An insect sting often results to minor redness, swelling, itching and pain. Most cases of bites and stings heal without requiring medical care. There are several measures that can help alleviate the pain and itchiness as well as reduce the risk for infection.
What should I do after an insect sting?
After an insect sting, you should move the individual away from the insect. When it comes to bees, they will alert other bees so that they are more likely to sting. Try to stay quiet and calm as possible. Remember that movement will only spread the venom in the bloodstream.
It is vital to get rid of the stinger as soon as possible after an insect sting. Delaying for a second or two can increase the amount of venom injected into the body. Remember that in less than 20 seconds after a sting, most of the venom is injected into the body.
How to remove a stinger
- You can brush the stinger out using your finger
- Scrape the stinger using a credit card or stiff piece of paper.
If the individual was stung on the leg or arm, you should lower the limb at the time of the sting to slow down the spread of the venom. After a few hours, elevate the limb to reduce the swelling if it is evident.
Dealing with the pain, itchiness and swelling
You should apply an ice pack on the insect sting or bite site for 15-20 minutes once in an hour during the initial 6 hours. Make sure that a cloth or towel is in between the pack and the skin and press firmly against all the curves of the affected area.
After the initial 6 hours, apply heat on the site for comfort if the swelling has settled.
Other measures to manage an insect sting include:
- An oral antihistamine can be given to reduce the itchiness, swelling and redness.
- A local anesthetic that contains benzocaine can alleviate the pain.
- Calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream can be applied on the sting site to reduce the itchiness and redness.
Disclaimer / More Information
The information posted on this page on insect stings is for learning and educational purposes only. To learn to properly care for insect stings, register for first aid training at one of our training centers located throughout Canada. The training centers are in Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Saskatoon, Kelowna, Surrey, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax.