itching at the bee sting site. Antihistamines or calamine lotion should help.
- Take the victim to the emergency department if the victim was stung more than ten times, or if there are bee stings inside the nose, mouth, or throat. Swelling from these stings can cause shortness of breath, even in non-allergic victims.
- Use ibuprofen or acetaminophen for minor pain relief. For tenderness at the site, try a bee-sting swab to dull the pain.
Honey bees leave a stinger behind when they sting a victim. Wasps, and hornets do not leave a stinger. These relatives of the honey bee can also cause an anaphylactic reaction.
Anaphylactic Shock Treatment
Call an ambulance immediately. The casualty needs adrenaline to counteract the reaction.
- If the casualty is a known sufferer she may have an adrenaline injection. Help him/her to administer this. If you have been trained and the casualty is unable to do so, you may give the injection.
- Reassure the person.
- If the casualty becomes unconscious, place in the recovery position. Monitor the casualty's breathing and circulation and be prepared to resuscitate if necessary.
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