Bee stings first aid – iDoctor House

Today, we’re talking about bee stings. How is it important? What should we do when we get stung? And, How can tiny creatures cause people to die? Let’s get started!

Welcome to DoctorHouse channel. Channel that is intelligible and practical. We’re talking about bee, wasp and hornet sting. Thailand and a lot of tropical countries are home of those tiny creatures. Like you have seen the news that bee sting causes a lot of people to die.

Let’s get known about bee, wasp, and hornet. These insects are in the Hymenoptera order. Hymenoptera is a very big order because there are 150,000 species. Know well members are ant, bee, wasp, and hornet. Many years ago they used to have Ovipositor to place their eggs in the safety area. Now that organ developed into a stinger. Because spawning is a duty of their queen. So, only female bees can sting.

Let’s talk about the differences between bee, wasp, and hornet.

Bee is smaller, a lot of feather and venom is acidic.
Wasp and Hornet are bigger and venom is alkali.

Let’s talk about the bee’s venom. Bee’s venom also knows as Apitoxin. Apitoxin is a chemical compound of an enzyme, peptide components, non-peptide components, and low molecular mass.

Major compounds are Melittin, Phospholipase A2 and Hyaluronidase.

Don’t worry. There are 2 majors effect of Apitoxin.

First, local inflammation. Local inflammation is a cell damage process in an affected area. Your skin will be redness, swelling, painful, and itching.
Second, Allergic reaction. This is the major cause of death from bee stings. Because Apitoxin can trigger an allergic reaction. Severe allergic reaction like to occurs in 15 min – 2 hours after getting stung. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction are lip swelling, eye swelling, rash, chest discomfort, abdominal cramp, diarrhea, low blood pressure, and fainting. If only one symptom present, you should go to the hospital as fast as you can. Remember only 3% have a severe allergic reaction.

What should we do when we get stung?

The first thing is “run” away as far as you can into room, car, or house.

Don’t jump into the water because pheromone on your skin can trigger bees around there and they’re waiting for you.

When you are safe.

Just remember these steps.

“Take the stinger out.

Wash it with soap.

Apply antitoxin.

Cold compression.

Take the medication.

Observation.”

Take the stinger out.

Take the stinger out as fast as you can. Because stinger will be woking up to 10 min after stung.

Just scratch your skin with card or clean fingernail in the opposite direction of stinger. Don’t squeeze and pull the stinger. Because you’re injecting the venom into your body.

Wash it with soap.

Soap can prevent contamination of bacterial from soil and bees. It’s better if your wounds are clean.

Apply antitoxin.

Bee’s venom is acidic. You should use alkali substance such as baking soda to apply on the affected area. Leave it for 3 min and do it again. In the other hand, wasp and hornet venom are alkali. You should use an acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar instead.

You have passed 3 steps

Cold compression.

Cold compression reduces blood flow to the affected area. This process can reduce inflammation and reduce an allergic process. You should apply ice or a bottle of cold water for 10 min.

Take the medication.

As above Apitoxin causes 2 majors effect. So treatment should be divided into 2 groups.

First, Local inflammation. You can take acetaminophen to reduce pain. Another group of anti-inflammatory drugs is the NSAID group such as Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, and Naproxen. It’s better than acetaminophen if you don’t have any contraindication.

The final group that I suggest is a steroid cream group such as Hydrocortisone cream and Triamcinolone cream.

Second, the allergic reaction. You can take over-counter anti-allergy pills such as Cetirizine, Hydroxyzine, and CPM.

Remember if you have a severe allergic reaction apply Epi-pen and go to the hospital as fast as you can.

Let’s go to the final step,

Observation.

The study showed Apitoxin can cause kidney failure up to 2 weeks due to rhabdomyolysis. So we need close observation. If there are somethings wrong. Go to the hospital immediately.

Congratulations, you have one more life skill.

Don’t forget to

Take the stinger out.

Wash it with soap.

Apply antitoxin.

Cold compression.

Take the medication.

Observation.

It’s time to say goodbye.

If you have any questions, please let us know.

And finally, I’m sorry for my English. I try to be better in the next topic.

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