Bumblebee bite
Content:
- Is a bumblebee bite dangerous?
- First aid for a bumblebee bite
- How to treat a bumblebee bite?
Is a bumblebee bite dangerous?
Bumblebee is a genus of Hymenoptera insects from the bee family. The body of the bumblebee is covered with dense short hairs and has a bright color of black and yellow-orange stripes.
Bumblebees are classified into three groups: queen, worker insects, and drones. Only worker bumblebees and the queen have the ability to sting. Bumblebees are more peaceful insects than other Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, hornets) and use the sting solely for self-defense.
Unlike the bee sting, which has barbs and after being bitten it almost always remains in the human body, the bumblebee sting is free from barbs and rarely remains at the site of the bite.
Insect stings are hollow on the inside, like a syringe needle. During the bite, the stinging insects inject a microscopic dose of poison through it. It is the poison, and not the wound on the skin, that causes pain, itching and irritation. Insect venom is a mixture of proteins, so the bumblebee bite is accompanied by allergic manifestations in some people.
The reaction of the human body to a bumblebee bite depends primarily on its individual characteristics. For most healthy people, such a bite does not pose any danger. A severe allergic reaction is possible in 1% of cases and most often occurs with repeated bites.
A local non-allergic reaction manifests itself at first as short-term pain and burning, and then in the form of redness, swelling (edema) and itching in the area of the skin around the bite site. Redness and swelling usually go away within 1-5 days. If a person has been bitten by a bumblebee in the eyelid or near the eye, the swelling can last up to 8 days.
After the first bite of a stinging insect, an allergic reaction most often does not occur, since there are no antibodies to bumblebee venom in the body.
If there is an allergic reaction, it occurs within 30 minutes after the bite and is divided, depending on the intensity, into the following types:
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Redness, itching, and swelling throughout the body;
- The first symptom is added nausea, vomiting and diarrhea;
- The previous symptoms are aggravated by signs of choking.
All of the above symptoms are complemented by fever, increased heart rate, chills, joint pains, possible convulsions, loss of consciousness - this is a sign of anaphylactic shock, which requires immediate hospitalization.
Particularly dangerous are multiple bites of stinging insects, simultaneous or occurring within a short period of time. This is fraught with the development of a general toxic reaction, which leads to problems with the cardiovascular system and the central nervous system. With a toxic reaction, weakness, fever, headache, dizziness, nausea occur.
Bumblebee bites are at increased risk for pregnant women, children and people taking drugs such as beta blockers.
If a person already suffers from any type of allergy, then the likelihood of an allergic reaction after an insect bite increases several times.
First aid for a bumblebee bite
- If a sting remains under the skin, it must be carefully removed with a pre-disinfected tweezers. You should not try to squeeze out the sting and poison with your fingers, so as not to infect an infection.
- The bite site must be wiped with hydrogen peroxide or a weak solution of potassium permanganate, vinegar, medical alcohol, ammonia, diluted water; or put a cotton pad soaked in one of these products on this place.
- It is also recommended to apply a cold compress (in the form of a heating pad with cold water or a towel soaked in cold water), especially if the bite is a sensitive area (eye area, etc.). This will help relieve pain and swelling and slow down the absorption of the poison. Another way to draw out the poison is to apply a moistened piece of refined sugar to the wound.
- If there is a predisposition to allergies, you can give the victim some kind of antihistamine (suprastin, claritin, tavegil, etc.).
- It is recommended to drink as much liquid as possible, giving preference to hot sweet tea. If the condition does not improve, as well as signs of an allergic or general toxic reaction, it is necessary to urgently call a doctor.
How to treat a bumblebee bite?
In most cases, insect bites are treated at home.
Traditional medicine recipes are widely used to treat a bumblebee bite at home
- Take fresh dandelion or plantain leaves, chop and tie to the bite. Change the compress every 2-3 hours.
- Apply fresh parsley leaves to the wound.
- Take 1/2 teaspoon of tansy flowers, pour 200 ml of boiling water, simmer for 5 minutes, drain. From the resulting broth, make lotions at the site of the bite.
- Grind the onion into a gruel and place it over the bite. Or make a compress from onion juice soaked in a bandage.
- Cut raw potatoes into thin slices and apply to the site of inflammation.
- Make a compress from lemon juice or tincture of golden mustache and vodka.
- Rinse the affected area thoroughly with running water, then rub with a peeled banana. After a while, rinse again and grate, leave overnight, do not bandage on top.
- Attach a cut apple, tomato or garlic to the bite. Or rub with a clove of garlic until juicing and leave to dry. You can grind 1-2 cloves of garlic into gruel and mix with 1 teaspoon of honey, apply a bandage with this mixture and change it 2 times a day.
- Freeze some milk and apply a milk ice cube for 10 minutes.
- Crush one activated charcoal tablet, dilute it with water until a slurry is obtained, spread on the damaged area and cover with plastic wrap on top to prevent rapid drying. Apply Validol tablet moistened with water on the bite site. Dilute the baking soda with water to a gruel state and apply to the painful area. Or make a soda solution by diluting 1 teaspoon in a glass of water, wet it with gauze and apply for 15-20 minutes.
- You can also use medications, for example, Fenistil gel ointment, which relieves itching well. It is recommended to lubricate the bite site 3-4 times a day. Usually, the drug takes effect immediately after application.
With insect bites, alcohol is contraindicated, as this leads to increased swelling.
Often, people themselves provoke an attack of insects, trying to drive them away. Bumblebees are attracted and irritated by the pungent smell of perfumery, alcohol, sweat, and fried meat. It should be remembered that certain precautions never go wrong.
The need to contact a medical institution arises under the following circumstances:
- The number of bites exceeds twenty;
- The victim is a child, a person with a chronic illness or a very elderly person;
- The bumblebee bite fell on the mucous membrane of the mouth or eyeball;
- There are signs of an allergic reaction or an allergic reaction has been accompanied by previous insect bites;
- There are signs of infection: pain, swelling, and chills intensify, and inflammation at the site of the bite becomes purulent.
Author of the article: Danilova Tatyana Vyacheslavovna | Infectionist
Education: in 2008 received a diploma in General Medicine (General Medicine) at the Pirogov Russian Research Medical University. Immediately passed an internship and received a diploma of a therapist
