Treat bee sting: How to relieve the symptoms

Apart from the fact that they are considered exceptionally hardworking, bees have other surprisingly human character traits. There are curious daredevils, but also shy brummer, which always fly the same flower fields when looking for nectar. One thing, and even there the insects hardly differ from us humans, bees may not suffer. Namely when they are driven into the narrow and feel threatened. Only then do you insert the only weapon you have. It is only 2.5 millimeters long, but it is very efficient and painful.

That is exactly what I felt in one afternoon in July. Irthrapidate with new football goals before training with my F-Juniors. Suddenly it caught in the skin fold between the thumb and index finger. The tiny stinging apparatus was still stuck, the small bars performed their task in an exemplary manner – but to my dismay. Finally I got the sting and poison bubble. A large part of the amount of poison of up to 100 micrograms was probably already in my body. The puncture site was clearly visible: a tiny red dot, pale-white surrounded.

But the stitch was one thing above all: painful. I instinctively and slightly panicked I grabbed a water bottle. According to the motto: cooling always works. And in this acute case it also worked, but only at short notice. The dull and stinging pain was persistent. Even flowing cold water slowly loved it. It only got better about ten minutes after the accident with the small honey bee. It is difficult to say who ended up in the end of the unequal duel. Bees do not survive such incidents. But I also didn’t feel like a winner two days after the self -defense attack. Because the apitoxin is called the poison that is in the small bladder of the stake. This includes, among other things, Melittin, a cocktail of 26 amino acids, which stores in the cell membranes and ultimately leads to sometimes violent vasodilation and tissue swelling.

In addition to an annoying itch, that very well with one or can be treated, I also got a thick thumb that I could only move to a limited extent. Complaints like this should subside after a few hours, but at the latest after three days. Until then, the swelling can be to be calmed down. If the swelling does not go back, the family doctor should be consulted.

There are people who are allergic to the poison of the honeybee. If the following symptoms occur shortly after the sting, the emergency doctor should be informed immediately:

Occasionally, people are also stung in the head, in the neck area or in the mouth of bees. In such a case, call a doctor as soon as possible.

As an alternative to cooling gels, so -called established. The puncture site is specifically treated with heat, which should not only relieve the itching, but also the swelling. The small tool is particularly interesting for people with sensitive skin who react quickly to creams and gels. Important: If a red line is formed from the puncture site on the skin, this could indicate an infection. There may be blood poisoning. In any case, let a doctor clarify this.