Health

Doctors Offer Tips For Treating Insect Stings

PITTSBURGH (CBS) ― Bee stings and insect bites can be life-threatening for some. Doctors recommend prevention and quick action to ensure a safe and healthy summer.

Experts say many insect bites and stings can be prevented by simply avoiding areas where insects may be nesting or feeding, according to a report by KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh.

If you do get stung, experts say most of the time it is all right to treat yourself with home remedies. However, doctors say some people should seek medical help after getting stung.

Bill Mondjack keeps honey bees, which are one of the most common stinging insects there is.

"When I first started back in 1980, I used to get stung on my ankles or on my hands and my hands would swell up, like the skin would be all stretched out and swollen up, my ankles would swell up," said Mondjack.

It may not sound like it, but he's lucky. Some people are allergic to the bee venom and have more serious reactions, like trouble breathing.

"Within five, 10 minutes you may start to notice that you're starting to get real tight," said family physician Rob Danoff, M.D. "Maybe you're coughing a little bit. You're starting to notice a little bit of wheezing."

Experts say that can be life-threatening and needs quick medical attention, but it's not the only emergency situation.

"If you are bitten or stung in your mouth, on your lip, inside your mouth or on your eye, you definitely want to go to the emergency room because those reactions can progress quickly," said Danoff.

Fortunately, for most of us, stings from bees, wasps, hornets and yellow jackets don't cause serious problems.

"A honey bee stinger, if it's left behind, the first thing you want to do is scrape the stinger out with your fingernail and get rid of it so it stops pumping venom into the site," said Danoff.

Then, experts say wash the area and apply a cold compress for pain.

Danoff also had some advice if you get stung on a hand or foot.

"First thing to do is remove any rings right away cause your hand is going to swell and we can't get those rings off and it can cause some circulation problems," he said.

It's also important to see a doctor if you develop an infection or you're not up-to-date on your tetanus shots. Doctors say insects can transfer bacteria from the soil to your skin.

"What they can do is they can get this bacteria on their stinger and if they sting you, they inject it into you," Danoff said.

Doctors say prevention is the key, so avoid wearing colorful clothes and perfumes that attract bees, and try to stay away from areas where insects hang out.

"Hornets tend to have nests in trees and bushes, yellowjackets in the soil, so be aware," said Danoff. "So if you're walking around barefoot in the grass or around shrubs, maybe you ought to put some shoes on."

Experts also say that insects watch out for each other, so swatting them is not a good idea. Experts say they send off chemicals that attract their friends to come to help them.

Also, once a honey bee stings you, it dies. However, wasps and hornets can sting multiple times.

If you're allergic, doctors say an Epi-pen or Twinject, with a self-injectable medicine, can improve breathing and reverse hives and swelling.

Also, you can wear a medical bracelet to alert others of your allergy.

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