Wasp Sting Treatment
Everyone tries to keep their distance from Wasps. Irritating and unpredictable, they also provoke anxiety and restrict freedom in the outdoors. Their continuous buzzing ensures you are always distracted by their presence and constantly feeling a dread at what they may do if you do not keep them firmly in focus. Of course everyone dreads a wasp sting but wasp stings heal. For those who have strong allergies to the wasp venom they could trigger anaphylactic shock symptoms which at worst could lead to fatality. (See below)
Wasps usually leave a painful calling card when they feel under threat themselves. More likely than not they are in contact with the Wasp Nest and communicate any possible attacks through triggering alarm pheromones which alert the rest of the colony to attack. Wasp nests are always difficult to locate to prevent invasion. If you are concerned there is a wasp nest on your property we advise you do not approach it but call in our professional specialist team.
All wasps are different. There are various species including the yellow jacket and the paper wasp. More interestingly you will never get stung by a male wasp. It is a pity we can’t tell the difference at first sight but only females sting. The first action to be taken following a wasp sting is to remove “the stinger” from the body. This is best done with a pair of tweezers or scraped out with the fingernail. There will probably be a desire to rub and squeeze the affected area in order to reduce the pain as this gives the impression that the pain is reduced. However, our specialists recommend not doing this as it will cause the venom to spread beneath the skin.
After cleaning the affected area place something cold like ice cubes or an ice pack over the area (wrapped in something like a towel). In order to reduce swelling rest and possibly elevate the affected area. For extra protection – especially if the patient is itching a lot – an antihistamine or oral tablet can be useful. Over a couple of days the symptoms should subside but if after two days it appears the swelling and redness is spreading over a wider area this is a sign the patient may have an infection and it is recommended medical advice should be sought.
Allergic Reaction
For those who are allergic to wasp venom the risks are far greater than the sting itself. The result could be anaphylactic shock which can facilitate various responses in the patient. At the mild end of the scale the patient may witness rashes or breathlessness. This can usually be easily treated with steroids or antihistamines. At the more serious end of the scale the patient may have symptoms such as coughing and wheezing, severe swelling of the tongue, dry itchy tongue and lips or even fainting and collapse. In some cases emergency lifesaving procedures need to be put in place and the patient may need to be monitored in hospital.
If you know you have an allergy to wasp venom or if you witness symptoms to a wasp sting that are more serious than normal do not hesitate to gain medical advice.
