Wasp predators are nasty.
They often attack in packs, bite painfully and ruthlessly.
What to do if a wasp has bitten?
How to act in a dangerous situation?
What to do if a wasp has bitten: difference from a bee
Despite the fact that bees and wasps are close relatives and are very similar, they differ both in appearance and in the characteristics of the bite. Wasps become especially aggressive in the last days of July and in August, when the number of these insects is highest.
There is a fundamental difference between wasps and bees:
• the bee leaves a sting in the wound, dies immediately after the bite;
• a wasp pulls out a sting from a wound and bites several times;
• a wasp sting is perceived more painfully, since the poison contains more neurotoxin, histamine, acetylcholine and other active substances.
That is why first aid for a bee and wasp sting varies. This is especially important if a person has a tendency to allergic reactions and counts for seconds. What to do if a wasp has bitten? Provide immediate assistance and do not try to pull out the sting. It’s pointless to look for a sting and try to pull it out after a wasp sting: it simply does not exist.
Visually distinguishing a bee from a wasp is quite simple: the first has a dense, fluffy body, the second is characterized by harmony, a smooth surface of the body and pronounced stripes. Wasps are more dangerous precisely because they bite several times: the dose of poison with each bite becomes more and more. They can attack the entire colony, which is a real threat to life.
Another important detail: the romantic idea of bees that feed on flower pollen has nothing to do with wasps. These insects are real killers that ruthlessly destroy spiders, caterpillars, grasshoppers, flies, moths and enjoy eating carrion and waste. Therefore, there are many pathogenic bacteria on the sting and body of the wasp. If they get into the wound after a bite, they can provoke the development of an abscess or intestinal infection.
What to do if a wasp has bitten: bite symptoms
The first symptom of a bite is severe pain at the site of penetration of the aspen sting. The pain is accompanied by itching, the skin turns red, swelling begins almost instantly. The severity of the reaction depends on where the insect bit. The most dangerous parts of the body are the face and neck, especially the mucous membranes of the lips, throat, eyes. The consequences may be suffocation, inflammation of the lining of the eyes (panophthalmitis).
If there are many bites, general intoxication appears. Her symptoms:
• temperature rise;
• chills;
• Strong headache;
• tachycardia (high heart rate), shortness of breath;
• pain in the heart and stomach;
• nausea and vomiting;
• weakness and fainting.
Allergy sufferers, asthmatics, diabetics, young children and pregnant women react most strongly to bites. They need mandatory monitoring under the supervision of a doctor within 2-3 days after a bite.
What to do if a wasp has bitten: first aid
After a bite, it is important to remain calm and not provoke an attack of the entire insect colony. Do not wave your arms or try to crush the offender. Wasp needs to be gently brushed off. If crushed, the sting may remain in the wound. In addition, special substances contained in the body of an insect can attract the attention of other individuals: if they sense danger, they will certainly attack.
What to do if a wasp has bitten? The sequence of actions is as follows:
• Disinfect the bite site with hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, vodka, iodine. A bar of soap or a crushed tablet of aspirin is suitable. In extreme cases, you just need to rinse the wound with clean water.
• Apply a compress to the bite site as soon as possible. Its task is to prevent the spread of poison throughout the body. The wound must be covered with a clean cloth (a bandage will do), put something cold. Ideally, this is an ice cube or something frozen. If there is nothing, you can do with a compress with cold water.
• If a limb is stung, for the same purpose, apply a tourniquet above the bite site. A tight dressing will prevent the spread of toxic substances.
• After half an hour, the compress and dressing should be removed, and the wound should be treated with an analgesic anti-inflammatory agent.
In order to quickly remove wasp venom from the body, you need to drink a lot. Good plain or mineral water, sweet weak tea. It is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol, do not drink milk.
What to do if a wasp has bitten: urgent hospitalization
The human body is able to independently cope with the consequences of a sting of stinging insects. However, if a wasp stung a person with an allergy, the consequences can be tragic. A toxin can cause an instant reaction, and a person without urgent medical care will simply die.
The following symptoms indicate the development of a life-threatening allergic reaction:
• severe swelling of the eyelids, lips, face;
• deathly pallor of the skin;
• hoarse voice;
• difficulty breathing, the appearance of a barking sharp cough;
• feeling of suffocation;
• loss of consciousness.
Often a characteristic rash appears on the skin - urticaria. Anaphylactic shock and Quincke's edema are deadly dangerous. In the first case, blood pressure instantly drops, which can lead to cardiac arrest and lung failure. In the second case, laryngeal edema blocks the airways, and the person suffocates.
What to do if a wasp has bitten and an allergic reaction has begun? If a person knows that he is suffering from an allergy, he should have a syringe with adrenaline or epinephrine. You can make an injection through your clothes so as not to lose precious minutes. People suffering from asthma can remove the first signs of suffocation with a special inhaler. Cores should definitely use drugs to support cardiac activity (valocordin, nitroglycerin, etc.).
If an allergic attack starts suddenly, you must immediately give any antihistamine. It will slow down the dangerous development of symptoms and allow you to buy time to wait for an ambulance or to bring a bitten to a hospital.
Immediate qualified medical help should be obtained in the following cases:
• a wasp stung a pregnant woman or small child;
• five or more bites on the victim’s body;
• affected area of the eyelids, neck, lips;
• a person who suffers from an allergy (even if the symptoms are not pronounced) or a heart disease is bitten.
It is important to remember that the reaction to an insect bite can develop not instantly, but during the day. There are cases when young children were delivered to the hospital too late. Allergy is not necessarily manifested by suffocation. Tissue necrosis may occur, requiring amputation.
What to do if a wasp has bitten: folk remedies
With wasp stings, you can use traditional folk remedies to relieve pain and swelling. What to do if a wasp has bitten? Prepare a decongestant compress using any home remedy:
• weak vinegar solution:
• salt solution;
• baking soda solution;
• lemon juice.
It is enough to dilute a teaspoon of any specified substance in a glass of water and soak the cloth with acidified or salt water.
Perfectly relieves edema pulp from fresh leaves or parsley root. To the wound, you can attach a cut clove of garlic, a slice of tomato, apple or onion. The application of Validol soaked in water helps well.
You can make a green ointment from herbs and treat your skin with this wonderful homemade antiseptic. Rub in the hands the same parsley, plantain, calendula, celandine and apply in the form of lotions on the affected area. As it dries, the lotion is changed.
When traveling to nature, you must always remember the danger of insect bites. Knowing what to do if a wasp or a bee has bitten you can minimize the risk of developing negative consequences.
