Bumblebee sting

There are about 300 species of bumblebees in nature. Among them, there are both male and female individuals. The queen and worker bumblebees have a sting with which they can sting, and it does not remain in the victim's body, but venom is sprayed through it. They do not die after stinging. The insects themselves are not aggressive, the reasons for stinging are the need to defend themselves if they are harmed, or actions are taken that are perceived as a threat.

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Epidemiology

There are no separate statistics on bumblebee bites, but up to 3% of the world's population suffers from all insects, including wasps, bees, hornets and bumblebees, and these are only people who seek help from medical institutions with allergic reactions. There are also fatal cases. Thus, in the USA, up to 50 people die per year.

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Risk factors

Bumblebees are social insects that live in bombidarium nests built in tree hollows, in cracks in wooden houses, in the soil, and in bird nests. Intentional or accidental destruction of their habitats is a risk factor for being bitten by a whole swarm. They become most dangerous during the breeding season: August-September.

In order not to expose yourself to danger, you should not pick them up or provoke them with sudden movements. These insects do not like the smell of alcohol, perfume, sweat, or brightly colored clothing.

When going out into nature, you need to wear shoes with thick soles, protect your body with clothing as much as possible, and wear a hat, since there is always a chance of "meeting" bumblebees or their relatives, bees and wasps.

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Symptoms bumblebee sting

Adults cannot help but feel a large insect and not feel pain, but children sometimes cannot explain what happened to them. What does a bumblebee bite look like? The reaction varies from person to person. It can only be local, expressed in slight swelling, redness, itching. Sometimes the temperature rises, joint pain appears.

A more serious consequence is an allergy, most often it appears after a repeated bite. Its intensity varies from swelling and redness of the whole body, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting to a feeling of suffocation, increased heart rate, anaphylactic shock.

The first thing a person feels from an insect bite is pain. Its intensity depends on the type of bumblebee and your own pain threshold. Thus, purple or blue causes noticeable pain, black (stone) more often causes allergies.

To a greater or lesser extent, swelling, itching, and burning appear around the bite site.

Complications and consequences

The danger may lie in one bite, depending on its location, for example, in the area of the face, ear, head or neck, as well as the predisposition to allergies. But more terrible consequences are fraught with multiple lesions, when a whole swarm attacks. In this case, a toxic reaction, anaphylactic shock is possible, leading to a violation of the heart rhythm, loss of consciousness, and sometimes death.

A bumblebee sting is very dangerous for a child, especially a small one, for example, a one-year-old, because his immune system is not able to cope with toxins.

A local reaction usually goes away in a few days, a week at most. A complicated allergy reaction can last longer.

Can a bumblebee bite be useful? Research has revealed the beneficial properties of bee venom: its components have a beneficial effect on the nervous and peripheral systems, improve metabolism and blood microcirculation, and hormonal balance.

Since bees and bumblebees belong to the same order - Hymenoptera, they have the same goals - to collect pollen and nectar from flowering plants, then the benefits of their venom are probably the same.

Diagnostics bumblebee sting

Diagnosis of a bumblebee sting is based on the victim's story, whether it was the first time the sting occurred, a visual examination, and also determining the presence of an allergy to the poison by skin tests. The level of specific antibodies (IgE) is measured.

The role of differential diagnostics is to distinguish the bite of Hymenoptera from other individuals in order to identify the allergen and neutralize it.

Treatment bumblebee sting

What measures should be taken at home if a bumblebee stings? First aid consists of disinfecting the wound with any alcohol-containing liquid. If possible, use a cold compress, treat the bite with a saline or soda solution. In nature, if you don’t have a first aid kit at hand, you can apply a cucumber slice, an onion slice, a plantain leaf, or squeeze out some dandelion juice.

Those bitten in the head area and those with allergies are best advised to go to the hospital.

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Medicines

It would not be a bad idea to take an antihistamine if you are bitten by a bumblebee: diazolin, suprastin, tavigil.

Suprastin - the action of this drug is to block histamine H ₁ receptors. You can take one tablet at once, and 3-4 tablets in a day. For children aged 3 years and older, half is enough. Suprastin is contraindicated for pregnant women, during lactation and for children under 3 years. Side effects may include arrhythmia, tachycardia, dizziness, nausea, and diarrhea.

Tavegil is an antiallergic and antihistamine with a fast and long-lasting (up to 12 hours) effect. It is not prescribed to children under 6 years of age. In the period from 6 to 12 years, 0.5 tablets are prescribed twice a day, after this age and for adults - a whole one, but not more than 6 per day. The drug contains lactose, do not use if you are lactose intolerant. It is not prescribed to pregnant or lactating women. Use with caution in case of glaucoma, prostatic hypertrophy, gastric ulcer with stenosis.

As a local remedy for relieving itching and inflammation, you should resort to ointments: fenistil, celestoderm, advantan, Vietnamese asterisk, miramistin.

Fenistil is an antiallergic gel with an anesthetic effect. It can be applied to the affected area 2-4 times a day. If it is necessary to treat large areas, it is necessary to avoid exposure to sunlight. It is not recommended for use by young children and pregnant women.

Miramistin - refers to antiseptic and disinfectant agents. Interacting with the lipids of the membranes of microorganisms, it destroys them. Activates the regeneration of skin cells. Apply a thin layer 1-2 times a day. Used only by adults.

If you don’t have any of the listed ointments or gels at hand, you can crush vitamin C and dissolve it in water, and apply the solution to the swelling.

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Folk remedies

There are many folk remedies that can help with bumblebee stings. The following can be applied to the bites:

• cut potato, tomato;
• a gruel of finely chopped onion;
• a tablet of validol soaked in water;
• rub with a clove of garlic;

In addition to plantain, herbs that are suitable include wormwood juice, finely chopped parsley, an aloe or Kalanchoe leaf with the film removed, and any alcohol tinctures of herbs: calendula, celandine.

Homeopathy

Among homeopathic remedies for allergy relief, Allergin-ARN® can be used - a complex preparation containing 5 homeopathic components of plant and animal origin. Children aged 1-6 years are prescribed a granule per year of life. The rest are prescribed 6 pieces under the tongue until completely absorbed. Repeat 2-3 times a day half an hour before meals or 1-1.5 hours after. The effect on pregnant women has not been studied. Side effects are unknown.

Iricar is an ointment based on a substance from the tropical liana cardiospermum. Reduces itching, after a short period of use, swelling and redness disappear. It is not used for children under one year of age, due to insufficient research into its effect. Before use, pregnant women should consult a doctor. Apply to the skin 3 times a day.

To prevent an acute reaction to a bumblebee sting, take Apis Mellifeca (8 granules under the tongue 4 times a day) and Urtica Urens, the order of administration is the same as the previous ones.

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Prevention

In order to avoid being bitten by bumblebees, you need to be careful when in close proximity to them:

• do not drive them away with sudden movements;
• when on holiday in nature, do not expose yourself too much;
• do not walk barefoot;
• make sure that there are no insects among fruits, sweets and other food;
• do not attract their attention with bright clothes and strong perfume smells;
• Put mosquito nets on the windows to prevent them from entering the home.

Forecast

Only the external manifestation of bites, in general, does not pose a threat to humans. In case of multiple lesions, bites to the head, a strong allergic reaction to the poison, the prognosis is not always favorable, fatal cases are possible.