Treating a bee sting: How to relieve the first symptoms

Apart from the fact that they are considered to be exceptionally hardworking, bees have other surprisingly human characteristics. There are curious daredevils, but also shy ones who always fly to the same flower fields when looking for nectar to be on the safe side. There is one thing, and here too the insects are hardly any different from us humans, that bees really dislike. Namely, when they are cornered and feel threatened. Only then do they use the only weapon they have. It may only be 2.5 millimeters long, but it is very efficient and painful.

That’s exactly what I experienced one afternoon in July. Unsuspecting and full of anticipation, I ripped open the box of new soccer goals before training with my juniors. Suddenly, I felt a twinge in the fold of skin between my thumb and index finger. The tiny stinging apparatus was still there, the little barbs did their job perfectly – but to my chagrin. Finally, I managed to grab the sting and the poison sac. A large part of the poison, up to 100 micrograms, was probably already in my body. The puncture site was clearly visible: a tiny red dot, outlined in pale white.

Treating bee stings: Cooling always works

But the sting was one thing above all: painful. Instinctively and in a slight panic, I grabbed a water bottle. According to the motto: cooling always works. And in this acute case, it worked, but only for a short time. The dull and stinging pain was persistent. Even running cold water only relieved it slowly. It only got better about ten minutes after the accident with the little honey bee. It is difficult to say who emerged victorious from this unequal duel. Bees do not survive such incidents. But even two days after the self-defense attack, I did not feel like a winner. Because the apitoxin, as the poison in the small bubble of the sting is called, is quite powerful. It contains, among other things, melittin, a cocktail of 26 amino acids that is deposited in the cell membranes and ultimately leads to sometimes severe vasodilation and tissue swelling.

In addition to an annoying itching, which can be easily treated with a or I also developed a swollen thumb that I could only move to a limited extent. Symptoms like these should subside after a few hours, but at the latest after three days. Until then, the swelling can be treated with calmed down. If the swelling does not go down, you should see your family doctor.

There are people who are allergic to the venom of honey bees. If the following symptoms occur shortly after the sting, you should call an emergency doctor immediately:

Occasionally, people are stung by bees in the head, neck area or mouth. If this happens, call a doctor as soon as possible.

As an alternative to cooling gels, so-called established. The injection site is treated with heat, which is intended to relieve not only the itching but also the swelling. The small tool is of particular interest to people with sensitive skin who react quickly to creams and gels. Important: If a red line appears on the skin from the injection site, this could indicate an infection. Blood poisoning may be present. Always have this checked out by a doctor.

More information can be found here.