SOS summer! We reveal which home remedies you can use to treat a wasp sting and when you should call a doctor. Have you ever been injected with liquid fire? This is precisely what a fresh wasp sting feels like. You can even call it lucky that it was only a wasp and not a bee. Although bee stings are rarer, they are said to hurt even more because they pump all of its poison into the body when it stings.
You can tell that you have been stung by the burning pain and goosebumps that feel like they are under your scalp. The skin swelling, redness, and itching usually only appear a few hours after the sting. The symptoms subside after 3-4 days – if they last longer, you should consult a doctor.
To relieve the symptoms, you don’t have to resort to (over-the-counter) medications such as cortisone creams, antihistamines, or anti-inflammatory painkillers. There are several home remedies that you can use to treat your wasp sting, whether at home or on the go.
When Do You Need To See A Doctor After A Wasp Sting?
Most wasp stings are harmless. You only have to see a doctor in exceptional cases. For example, if you have been stung in the mouth or throat or are allergic to insecticides.
If an anaphylactic shock occurs after the sting, you must call an ambulance immediately. To react quickly, it is essential to keep a close eye on the person who has been bitten for at least half an hour.
Symptoms Of Anaphylactic Shock:
- Severe swelling (> than 10 cm around the injection site)
- dizziness
- drowsiness (to the point of unconsciousness)
- nausea and vomiting
- Difficulty speaking and swallowing
- shortness of breath
- tachycardia
- Stomach cramps
- diarrhoea
Suppose you know that you are allergic to insect bites. In that case, you should always have an emergency kit with you with an adrenaline injection, antihistamine and cortisone in summer so that you can take care of yourself in case of an emergency. As a layperson, you should also alert an emergency doctor, especially travelling alone!
Treating A Wasp Sting: The Do & Don’ts!
When treating a wasp sting, there is a lot of dangerous half-knowledge floating around. This applies above all to the important first few seconds after the stab. You can do a lot wrong here and thus delay the chances of recovery. Here is an overview of the most important do’s and don’ts:
Should You Suck Out The Poison From A Wasp Sting?
Never suck the poison out with your mouth! The insect venom spreads through the mucous membranes in the body and only extends further. Try squeezing out the poison instead. It is best to use a suction pad from the pharmacy – do not touch the wound with dirty fingers; otherwise, germs can get into the body.
Should You Leave The Sting In Or Pull It Out?
If you find a stinger in the puncture site, you have likely been stung by a bee. Wasps and hornets usually don’t lose their stingers. This is also why they can sting several times in a row.
Either way: the sting has to come out as soon as possible. Use a pair of tweezers to grab the spike close to the skin below and carefully pull it out. Be careful not to squeeze the venom sac at the end of the stinger, causing more venom to spill into the skin.
Should You Treat The Wasp Sting With Cold Or Heat?
The order here matters. First, you treat the fresh sting with heat, such as an electric stitch healer from the pharmacy, which heats the wound to 50 degrees. As a result, the protein molecules (histamine) in the wasp venom break down, making the stingless itchy and less swollen. However, this only works in the first few minutes after the wasp sting.
Afterward, you can treat the sting with cold. Cold Compress is the ultimate here! The cold causes the blood vessels to constrict. The poison spreads more slowly, and the pain decreases significantly. In addition to the puncture site, you should also cool the throat area to prevent the airway from swelling – regardless of where you were pricked.
Necessary: Do not press ice or cooling pads directly onto the skin. Wrap the coolant in a towel or piece of cloth once or twice to prevent frostbite.
The 7 Best Home Remedies For Wasp Stings
When treating wasp stings, the number one rule is: calm, relaxed, excellent. You can find out which other home remedies help relieve the itching, swelling, and pain.
Tip: Not only can wasp stings be treated with these remedies and other insect bites.
Treat Wasp Sting: Hot Spoon
If you don’t have a sting healer from the pharmacy at hand, you can neutralise the poison with a heated spoon or a brewed tea bag. A chamomile tea bag can also have a calming effect.
Of course, to avoid burns, the spoon must not be red-hot. So don’t hold a lighter underneath! It is enough to heat the metal spoon with warm water (not boiling!). Also, only briefly press the hot back of the spoon onto the puncture site.
Treat Wasp Sting: Sugar Cubes
Some of the wasp venoms can be sucked out with a sugar cube. You must apply the sugar to the sting as quickly as possible before the insecticide spreads throughout the body. Take a moistened sugar cube and press it onto the sting for a few minutes.
Tip: In addition to sugar, honey can also help with wasp stings. Bee honey has an antibacterial and slightly anti-inflammatory effect. But be careful: You can use it to attract more wasps if you are outside.
Treat Wasp Sting: Onion
It sounds crazy, but it helps: Spread some onion juice on the affected area or press a thick slice of onion on it for half an hour. The onion cools the sting pleasantly and has a strong anti-inflammatory effect. Perfect for first aid with wasp stings!
Tip: Lemon juice has a similar, albeit slightly weaker, effect.
Treat Wasp Sting: Vinegar
Vinegar is the jack of all trades among home remedies. Apple cider vinegar is used for wasp stings. With this, you can neutralize the poison and relieve the itching at the same time. To do this, mix vinegar with water and dip a cotton ball in it to treat the sting. Even better: Cold vinegar wraps to reduce swelling.
Tip: Alternatively, you can treat the wasp sting with a clay envelope or liquefied baking soda powder on it. Like diluted vinegar, baking soda is essential and can fight toxic acids.
Treat Wasp Sting: Cottage Cheese
The lactic acid in quark also has a primary and therefore neutralizing effect. Put some of it on a cloth dampened with cold water and wrap it around the wound as a quark wrap. Leave for several hours and replace if necessary. Quark cools insect bites comfortably and can prevent the swelling from spreading.
Treat Wasp Sting: Saliva
A quick home remedy to treat wasp stings on the go is your saliva. It is antibacterial and helps to reduce inflammation and speed up wound healing. Rub some spit on the puncture site and massage it lightly.
Tip: In the case of small children or infants, it is better not to treat the wasp sting with your saliva because you could introduce herpes viruses into the sensitive organism.
Treat Wasp Sting: Buckhorn
If you’ve been stung by a wasp while picnicking or hiking outdoors, you can take advantage of the healing powers of plantain. The edible wild herb grows along roadsides. Its juice has an antibacterial effect. Rub the leaves between your fingers and dab the liquid on the affected area to get it.
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