Sherry Mullenix

Health Watch

Insect stings are a nuisance and can be dangerous to your health.

Stings have been a nuisance long enough to have appeared in prehistoric cave paintings in Spain.

There are many different types of insects in the U.S. that are able to inflect a poisonous bite or sting. During spring months, these insects become more and more abundant. The most common insects likely to cause medical problems are bees (including the domestic honey bee, Africanized “Killer Bee” and the bumble bee), wasps (including paper wasp, hornets, and yellow jackets) and ants (including fire ants).

These insects are all in the Hymenoptera family, and thus their stings are occasionally called Hymenoptera stings.

Medical problems resulting from stings are divided into two categories: Local reactions (only the part of the body near the sting are affected and Systemic or Allergic Reaction (parts of the body away from the sting are affected).

Local reactions normally include immediate pain, redness and swelling at the site of the sting. Sometimes a bacterial skin infection may begin in the first 12-36 hours or even a few days after.

The Systemic Reactions include hives, swelling, wheezing, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, chest pain and lowering of the blood pressure.

It is estimated that 1-2 million individuals are severely allergic to insect stings, and it is believed that more than 100 people die in American yearly from the allergic reaction to insect stings. These fatal allergic reactions frequently occur in people who have had a previous allergic reaction to the same type of insect.

Because many of these insects live in colonies, if one stings you, you may be stung many times. Although multiple stings increase the potential danger in allergic cases, a serious or even fatal allergic reaction can occur from a single sting in a person with no known prior allergic reaction.

The vast majority of serious and fatal allergic reactions to stings cause a significant and obvious allergic reaction within an hour of being stung. Most deaths from stings occur within the first hour. Immediate emergency medical care is critical in known or suspected allergic individuals.

Although most stings don’t require medical attention, signs to watch for that would require immediate medical attention are: difficult breathing, difficulty speaking, swelling in the mouth or throat, rash all over the body, faintness and decreased level of consciousness. Other times to consider seeking medical attention is if the sting involves the inside of the mouth or throat, especially in children or elderly, or individuals with underlying medical problems.



What to do

• Remove as quickly as possible the stinger and attached venom sac, if still attached to the skin. The best way to remove it would be to scrape it off with a blunt-edged object such as credit card.

• Wash the area carefully with soap and water.

• Apply a cold pack for about 20 minutes every hour as needed. Ice should not be applied directly to the skin. You may use a cloth or towel to wrap the ice.

• Consider taking an antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) for itching.

• Consider ibuprofen (Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain as needed.

• If it has been 10 years since your last tetanus booster, get a booster within the next few days.

• One method that works is the use of meat tenderizer for people not allergic to bee stings. Use any brand with Papain. Make a paste with a few drops of water to a teaspoon of meat tenderizer and quickly apply to the sting to reduce pain and inflammation. It breaks down components of sting fluid.

• If you have a history of allergic reactions you should consider obtaining a prescription for an EpiPen from your physician to keep in case of an emergency.

In most cases involving a single sting, the prognosis is excellent if only local symptoms occur. Pain and itching may last a day or so.

Cases involving multiple stings may occasionally cause delayed and long-term complications. Early medical care often lessens the severity.

People who suffer from severe allergic reactions to a sting require immediate medical attention to lessen the chance of serious illness or even death.

Any delay in this emergency care can greatly increase the risk of this individual’s well-being.

Sherry Mullenix (J.D., R.N.) co-owns The Pharmacy in Mount Olive with her husband, Steve Mullenix (R.Ph). They can be reached at 631-1201.