A bee sting symptoms are local redness and swelling of the skin and sometimes a bee sting initially causes a white swelling that later turns red. A bee sting may also cause a slight hardening of the skin. After some time itching also occurs. The cause of a bee sting is feeling threatened; bees and wasps often only sting when they feel threatened or cornered. A bee sting, like a wasp sting, is often harmless in nature. The reaction to a bee sting is often limited to local pain and swelling, but a bee sting can sometimes cause serious systemic complications, such as an allergic reaction that must be responded to adequately to prevent further complications. With a special treatment you can get your body used to the insect poison.
- Cause of a bee sting
- Bees sting when threatened
- Angel stays behind
- Symptoms and consequences of a bee sting
- Phenomena
- Bee sting: mild allergic reaction
- Bee sting: severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock)
- Tongue, throat and respiratory tract
- Multiple bee stings: toxic reaction
- How can you remove the sting?
- Bee sting care and treatment
- Taking care of a bee sting yourself
- Honey
- Baking soda
- Apple cider vinegar
- Toothpaste
- Herbs and oils
- Emergency kit and hyposensitization
- Prevention
Honey bee (Apis mellifera) / Source: Ivar Leidus, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-4.0)
Cause of a bee sting
Bees sting when threatened
Normally, bees only sting when they feel threatened or attacked. For example, a bee may feel cornered because you hit a bee, grab something with a bee on it or eat or drink something while a bee is in or on it. It is also possible that you are walking barefoot and accidentally step on a bee, or that you bend your knee or elbow while a bee is in the crook of your elbow or knee. What also sometimes happens is that there is a bee in your sleeve, trouser leg or collar.
Angel stays behind
A bee injects poison into the body through its sting. When the bee flies away, the stinger containing a venom sac remains in the skin. The sting is provided with barbs. The poison sac is slowly pumped out into the skin and this poison causes the physical symptoms. To limit the amount of poison released, it is important to remove the sting as quickly as possible.
Symptoms and consequences of a bee sting
Phenomena
All people react to a bee sting to a greater or lesser extent. A bee sting is painful and in most people the reaction is limited to pain and local swelling. However, sometimes an allergic or hypersensitivity reaction occurs that requires immediate treatment. About 10-20 percent of the Dutch population reacts sensitively to a bee sting. Usually there is moderate to severe swelling at the site of the sting, without further complaints. Such a reaction can be very annoying, but is almost never dangerous, with the exception of a bee sting in the throat. Roughly 1 in 100 people experience a serious allergic reaction. Such an allergic reaction to a bee sting can only occur if the person in question has previously come into contact with the insect poison. You often don’t react that strongly at the first sting. People often know that they can react violently to a bee or wasp sting and in that case they will carry an emergency kit with them (see below).
Bee sting: mild allergic reaction
Two types of allergic reactions can be distinguished: a mild and a severe allergic reaction. A mild allergic reaction to a bee sting is characterized by a painful, red swelling that continues to grow. It is even possible that your entire leg or arm is swollen. The swelling occurs where the bee stung you. Although this form of allergy is annoying, it is not life-threatening.
Bee sting: severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock)
In a severe allergy, the allergic reaction spreads over the entire body. In that case, the following symptoms may occur with a bee sting:
- Red eyes;
- a runny nose;
- sudden drop in blood pressure;
- swelling of the larynx or trachea causing respiratory distress;
- diarrhea;
- nausea;
- vomit;
- unconsciousness.
This severe allergic reaction occurs within 15 -30 minutes after being stung. If immediate and adequate intervention is not taken, a so-called ‘anaphylactic shock’ can occur with serious heart and breathing disorders, often followed by loss of consciousness and/or a life-threatening shock situation. Expert help must therefore be sought immediately in such situations. In the event of a serious (allergic) reaction, you should immediately call 9-1-1 and have the victim placed in a semi-sitting position.
Tongue, throat and respiratory tract
If a bee is swallowed and stung in the tongue, throat or airways, this can be an acutely life-threatening
situation. The patient must then be admitted immediately to the emergency room of a medical center.
Multiple bee stings: toxic reaction
Multiple (bee) stings can lead to a toxic reaction with low blood pressure, severe headaches or even shock.
Sting of the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) / Source: Siga, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0)
How can you remove the sting?
It is important to remove the stinger from the bee as quickly as possible so that the venom sac in the stinger does not continue to pump venom into the skin. Remove a stinger carefully by, for example, scratching or scraping it out of the skin with your fingernail. You should place your fingernail just below the poison pump. You can also remove it with pointed tweezers or a knife. After removing the sting, disinfect the skin area with iodine or alcohol. Suctioning the puncture site with a pump is not useful.
Bee sting care and treatment
What is the best way to care for and treat a bee sting? You can then cool the sting site with wet cloths or an ice pack. You can combat pain and itching by applying a cream such as Azaron Insect Bite Cream or Nestosy, a cream that locally relieves pain and itching in insect bites and superficial scrapes and cuts.
Taking care of a bee sting yourself
Unless you are allergic to bees or are showing signs of a severe allergic reaction, you can treat most bee stings at home. These home remedies can help relieve symptoms:
Honey
Honey can help with wound healing, pain and itching. To treat bee stings with honey, apply a small amount of honey to the affected area. Cover with a loose bandage and let it sit for up to an hour.
Baking soda or baking soda / Source: Tszrkx, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Baking soda
A paste made from baking soda (also known as baking soda) and water can help neutralize bee venom, reducing pain, itching and swelling. Apply a thick layer of baking soda to the affected area. Cover the paste with a bandage. Leave it on for at least 15 minutes and reapply as needed.
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can also help neutralize bee venom. Soak the sting site in a bowl of apple cider vinegar for at least 15 minutes. You can also soak a bandage or cloth in the vinegar and then apply it to the sting site.
Toothpaste
It is unclear why toothpaste helps with bee stings. Some people claim that alkaline toothpaste neutralizes acidic honey bee venom. If so, toothpaste will not work on wasp venom. Wasp venom is very alkaline; adding vinegar (which is very acidic) neutralizes the poison somewhat. Either way, toothpaste is a cheap and easy tool to try. You can simply apply a little of it to the affected area.
Coconut oil / Source: Phu Thinh Co, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-2.0)
Herbs and oils
These herbs have wound healing properties and can relieve symptoms of a bee sting:
- Aloe vera helps relieve pain and itching.
- Calendula is a soothing cream that restores irritated skin. It is an antiseptic used to heal wounds and reduce skin irritation. Apply the cream directly to the puncture site and cover with a bandage.
- Lavender essential oil has anti-inflammatory properties and can help relieve swelling. Dilute the essential oil with coconut or olive oil. Dab a few drops of the mixture onto the puncture site.
- Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and can be used for bee stings. Mix with some coconut oil and apply some of this mixture to the sting area.
- Witch hazel is a proven herbal remedy for insect bites and bee stings. It can help reduce inflammation, pain and itching.
Emergency kit and hyposensitization
People who are known to have severe hypersensitivity can have their GP prescribe an emergency kit. This set includes an automatic syringe (a pump with adrenaline), which is pressed against the thigh when applied, causing the needle to pop out automatically and release the injection fluid. Injecting adrenaline reduces or prevents shock. The victim must then go to the hospital as quickly as possible.
A bee and wasp allergy can also be treated with a hyposensitization treatment, in which increasing concentrations of poison are injected over a certain period of time. This treatment makes the patient permanently insensitive to the insect poison. The injection treatment consists of an adjustment phase and a maintenance phase.
Prevention
If you know you’ll be spending time outdoors, take the following steps to reduce your risk of a bee sting:
- don’t walk outside barefoot
- leave beehives alone
- do not wear scented perfumes, hair or body products
- don’t wear bright colors or clothes with flowery prints.
- cover your food and drinks
- don’t drive in the car with your windows down
- don’t drink from open cans of soda
- stay away from open garbage cans
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