5 Steps You Need to Take After Being Bitten by an Insect
When it comes to insects, we are outnumbered in a big way. Between bees, wasps and their brethren, you've got to be on the lookout as their stings cause pain, redness, swelling and in some cases, serious medical issues. Basic discomfort can last anywhere from a few hours to a full day, depending on the type of insect and how many times it stings you.
The following five tips will help you get through an insect sting and will help minimize the damage:
1. Be Sure To Identify What Stung You
If at all possible, try to determine what it was that stung you. It can help when determining the treatment needed and it can also prevent you from being stung again. In the case of the honeybee, they die shortly after they sting someone because they can't live without their stinger.
However, bumblebees, wasps, hornets and yellow jackets all have stingers that they can use to repeatedly sting you. These insects tend to sting much harder than others and do so much more vigorously.
With Yellow Jackets, you are far more likely to be attacked by a nest of fellow Yellow Jackets if you were to smash one with a newspaper or fly swatter because when they die, they emit a scent that sends a message to their fellow Yellow Jacket buddies to attack.
2. Act Quickly
The key to effective treatment when it comes to insect stings is to act quickly. The faster you apply first aid, the better chance you'll have at controlling your pain and swelling.
3. Get The Stinger Out
If stung by a Honey Bee, or some variety of Yellow Jackets, remove the stinger as quickly as possible. If you don't the venom will continue to pump into your system for another 20-30 seconds, which will drive the stinger and poison deeper into your skin.
4. Lessen The Pain
Do this by:
Applying Ice
Applying A Baking Soda Mixture to it
Apply Meat Tenderizer
Apply a paste of powdered activated charcoal
5. Take An Antihistamine
Taking an over the counter Antihistamine will help lessen the pain, redness and even the swelling that the insect's venom has caused you.
6. Preventative Measures
Follow these three tips to help you in avoiding getting stung in the first place:
* Wear light colored clothing outdoors as stinging insects prefer darker colors.
* Avoid after shave, perfume or any other type of fragrance while outdoors as bees have been known to confuse people with flowers. When a bee finds out he's been duped, watch out!
* If you find that you are being pursued by a swarm of bees, run inside, jump into a body of water, or head for the woods. The first two are obvious, but stinging insects have trouble following their prey in wooded areas.
Insect stings are never pleasant, but by following the steps above, hopefully the experience will be much easier to deal with.
The following five tips will help you get through an insect sting and will help minimize the damage:
1. Be Sure To Identify What Stung You
If at all possible, try to determine what it was that stung you. It can help when determining the treatment needed and it can also prevent you from being stung again. In the case of the honeybee, they die shortly after they sting someone because they can't live without their stinger.
However, bumblebees, wasps, hornets and yellow jackets all have stingers that they can use to repeatedly sting you. These insects tend to sting much harder than others and do so much more vigorously.
With Yellow Jackets, you are far more likely to be attacked by a nest of fellow Yellow Jackets if you were to smash one with a newspaper or fly swatter because when they die, they emit a scent that sends a message to their fellow Yellow Jacket buddies to attack.
2. Act Quickly
The key to effective treatment when it comes to insect stings is to act quickly. The faster you apply first aid, the better chance you'll have at controlling your pain and swelling.
3. Get The Stinger Out
If stung by a Honey Bee, or some variety of Yellow Jackets, remove the stinger as quickly as possible. If you don't the venom will continue to pump into your system for another 20-30 seconds, which will drive the stinger and poison deeper into your skin.
4. Lessen The Pain
Do this by:
Applying Ice
Applying A Baking Soda Mixture to it
Apply Meat Tenderizer
Apply a paste of powdered activated charcoal
5. Take An Antihistamine
Taking an over the counter Antihistamine will help lessen the pain, redness and even the swelling that the insect's venom has caused you.
6. Preventative Measures
Follow these three tips to help you in avoiding getting stung in the first place:
* Wear light colored clothing outdoors as stinging insects prefer darker colors.
* Avoid after shave, perfume or any other type of fragrance while outdoors as bees have been known to confuse people with flowers. When a bee finds out he's been duped, watch out!
* If you find that you are being pursued by a swarm of bees, run inside, jump into a body of water, or head for the woods. The first two are obvious, but stinging insects have trouble following their prey in wooded areas.
Insect stings are never pleasant, but by following the steps above, hopefully the experience will be much easier to deal with.
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