What to do after being stung by a bee

Busy bees are sometimes so busy that they can't tell which are flowers and which are people, and often sting people instead of flowers. When people are stung, they are not as relaxed as flowers. Their skin will become red and swollen, and they will be in pain. They dare not even touch it. At this time, quick treatment is the most important thing and there must be no delay, otherwise it may be life-threatening. The following introduces how to deal with being stung by a bee.

1. Remove bee stingers: There are barbs on the bee stinger, and the stinger often remains in the skin after stinging. When caring for the stinger, first check whether there is any stinger retained in the skin, and remove it carefully 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 is still attached with a venom sac, do not use tweezers to remove it, as this will squeeze out the venom and aggravate the reaction. You can only use a sharp knife tip or needle to pick out the venom sac and stinger. You can also use cupping after the bee sting is removed, which can absorb the venom and reduce the body's absorption of toxins.

2. Neutralize the venom: Bee venom is acidic, so you can use soapy water, 3% ammonia water, or 5%-10% sodium bicarbonate solution to wash the wound. After the stinger is removed, apply 2.5% iodine tincture to the skin 2 to 4 times. Because iodine tincture has the effect of killing pathogenic microorganisms around the wound and destroying biological toxins. For wasp stings, there is no need to apply medicine. Instead, apply acetic acid or vinegar locally. You can also wash fresh purslane, squeeze out the juice and apply it to the wound.

3. If you have Nantong snake medicine (Jide Du snake medicine), you can dissolve the tablets in warm water and apply them around the wound; or you can grind Zijinzhan or Liushen Pills into powder and apply it to the affected area, which has the effects of detoxification, pain relief and swelling reduction. You can also choose any one of the following herbs to mash and apply externally, such as Viola yedoensis, Lobelia, Polygonum multiflorum, Taraxacum officinale, etc.

4. Treatment of local pain, redness and swelling: 2% lidocaine and dexamethasone injection can be used around the affected area, injected subcutaneously once in a 1:1 ratio; if the limbs are stung, activities should be reduced and ice packs should be placed locally for cold compresses to reduce toxin absorption.

5. Nursing for patients with allergic shock: Allergic shock caused by bee stings is often not absolutely related to the amount of bee venom. Under the premise of increased body sensitivity, severe allergic shock may occur even with just one sting. When anaphylactic shock occurs, intravenous access should be established quickly. Infusion can improve systemic and local circulation, while also diluting and promoting the excretion of toxins. For allergic reactions, mild cases can take 1 tablet of Astemizole once a day; or 4 mg of Promide, 3 times a day. Those with severe symptoms should be sent to hospital for treatment as soon as possible.

6. Keep the airway open, especially for those with breathing difficulties, and provide high-flow oxygen. If signs of laryngeal edema occur, cooperate with the doctor to perform tracheotomy immediately.

The above is an introduction to what to do after being stung by a bee. Before taking any action after being stung by a bee, you must remain calm. Once you panic, you will be at a loss. After you calm down, take the correct approach immediately. If you don’t know what to do, take a look at the above methods. They will definitely help you. If they really don’t work, you must go to the hospital for treatment immediately.