Wasp Sting Treatment

A wasp is a predatory insect belonging to the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita. A wasp has two pair of wings, a stinger (ovipositor), very little hair. These flying, stinging insects are mostly terrestrial, but a few parasitic wasp species can also live in water. The wasp species include paper wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets. A wasp sting is one of the most awful things to happen to anyone. Wasps mostly sting a person when they are threatened or when their territory and nest is disturbed. Before I tell you all about wasp sting treatment, it is important you understand how the wasp stings. Read more on types of wasps.

Upon getting annoyed, the wasp inserts and withdraws the stinger with ease. This is the reason why one wasp can sting multiple times. The amount of poison that gets injected in the skin is relatively less, more or less between 2 micrograms to 15 micrograms. The lining of the stinger is smooth, contains the venom sac and a redundant egg laying tube, through which it injects the venom. An interesting feature about a wasp sting is that it releases a pheromone while stinging, that sends out a message to other wasps in its vicinity to join in the attack! A wasp sting can become dangerous, if the stinger gets cut off or breaks, while penetrating the skin.

How to Treat a Wasp Sting
Treatment for wasp stings depends not only on the severity but also the number of stings. Unlike snake or other reptile bites, no anti-venom is available for wasp stings treatment. Most conditions can be handled with simple wasp sting first aid, however, people who develop an allergic reaction to the sting require medications to counter its effects.

Wasp Sting Remedies
The foremost thing one needs to do is to take the stinger out immediately. Be careful while pulling it out, don't break it. Apply an ice pack (if needed, every hour) to reduce the wasp sting swelling. Wash the sting area with an antiseptic soap. Take an ibuprofen to stop the throbbing pain that usually accompanies the sting. If there is persistent itching take an antihistamine, but do not scratch. The swelling will subside within a couple of hours, although the pain and redness may take awhile.

If one develops an allergic reaction to the sting, first aid may not help much. In such a scenario, consult a doctor. Medication depends upon the severity of the allergic reaction. Mild to moderate allergic reactions such as rashes and mild breathing problems are treated with antihistamines, steroids, and/or epinephrine injections, and a tetanus booster immunization (if needed). Severe reactions can cause anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock resulting in low blood pressure, respiratory function could get compromised due to bronchospasm, or a circulatory collapse leading to breathing problems. Severe allergic reaction mostly occurs, when the sting enters the blood stream. Treatment in such cases includes injection of antihistamines, steroids, and epinephrine, placement of a breathing tube into the trachea to aid one in breathing, intravenous fluids, and hospitalization and close monitoring. Read more on first aid for wasp sting.

Wasp sting treatment should be taken immediately after a sting, else in some unfortunate incident, it could become life threatening. Wasp sting home remedies mentioned above will help one get relief from pain, however, it would be best to consult a doctor to treat wasp sting.