Wasp sting: first aid and preventive methods of protection

General information

Wasps are insects that can be found in different places - both in villages and cities.
There are several varieties of these insects. However, the reaction to their bite is the same: it is very painful and unpleasant, since the venom of all types of wasps acts in a similar way. The ICD-10 code is W57 (bite or stinging by non-venomous insects and other non-venomous arthropods). But in some cases, a wasp or hornet is a particularly dangerous insect. After all, when talking about how dangerous a wasp sting is for a person, it should be taken into account that it can provoke a very acute allergic reaction . Therefore, it is most dangerous for those who are prone to allergies . Multiple bites are especially dangerous. Therefore, it is very important to know how to act correctly if a person is bitten by an insect, and what to do if an allergic reaction occurs. This will be discussed in the article.

Are insect bites dangerous?

Many are sure that the only thing a victim can remember about an insect bite is a tumor. However, the realities tell a completely different story: the mortality rate from Hymenoptera bites is more than 3 times higher than the mortality rate from poisonous snake bites. The reason for these indicators is that 80% of the world's population is allergic to proteins that enter the human body along with the saliva or venom of Hymenoptera.

How else can insect bites be dangerous? Firstly, these creatures are often carriers of various microorganisms that can cause severe diseases in the bitten person, such as typhus, West Nile fever and leishmaniasis, sleeping sickness and dysentery, Lyme disease and encephalitis. This is not a complete list of diseases that can be transmitted by blood-sucking insects, which include fleas, lice, mosquitoes and mosquitoes.

Pathogenesis

The venom of Hymenoptera insects contains non-allergenic amines and peptides. They determine the appearance of local reactions to the bite, provoking the inflammatory process and affecting the blood vessels. In addition, the venom contains allergenic proteins (in particular antigen-5), under the influence of which antibodies . If we talk about wasp venom in more detail, it contains the following components:

• Histamine – provokes the development of an allergic reaction (redness, itching, swelling of the skin).
• Phospholipases - destroy blood cells and tissues, stimulating the manifestations of allergies.
• Acetylcholine – conducts nerve impulses.
• Hyaluronidases - destroy cell membranes, leading to an inflammatory process.
• Hyperglycemic factor – increases blood sugar levels.

If an insect stings a person on a peripheral nerve, this leads to disruption of its function.

With increased sensitivity to allergens, a strong local reaction can develop even after one episode. As a rule, an allergy to a wasp sting develops almost immediately - within a few minutes. But sometimes a so-called delayed allergy can develop. Its symptoms appear 10-14 days after the bite.

With multiple bites (10 or more), a toxic reaction occurs.

You can often come across the question of whether a wasp dies after a bite and whether the wasp leaves a sting in the human body. Due to the structural features of the sting of this insect, it can sting many times. The sting is slightly jagged and therefore does not remain in the skin.

Another interesting question concerns how the benefit or harm of a wasp sting manifests itself. As you know, bee stings are used for treatment purposes. There is also some benefit from wasp stings, but only if the person has no allergic reaction to the poison. After all, wasp venom is a stronger allergen than bee venom.

After wasp bites hemoglobin and blood vessels dilate. However, the harm outweighs the benefit, since there is a high risk of developing allergies . Moreover, with each subsequent bite this risk increases.

Answers to popular questions

How many times can a wasp sting? It is not known exactly, but an angry insect can even chase the victim, trying to sting as many as possible.

Is it possible to die after being stung by a wasp? Undoubtedly! But this happens extremely rarely due to a severe allergic reaction and lack of timely medical care.

Is there any benefit from a wasp sting? It is not known for certain. Some claim that bee stings are beneficial, but this too has not been proven by science. Therefore, it is better not to take risks.

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Causes

There are several varieties of hymenoptera that sting people most often: wasps, bees, bumblebees, hornets. Wasps and bees sting most often. In this case, the bites themselves do not have an adverse effect on the body, but only cause some discomfort and pain. The cause of negative symptoms is an allergic reaction to the venom of such insects.

It is important to remember that wasps sting people for self-defense or to protect their own offspring. It often happens that a person brushes away an insect circling nearby with his hands. This gesture is perceived as aggression, and the wasp stings the person. There is a risk of being attacked by insects even if you are near their nest.

Causes of bee sting allergy

“Bee sting” is a very conditional name, because a bee cannot bite, it stings.
The sting is a modified ovipositor, which is located at the rear end of the body, and is used for attack or self-defense. A bee stinger has barbs that get stuck in human skin. As a result of this, during an attack, it is torn off from the insect’s body, dooming it to inevitable death. Thus, a bee can only “bite” once. But wasps and hornets have a smooth sting, thanks to which they can sting several times in a row. The sting releases poison into the human blood, which is a mixture of many biologically active substances, including the pro-inflammatory mediator histamine, various proteins (enzymes phospholipase, phosphatase, etc.), peptides, amino acids, etc. It is proteins that in most cases turn out to be allergens that can provoke an inadequate immune response. When they enter the blood of a person suffering from hypersensitivity, a large amount of IgE antibodies are produced, triggering a cascade of reactions that lead to typical manifestations of allergies.

When the poison first enters the body, the allergic reaction may be barely noticeable, but all subsequent ones will lead to more serious symptoms, since antibodies to the allergen remain and accumulate in the blood.

Why are some people so sensitive to bee venom? The answer to this question is not so simple. The reason lies in the imperfection of the immune system, which recognizes a certain foreign protein (allergen) as potentially dangerous.

People who are hypersensitive to the poison also cannot tolerate honey, wax and other bee products. This happens because all these substances contain impurities of bee enzymes.

At the same time, some people cannot eat honey, but the bites do not cause them any symptoms that are not normal. In this case, one can suspect that a hypersensitivity reaction to honey is provoked by pollen contained in large quantities.

Symptoms of a wasp sting

The symptoms that appear after a bite largely depend on what kind of insect stung, as well as on how the body reacts to its venom.

The main features are as follows:

• A sharp pain appears.
• Swelling develops. Moreover, the more fat or fiber there is at the site of the bite, the more significant the swelling.
• There is redness near the bite site.

Most people experience exactly these symptoms, which then go away after a few hours. Sometimes people also notice that the bite itches a little later. But even if there is a red spot left and the bite area itches, there is nothing to worry about. If one or more insects have stung, the wasp's venom does not pose a threat to life. However, the body may react more violently if a person is stung by a large number of wasps.

About 1% of people develop an allergic reaction to wasp venom. Symptoms of a wasp sting allergy may include the following:

• Very severe swelling appears, the tumor quickly increases.
• Itching and rash develop throughout the body.
• Nausea and vomiting are observed.
• It becomes difficult for the victim to breathe.
• Severe dizziness .
• The pulse becomes either too fast or slow.
• The person may lose consciousness.

Bites to the lips, tongue, and palate are very dangerous. When swelling develops, it can block the airway, and the victim risks suffocation. It is also important to consider that in people allergic to venom, the first bite can lead to sensitization, that is, a disruption of the immune response. But in the second such case, a number of pathological reactions occur, as a result of which an allergy is noted.

After a wasp sting, various types of allergic reactions may occur:

• Localized urticaria - a few minutes after the bite, the skin begins to itch, and a rash appears on some parts of the body. Slight weakness may develop. The swelling is small.
• Generalized urticaria is a rash that spreads throughout the body, but this condition is not yet life-threatening.
• Quincke's edema is a very serious condition in which the soft tissues of the face swell. If the process spreads to the neck, there is a danger of developing laryngeal edema. This is a dangerous condition in which the upper respiratory tract becomes blocked and a person dies from suffocation.
• Anaphylactic shock is a dangerous condition in which, over the course of several minutes, blood pressure , the pulse increases, and the entire body is covered in a rash. In anaphylactic shock, a person dies from acute cardiovascular failure if help is not provided to him in a timely manner.

Actions in the first minutes after the bite

Perhaps the first thing you should do immediately after a bite is to make sure that it was a wasp and not a bee that stung: some fundamental aspects of first aid after an attack by these insects vary significantly. So, for example, if you are bitten by a wasp, you should not waste precious time looking for the sting - unlike a bee, this insect never leaves it in the skin.

The task of the initial stage of first aid for a wasp sting is to minimize the amount of insect venom injected under the skin at the site of the bite. There are several ways to do this.

To begin with, you need to try to suck out as much venom as possible from the bite site: this can only take 1 minute, since the skin around the puncture site usually tightens very quickly, and further attempts will no longer be effective.

Don’t be afraid of getting wasp venom into your mouth - it won’t cause any harm, the only important thing is not to swallow it, but to spit it out

There is another more or less effective way to partially neutralize the insect toxin. Wasp venom has an alkaline reaction, so acids are its neutralizers. In order to reduce the amount of the active form of poison in the wound, you should apply a cotton swab moistened with 9% table vinegar, a slice of lemon, or a piece of apple or orange to it for a minute.

In some cases, especially brave victims burn the wasp bite with an extinguished match, cigarette or hot coal. Typically, exposure to high temperature is considered as a first aid method for bites from snakes and some poisonous spiders - that is, when there is a real threat to life. When cauterized, the toxins of the poison located close to the surface of the skin disintegrate and simply do not have time to cause any harm.

Such first aid, of course, will give a certain effect in the event of a wasp sting, but you need to clearly understand that this method, firstly, is very painful (sometimes even more sensitive than the bite itself), and, secondly, a trace of the resulting burn may remain for life. Probably, the only case when it makes sense to seek such help is when the victim is obviously prone to severe insect allergies, and he knows about it himself, but does not have a special injector with adrenaline with him.

In addition to all of the above actions, at the initial stage of first aid, you can put a kind of compress of wet sugar on the wound, which will also draw out the poison from the wound.

Further first aid actions for a wasp sting should be aimed at preventing the poison from quickly entering the bloodstream, reducing the likelihood of developing a severe allergy and relieving symptoms of intoxication of the body. For example, to reduce the rate of spread of poison and reduce swelling at the site of the bite, you need to keep a cold compress for as long as possible - this could be a piece of ice, frozen meat or a bottle of cold water. Just under the cold compress there may be the above-mentioned piece of wet sugar, the hypertonic solution of which will additionally draw out the poison from the wound.

Treatment with folk remedies

It happens that insects sting in a field or forest, and there are no pharmaceutical products at hand for treatment. In this case, you can use some folk remedies:

• Parsley juice - you need to pick several stems of the plant, rub them and apply the juice that has been released to the affected area.
• Lemon juice – it is recommended to lubricate the skin to neutralize the effect of wasp poison.
• Berries – if you have any sour berries nearby, you can make a compress from them. The berries need to be crushed and placed on the bite site. Vinegar can also be used as a compress.
• Dandelion milk – applying fresh dandelion juice to the area can relieve pain. Using fresh calendula juice is also effective.
• Garlic and onion juice help relieve swelling and pain.

Normal body reaction

During the bite, the insect sprays poison under the skin, which causes a defensive response from the body. Instant pain, redness, swelling, swelling around the damaged tissue, and a local increase in temperature appear at the site of the lesion. After some time, as the wound heals, itching of medium intensity is observed. This reaction is present in most victims.

The body itself stops the effect of the poison and restores damaged tissue. Painful symptoms disappear within 24 hours; the speed of healing of the bite site depends on the sensitivity of the skin. Approximately a bruise after a wasp sting disappears in 5-7 days.

The situation does not require special treatment, it is enough to provide the correct first aid. To eliminate unpleasant sensations, folk remedies are used in the form of lotions, wiping the wound, compresses, and pastes.

First aid

Speaking about what to do if a wasp stings at home, it should be noted that assistance must be competent and provided in a timely manner. Treatment of a wasp sting, if it stung outside the home, can begin with the use of folk remedies.

First aid for a wasp sting at home should begin with confirming the diagnosis. Before treating the bite with anything, you need to make sure that it is not another insect that stung the person, and that there is no sting in the wound.

If possible, you can try to suck out the poison from the wound. Also, first aid for a wasp sting involves treating the bite site with antiseptic solutions - alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. This helps numb the affected area and reduce swelling.

To reduce the severity of intoxication in a child or adult, he must be given clean water to drink. You should also drink as much as possible throughout the day. The liquid helps remove toxins from the body faster.

Cold helps relieve swelling after a wasp sting. If you have been stung by a wasp and you need to remove the tumor, then before applying any medication to the bite site, you should apply ice from the freezer or a cold compress. A compress with a soda solution also helps relieve swelling.

Treatment for this condition involves taking antihistamines. If an insect stings a child or adult, you should take a tablet of this drug. However, it is better to discuss its use with your doctor.

If your arm or leg is swollen, you should try not to make sudden movements. The bite site can be wrapped with a sterile bandage. This will help relieve pain and stop the spread of poison.

After a wasp bite on an adult or child, you can also smear the area where there is redness and itching of the bite with any ointment that contains hormonal components. It is advisable to treat the bite site after the antiseptic has been used. A specialist can tell you in more detail how to treat a wasp sting.

If vomiting begins or the person loses consciousness, he should be placed on his side.

In case of an allergic reaction, which can occur with multiple insect bites, a hornet bite to the head, etc., a feeling of heat and lack of air appears. In this case, you should remove all tight clothing, lay the person horizontally, and provide him with an influx of fresh air.

At the first manifestation of an allergic reaction, you should immediately call an ambulance. If there are indications, the patient is given injections of dexamethasone or adrenaline .

As for what to do, if after a wasp sting your arm or leg is swollen, and there are no medications at hand, then in this case it is worth using folk remedies. You can lubricate the affected area with any means that helps relieve swelling: juice of sour berries, garlic, onions, etc.

What to do if a wasp bites a child

Children's bodies do not deal with toxins and poisons as well as adults, which is why children are more likely to experience allergies . If a child is bitten by a wasp, you need to be extremely careful. Provide first aid to the child and monitor his condition.

If a wasp stings a child in the eye or neck, you have no choice. Go to the nearest medical facility immediately. A first-aid post, an emergency room, a district clinic, anywhere where there are doctors who can provide medical assistance.

Prevention

To prevent insect bites, you must adhere to the following rules:

• If a wasp flies nearby, do not wave your arms or panic. It is important not to make sudden movements so as not to provoke an attack.
• You should not walk barefoot on the grass while in nature.
• It is important to be careful when consuming food outdoors. Sweet foods, as well as fruits and soda, can attract wasps.
• In places where there are a lot of insects, it is better not to wear very loose clothes and loose hair, so that wasps do not get entangled in them.
• Picnics should not be held in areas where there are many wasps swarming.
• If a bite does occur, do not scratch the affected area.

We treat, we don’t cripple

Let's look at what to do if you have allergies if you are bitten by a wasp. Depending on the severity, treatment is carried out differently.

Mild symptoms

Usually, they go away on their own within a few days. To alleviate the condition, you can apply cold compresses. It is important to protect the bite site from injury if possible.

If this is a child, then you need to protect him from scratching the affected area to avoid infection.

Moderate reactions

In these cases, a visit to the doctor is required for subsequent competent recommendations. Treatment may consist of oral antihistamines and topical ointments. In rare cases, to relieve intoxication, several intravenous infusions of drugs that affect electrolyte balance may be required.

Severe manifestations

Requires an immediate call for emergency medical assistance. Emergency room workers immediately administer adrenaline and prednisolone to the victim. At the discretion of the doctor, the patient may be hospitalized in a hospital. In some cases, cardiopulmonary resuscitation is necessary.

In case of an immediate reaction, before the team arrives, a set of measures is required to reduce the spread of the allergen throughout the body:

1. A tourniquet or tight bandage is applied above the bite site.
2. A piece of ice wrapped in a cloth cools the affected area of ​​the skin.
3. It is necessary to free the victim from constrictive clothing and ensure an influx of fresh air if the trouble occurs indoors.
4. In extreme cases, mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration and chest compressions may be necessary.

You need to act immediately, but without panic. The main thing is to calm the person down and explain that they will get help soon. Excessive fuss around the patient causes increased heart rate and increased blood pressure, which leads to accelerated spread of poison within the body.

Consequences and complications

The consequences of a wasp sting, like the consequences of a hornet sting, are dangerous for those who are prone to allergies.

Swelling may develop in the affected area, which quickly increases. If your hand is swollen, this condition does not pose any particular danger. But when such a reaction develops, airway obstruction may occur in the larynx or oral cavity.

An allergic reaction can manifest itself in the form of anaphylactic shock, which is likely to result in death.

Other consequences and complications depend on where exactly the person was stung by the insect. glaucoma , iris atrophy, etc. may later develop

Serious danger, but stay clear

In the case of a severe allergy to a wasp sting, death cannot be ruled out. These types of reactions develop very quickly and require immediate help from others. It is impossible to independently remove the patient from such conditions.

Anaphylactic shock

The most severe reaction to an allergen, which leads to the fact that the organs and systems of the body cease to function normally. Develops at lightning speed. The harbingers are:

• swelling of the face;
• increased heart rate;
• sharp feeling of heat;
• feeling of lack of air;
• tingling feeling in the mouth.

The shock itself leads to loss of consciousness and respiratory arrest.

Quincke's edema

It can occur on different parts of the body, but the most dangerous is swelling of the larynx. A person cannot inhale air and suffocates if urgent qualified medical care is not provided. The victim cannot say anything, so he waves his arms. You can see fear and helplessness in his eyes. This reaction occurs more often when the bite occurs in a place with a large concentration of blood vessels, namely the tongue and lips.

When should you go to the hospital?

There are cases when a wasp or a swarm of wasps bites two or more times. In such cases, you need to urgently contact a medical facility. There is a generally accepted opinion that after three bites (for children, two bites or more), a toxic reaction of the entire body can begin. If a wasp bites you on the face or ear, swelling of the entire face occurs. A bite in the larynx, lip and tongue is very dangerous. The consequences are severe. The larynx swells, the swelling goes beyond the local limits. This often leads to suffocation. And therefore, the reaction to this type of symptom should be immediate. If the skin itches, itches, or a rash has formed, these are also the first symptoms that you should pay attention to and contact the appropriate specialists.

Ointments and gels to relieve swelling and redness, reduce itching

There are many products for external use that will help numb the affected area, relieve swelling and relieve itching. To make the discomfort go away as quickly as possible, you need to anoint the wound immediately after the wasp attack. When the skin is very itchy and itchy from the poison, it should be smeared with cream or gel. This must be done in strict accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. Information on drugs used for these purposes is indicated in the table:

Clinical researches

A clinical study conducted by the company together with the Union of Pediatricians of Russia proves the high efficiency, safety and tolerability of products for daily skin care of adults and children with mild and moderate forms of atopic dermatitis and during remission, accompanied by a decrease in the quality of life of patients.

Many remedies are recommended by the Union of Pediatricians of Russia.

Sources:

1. Reken Martin, Schaller Martin, Sattler Elke, Burgdorf Walter, Atlas of Dermatology, MEDpress-inform, 2018
2. Bonifazi Ernesto, Differential diagnosis in pediatric dermatology, Panfilov Publishing House, Binom. Knowledge Laboratory, 2014
3. Churolinov Petr, Herbal medicine in dermatology and cosmetics, Medicine and physical education, 1979

Allergy severity

Children, the elderly and pregnant women are at risk of having a severe allergic reaction. People in these categories have weakened immune systems and restrictions on taking antiallergic medications.

Easy leakage

The allergic reaction is expressed in swelling of the skin and hives. Pain and redness of the skin occurs at the site of the bite. Signs of general ailments include lacrimation and allergic rhinitis. These reactions disappear within 2-3 days.

This reaction of the body does not cause much discomfort to an allergy sufferer. Treatment includes applying compresses and lotions to the inflamed area. You can also take antihistamine medications.

Average degree

in addition to signs of mild allergies, it includes attacks of nausea and vomiting. Swelling of the lips, tongue, and larynx occurs. A person feels weak in the body, he is tormented by chills and tachycardia. If such described symptoms occur, it is recommended to consult a doctor to receive comprehensive treatment.

Severe degree

An allergic reaction can be life-threatening for the victim. If laryngeal swelling and suffocation occur, difficulty breathing and hoarseness of the vocal cords appear. Speech becomes incomprehensible. Blood pressure drops sharply, and nervous activity is disrupted. Convulsions, paralysis and loss of consciousness may occur.

Anaphylactic shock

Another response of the human immune system. With such a severe reaction, organ functioning is disrupted. Anaphylactic shock develops very quickly immediately after the bite. Literally in the first minutes, the victim feels fever, shortness of breath and swelling of the face. Then tachycardia and loss of consciousness occur. Convulsions begin and the pulse weakens.

Quincke's edema

A complication that manifests itself not only on the external skin, but also spreads to the internal organs. There is a risk of death as swelling of the airways occurs. The larynx and trachea, as well as the bronchi, undergo changes.

In what cases should you seek help from doctors?

Vivid allergy symptoms appear within 30 minutes after the poison enters the blood. If during this time there is no deterioration in health, the sore spot is limited to slight swelling, you can treat the wound yourself.

Important!

You should urgently call an ambulance if your blood pressure drops, faints, cardiac dysfunction, swelling of the larynx, or difficulty breathing. Reasons for contacting a doctor include fever, chills, constriction of the pupils, pale skin, poor coordination of movements, and diarrhea.

Initially, you need to call the reception center, they will tell you what to do - go to the hospital yourself or wait for an ambulance. Treatment should be carried out by an allergist. In its absence, the functions may be assigned to a dermatologist or therapist.

Symptoms of stings

Despite the different composition of the venom, the signs of a bee or wasp sting are almost identical. How does an allergy to a Hymenoptera bite occur?

First of all, swelling of the affected area, redness and itching appears. All this is accompanied by pain. Manifestations of allergies can occur immediately or after a while. It is noted that the faster and more pronounced the clinical symptoms of an insect bite appear, the more severe the disease.