Wasp Bite
What To Do About A Wasp Bite
A wasp bite is painful without a doubt and can be deadly for someone with a severe allergic reaction. Wasp stings are one of the most likely insect bites to cause problems, and this is especially true for people with allergies. For the average person a wasp sting is really nothing more than a mildly painful inconvenience. If there is a chance of allergy, however, the results could be deadly without immediate action.
Most of the time, a wasp bite does not require medical care. The overwhelming majority of wasp stings can be treated at home. Simply clean the area around the sting and treat it with some antibiotic ointment. It is also important to remove the stinger to prevent any infection. An oral antihistamine can be used to treat the itchiness, while ibuprofen or acetaminophen can be used for any pain.
If a person with an allergy to the venom of wasps or certain insects is stung by a wasp, the sting can be fatal if medical attention is not sought immediately. After stinging, the wasp’s venom travels through the body, and it can cause serious physical problems if the victim has an allergic reaction. Symptoms of an allergy usually appear quickly and involve swelling and difficulty breathing. Other indications of an allergic reaction include hives or a rash that spreads to the entire body and feeling faint or weak from low blood pressure.
There is a higher risk for severe symptoms when a person is stung multiple times. If a wasp nest is threatened, a swarm of wasps my attack in defense of their home and this could result in 10 to 20 stings or more. If this occurs, seek immediate medical attention. Even without an allergy to wasps, young children, the elderly or someone who suffers from a medical problem can be at risk for a bad reaction to a wasp sting.
Medical attention is also suggested if a person is stung by a wasp in their mouth or throat, or directly on the eyeball. This is true for one sting and even more urgent with multiple stings in one of these sensitive areas.
Sometimes an allergic reaction will not occur right away, although usually it does. If the area around the wasp sting does not heal within 1 or 2 days, that could indicate some type of infection. If the red area around the bite grows to more than 10 inches across, there is an increase in pain and swelling or pus appears around the wound, a doctor should be contacted.
Only the female wasp has the capacity to sting, and a wasp will only go after a human if it feels threatened. So the best way to prevent a wasp bite is by just staying away from wasps and their nests and leaving them alone. When a colony of wasps decides to build a nest nearby, it is best to have the nest removed professionally to avoid getting stung.