Medical Questions » First Aid Questions » Question No. 399
| Question: | I was recently bitten by a bee, and everyone had different ideas on how to help me. What is the best first-aid treatment for a bee stinq? |
| Answer: | A bee is suicidal when it stings. The sting is in its tail, and is torn off after piercing the skin, which results in the disembowelment and death of the bee. Immediately after being stung, it is necessary to remove the sting itself.
Do NOT pull it out, as this will squeeze more toxin into the victim' s tissue. Brush the sting out by knocking it out of the skin sideways with the edge of a firm object (eg. back of a knife, edge of a piece of cardboard or fingernail). Then apply ice or cold water, and leave it there for 15 minutes or more. After this, anti-itch creams available from a chemist or methylated spirits applied to die bite site may ease the irritation. If severe discomfort persists, a steroid cream obtained from a doctor will give relief.
If the patient is allergic to bee stings, an antihistamine tablet should be given immediately, if available an antihistamine cream should be applied, and medical attention should be sought as soon as possible. Some allergic reactions can be severe enough to cause breathing to stop and the heart to beat irregularly. Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation should be given in this situation.
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