Stings from wasps are not uncommon; everyone experiences it at some point- especially if you live in a state known for its many ants. Wasps stings are venomous; they cause discomfort and are painful.
Wasps are often mistaken for bees, but wasps have thinner bodies when compared with bees. Something they have in common is their ability to inflict pain on their unsuspecting victims.
While most wasp stings cases stem from staying outdoors for a while, you may experience wasp stings if you have a case of pest infestations in your home. In situations like this, you must employ pest control services to help rid your home of these invasive species.
Here are some symptoms that will help determine if you’ve been stung by a wasp. Then we’ll discuss Best Remedies To Treat Wasp Stings.
Symptoms Of Wasps Sting
A wasp stinger contains venom, which is a poisonous substance. This venom gets transmitted to a human upon sting and may spark a series of allergic reactions in some individuals. The poison leads to the following symptoms.
- Â Swelling: When stung on the nose, ears, lips, mouth, or around the eyes, there will be a noticeable swelling in that part.
- Pain: Because of the sting, there’s bound to be pain associated with the swelling.
- Hives and itching: Along with the swelling and pain come itching and hives. It can happen on parts of the body that isn’t affected by the sting.
- Difficulty in breathing: For people that have an allergic reaction to the venom, they may experience some breathing difficulty
- Dizziness or collapse due to shock: This is caused by an allergic reaction and not the venom itself
- Abdominal cramps
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Rapid heart rates and pulse
- Drop in blood pressure
These are all possible symptoms that can occur when you get a wasps sting. A victim may experience one or more (not necessarily all) of these symptoms above. Here are some steps to take as a first aid treatment for a wasp sting.
Treating Wasp Stings
The first step is to determine whether your symptoms are severe or mild. In case of severe symptoms, like an allergic reaction that can cause collapse or difficulty breathing, it would be wise to contact emergency services. For mild cases, you can;
- First, check whether the stinger is stuck in the skin. Carefully remove the stinger if it is stuck in your skin. You can remove it with a straight, blunt object like the back of a knife or a credit card. Then carefully scrape the object over the stinger, and use a pair of tweezers. And avoid squeezing the venom sac at the base of the stinger as much as possible.
- The next thing to do is to clean the sting site thoroughly with soap and water. Then pat dry with a clean towel.
- Look for an ice pack. You can substitute with ice cubes wrapped in a clean cloth. Place the ice on the affected area at 10 minutes intervals. The purpose of this is to reduce swelling.
- OTC anti-inflammatory: If the ice isn’t doing the trick of reducing swelling. Use Anti-inflammatory drugs to help with the swelling and pain that comes with it.
- Applying antihistamines: Wasp stings cause itchiness. Depending on how far the venom has spread, the victim will need to apply an antihistamine or a corticosteroid cream to the entire area to relieve the itchy feeling.
In some cases, however, victims of wasp stings may experience anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can be described as an over-responsiveness of our immune system. So instead of a common rash or itching, you get a blood pressure drop, collapse, and breathing difficulty. In such severe cases, call emergency numbers immediately.
Wasps stings are common outside, but when you start getting unwanted attention from wasps and other flying insects in your home or your compound, it is time to seek out pest control services to help eradicate them.