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Seemingly harmless insects can cause great pain and even lead to death. Bees and wasps are the “holiday” bane of nature lovers, although they can also be found more and more often in urban spaces. We are not always able to protect ourselves from their stings, so it’s worth knowing what to do and what not to do when it happens. Mateusz Wawryszuk *, paramedic and first aid instructor, is sharing his tips.
- People who know they are allergic to insect venom should absolutely carry adrenaline with them
- If we do not know about allergies, we should know the symptoms of anaphylactic shock in order to recognize the situation quickly and know how to help. The most common symptoms of anaphylaxis are: cool, pale and sweaty skin, rapid breathing, drop in blood pressure, increased heart rate, and unconsciousness.
- – The good news is that if you do not develop allergy symptoms within a few hours of being stung, there is a small chance that there will be some life-threatening symptoms later – explains the paramedic
- The lack of an allergic reaction does not stop us from acting. The first thing you need to do is pull the sting out of the skin – the sooner the better
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
You should have this item with you
A bee or wasp sting (including hornets and bumblebees, which are classified as hymenoptera) is dangerous to humans. These insects have a sting that contains venom that can trigger an allergic reaction.
The management of the bite depends on whether the person is allergic to the Hymenoptera toxin or not. Paradoxically, allergy sufferers are in the most comfortable situation, but only those who are aware of allergies.
If we know that we are allergic to the venom of bees, wasps or other Hymenoptera insects, we should absolutely carry adrenaline with us. It’s a safety issue, a thing that will just save our lives.
During an anaphylactic reaction, there is swelling, which primarily leads to a drop in blood pressure. It can even result in death. Adrenaline, in turn, constricts the vessels and causes the pressure to rise.
Of course, the drug should be prescribed by a doctor and its dose adjusted to agebecause it is different for children and adults. It is very important to give the drug early. We do not wait for serious symptoms because the effectiveness of treatment will be lower. Importantly, if the first dose of adrenaline does not help, a second dose is given after five minutes. People who are allergic should always have two pre-filled syringes with them
Anaphylactic shock – how to help?
People who are unaware of insect venom allergy are at a disadvantage. Due to their well-being deteriorating from second to second, they require immediate help.
– Under the law, administering prescription drugs to the injured person is prohibited and may result in damage to his health or even death. However, in a life-threatening condition, when we see symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction, there are no contraindications to administering adrenaline. This is what the European Resuscitation Council recommends. You have to talk about it out loud – emphasizes the paramedic.
However, caution should be exercised with other substances. This also applies to antiallergic drugs, the use of which as part of first aid in the event of an anaphylactic reaction is still pointless, because they are long-release preparations, so there is no need to count on their immediate effect.
– The recognition of the symptoms of anaphylactic shock and the administration of adrenaline requires training. As part of my company, I run courses such as in care and educational institutions
– says the first aid instructor.
How do you recognize (in yourself or someone else) anaphylactic shock? The most common symptoms are: cool, pale and sweaty skin, rapid breathing, drop in blood pressure, increased heart rate, loss of consciousness, and unconscious bowel movements.
The rest of the article is available under the video.
When we notice signs of an anaphylactic shock and the victim has no adrenaline (or has already been given), we act exactly as with any other emergency emergency.
– First, we check the condition of the victim and call for help. Calling an ambulance is crucial as paramedics will be able to give the person with anaphylactic shock adrenaline – emphasizes Mateusz Wawryszuk.
If the victim is conscious but weakened, we place him in a safe place on his back with his legs raised (except for women in advanced pregnancy and people who vomit) and access to oxygen. If the person is unconscious but breathing, we place them in a safe position (the heavily pregnant woman is on the left side) and wait, monitoring the condition of the victim, especially his breathing.
– If there is no breathing, we call an ambulance and start cardiopulmonary resuscitation – points out the first aid instructor.
What may surprise us? For example, delayed anaphylaxis. It is not always immediate. It all depends on the degree of allergy and the amount of toxin injected. It happens that the symptoms of allergy appear only after several minutes. If the allergy is not very severe, allergy symptoms may appear even after several hours.
– Statistically, if a severe allergic reaction doesn’t occur within the first minutes of a sting, we’re more likely to get out of there. The faster symptoms develop, the greater the chance of severe and life-threatening anaphylaxisand symptoms that are initially mild and can quickly become life-threatening if not treated properly. The good news is that if you do not develop allergy symptoms within a few hours of being stung, there is little chance that there will be some life-threatening symptoms later on, explains the paramedic.
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A bee or wasp sting – what to do and what to avoid?
If you are stung by an insect, your first step should always be to pull out the sting. We must get rid of it as soon as possible – Removing the stinger efficiently and quickly is more important than just how it’s done. Importantly, we do not duplicate the procedure for dealing with a tick stuck in the skin.
– Under no circumstances do we grab this sting from above, because we can squeeze even more venom from it into the body. We grab them close to the skin and pull them out. It is best to “shoot” your finger from the bottom / side to make the sting detach or take tweezers, knife, pen and detach the sting with it. Caution is the key – the expert advises.
Usually, as a result of a bee or wasp sting, there is a simple swelling that needs to be dealt with locally. – Most people who are bitten are not allergic to Hymenoptera venom. Therefore, it will help to reach for example for hydrocortisone ointments, as well as antihistamines that will relieve itching and swelling. Cool compresses will help to relieve pain and also reduce swelling, adds the first aid instructor.
It happens that the bite occurs within the mouth – these are situations when an insect comes into our mouth with food (bees and wasps “like” to sit on sweet snacks) and there is a sting. In this case, you need to reduce any swelling that appears. This is best done with ice cubes (we put them in our mouth and suck) or inhalation with cold air (we open the freezer and inhale the cool air).
What not to do after a bee or wasp bite? We don’t necessarily have to go to the emergency department or call the ambulance with every sting. The key is to observe your own body or the condition of a stung person.
– When no allergic reaction has occurred, and we are afraid that an anaphylactic reaction may occur, we can go to the hospital and be close to the emergency room if necessary. For it if we are not sure if someone needs immediate help, it does not hurt to call the emergency number to ask what to do – prompts the paramedic.
* Mateusz Wawryszuk is a medical and water rescuer. He works in the ambulance service and deals with education in the field of first aid. He is the owner of the Aesculapa company that organizes first aid training, breaking the stereotype that first aid is boring and difficult.
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