Bee stings can be extremely agonizing and in a few instances, even deadly. Bees inject venom from a stinger under the skin of the individual they sting. Unlike wasps that have stingers that retract after stinging, bees have barbed stingers that remain in the skin. The barb has a venom sack attached that can continue to pump venom for up to three minutes if it is not taken out. Roughly 3% of the persons stung by bees have an allergic reaction and approximately 0.8% have an allergic reaction called as anaphylaxis.
Persons who are not allergic to bee stings will experience inflammation and itching at and near the area they were stung. The skin will become red and very painful. These reactions may continue for up to seven days.
If there is an allergic reaction, hives, redness and swelling can develop all over the body. sufferers can also experience swelling, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dizziness.
Persons suffering from an anaphylactic reaction may experience, difficulty breathing, and a decrease in blood pressure that will lead to shock if not treated immediately. 50 persons die each year from such reactions to bee stings. Anaphylactic reactions will arise within a few minutes of the actual sting. If someone who is allergic is stung more than once, their reaction will worsen each time.
What to do if you are stung by a bee:
1.Get away from the area where you were stung as bee stings liberate pheromones that cause other bees that are nearby to attack.
2.Call an emergency medical service if you know you are allergic to bee stings or if you experience any of the signs described in persons having an allergic reaction. Watch all victims closely for symptoms of anaphylaxis
3.Check whether the stinger is still in your skin and remove it - it will look like a small black dot. It is recommended that you use a flat object such as a credit card to remove the stinger as pinching may cause more venom to enter the victim. The faster the bee stinger is taken out, the less severe the reaction may be.
4.Put ice on the sting to reduce swelling.
5.Clean the area and apply hydrocortisone cream to decrease the severity of the reaction. It is suggested that a mixture of baking soda and water can also be used. Either of these will break down the poison**
6.Take an antihistamine, use calamine lotion and pain medication to stop itching and inflammation
**Bee venom is acidic, the combination of baking soda and H2O is meant to neutralize the venom. Neutralization is unlikely because the venom is beneath the skin and in the tissues of the body and cannot be affected by an alkaline solution is placed on the surface of the skin.
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