Hornet bite: what to do at home to alleviate the condition of the victim

hornet bite what to do at home
Hornet bite what to do at home

Hello! I remember that before we often went with several families to the forest. Children frolic in nature, and parents grilled kebabs and had fun picnics.

But one such picnic ended ahead of time. One little girl, for no reason, was covered with a rash and began to complain about feeling unwell. It’s good that then we had a first aid instructor.

He determined that the baby was bitten by a hornet, and this caused her to have an allergic reaction. I believe that you should definitely read what to do at home with a hornet bite.

Hornet bite symptoms what to do

Hornet is one of the most poisonous and dangerous insects. Just one hornet bite causes severe pain, swelling and burning. The insect belongs to the species of the wasp family, has an intense yellow body with black stripes. Adult hornets can grow up to 5 cm in length.

Important!
The hornet’s stomach is equipped with a long poisonous sting. Hornets are predators by nature, prey on moths, bees and other insects. Beekeepers fight them because they are the curse of apiaries. Even one hornet can destroy all the bees in the hive. Their mouths are equipped with powerful jaws that literally tear the victim to pieces and devour it.

They build nests in abandoned buildings, on trees, rural houses, you can often find it in the forest. The nest with a hornet swarm looks like a big oval ball in colored paper. Insects are aggressive and very dangerous. Protecting nests, they can attack a person in the blink of an eye.

Just a few hornet bites in sensitive people can cause serious health problems. Allergic to the toxin should be especially careful with these dangerous insects.

How is going

There are many myths around a hornet bite. The first myth is the answer to the question: How many bites of hornets cause the death of a person? And the answer: not one or two. Of course, this does not apply to people who are allergic to their poison.

The second myth is that the hornet's bite is terribly painful. This is also not so. The bite is painless. But when the poison spreads under the skin, it causes severe pain.

It is worth noting that a hornet sting is much more dangerous than a wasp sting. And it is more painful due to a longer, more deeply penetrating sting and a higher concentration of acetylcholine in the poison. The hornet's bite is very painful and unpleasant. In place of an insect bite (arms, head and legs), severe burning pain and severe swelling appear almost immediately.

Hornets bites are mainly a seasonal phenomenon - from early spring to late autumn. The venom of these insects contains various ingredients that have mainly neurotoxic and histamine-releasing effects.Poisoning combines toxic and allergic components of the reaction to the body.

The composition of the poison

The most important hornet venom parameter is LD50. It determines the amount of poison per kilogram of body weight, causing the death of 50% of the population. In the case of a hornet, the LD50 is 50 mg / kg (10 to 90 mg / kg). Thus, in order to kill a victim weighing 60 kg, an average of 60 * 50 = 3000 mg of poison is necessary.

One hornet contains about 0.26 mg of poison in the abdomen and, in order to cause death, a person must be bitten by several hundred hornets. But with a hornet bite, reactions can occur that can indirectly lead to death. These neurological reactions, such as convulsions, peripheral neuritis, depression.

Advice!
There are species of hornets that are more toxic. Their LD50 value can even be 30 times higher than described above. But these species are not found in Russia.

Hornet venom consists of the following compounds:

  • histamine - usually found in the human body, acts as a mediator of inflammatory processes and neurotransmitters. The bite increases the amount of histamine and leads to the rapid expansion of blood vessels, and also lowers blood pressure.
  • serotonin is a neurotransmitter known as the hormone of happiness. The presence of serotonin and its increased concentration in this area causes pain. Serotonin causes the release of acetylcholine and enhances the action of histamine.
  • acetylcholine - a neurotransmitter that causes vasodilation and lowers blood pressure.
  • kinins - cause pain.
  • phospholipase A and phospholipase B are enzymes that destroy cell walls, which allows the penetration of poisons into the blood. Their action also includes local release of histamine from cells, causing itching, burning and swelling.

Symptoms

Local symptoms:

  • burning pain,
  • itching
  • edema,
  • redness,
  • sometimes bullous changes (blisters),
  • the possibility of local infection,
  • regional lymphadenitis and lymphangitis.

General toxic signs: nausea, vomiting, weakness, dizziness. After a bite into a blood vessel or neck or head, loss of consciousness and cramps.

Allergic symptoms:

  1. rash and itching on the skin of the body,
  2. swelling of the eyelids and soft tissues,
  3. conjunctival hemorrhage,
  4. nausea,
  5. bronchospasm
  6. laryngeal edema,
  7. chest tightness
  8. lack of air,
  9. shock.

First aid for allergies

People who are allergic to hornet venom have a sudden, severe reaction called anaphylactic shock.

Among the many symptoms of anaphylactic shock, the most common are: increasing shortness of breath, weakness, swelling of the neck and face, rash.

With such symptoms, you need to quickly take appropriate measures:

  • using cold water or ice to cool the bite
  • immobilize the bite (to reduce the speed of spread of the poison)
  • lie down (to avoid collapse in case of loss of consciousness)
  • in case of weakness and lightheadedness, raise your legs up

In case of loss of consciousness, an ambulance should be called. Health workers use hydrocortisone and bicarbonate or, in severe cases, epinephrine and antihistamines.

Emergency medical care

With bites of bees, wasps and hornets:

  1. Remove the sting (if any) and treat the wound with an alcohol solution. Lubricate with antihistamine ointment.
  2. Antiallergic treatment with corticosteroids, antihistamines, adrenaline and resuscitation, oxygen therapy, calcium preparations. Laryngeal edema is treated with high doses of glucocorticoids, adrenaline, intubation and ventilation, tracheostomy in emergency cases.
  3. With a bite into the tongue or oral mucosa with a swollen tongue and shortness of breath - high doses of glucocorticoids, adrenaline, intubation, tracheotomy.
  4. Detoxification treatment with a moderate amount of infusion solutions, B vitamins, enzyme preparations.

The right actions during the first few minutes can prevent a lot of inconvenience and even save the life of a person who is allergic to bee, wasp and hornet bites! The most important thing is to act quickly and decisively.

In the beginning it is necessary to determine whether the person who was stung by a hornet has an allergy to poison. If so, you need to stay calm and eliminate the risk of repeated bites. Most often, people who are allergic to hornets bites carry a medicine with them to treat acute anaphylactic shock.

Attention!
If a hornet is bitten in the mouth, neck or face, you need to respond quickly and call an ambulance, since edema can block the airways. This can lead to loss of consciousness or even suffocation. If the hornet is stung in the tongue, throat or mouth while waiting for an ambulance, you need to give it a cold drink, suck on ice cubes and a solution of a teaspoon of salt.

After a hornet bite, severe pain and burning are felt. It is necessary to examine the place of the bite and check if there are any remnants of the sting. When a hornet stings, the sting should not be in the wound, but if you still see it, carefully remove it with tweezers or a needle.

Then you need to wipe the energetically affected area with one of the following means:

  • chopped into two halves with a clove of garlic,
  • half an onion
  • parsley, marigold, mallow or plantain also helps,
  • excellent effect gives a piece of apple attached to the site of the bite,
  • if there is nothing, you can pour a little vinegar (preferably apple) into the bite site.

How to remove swelling and swelling after a bite

We offer two folk recipes for compresses that help relieve swelling and swelling at the site of the bite.

  • ½ teaspoon of citric acid
  • 1 cup of water 150-200 ml
  • ½ cup vinegar (can apple)

or

  1. ½ teaspoon ammonia
  2. ½ teaspoon of citric acid
  3. 1 cup vinegar or brandy 150-200 milliliters

Soak one of the two mixtures with cotton cloth and place on the tumor. Change the compress 5-6 times a day to reduce swelling and swelling and wound healing.

It happens that a hornet has bitten while you were eating fruits (often an insect is inside grapes, peach, etc.) - this is a very dangerous bite, because swelling of the tongue and oral mucosa and respiratory failure immediately occur.

What to do? Immediately eat 1-2 cloves of garlic and take 1 tablespoon of wine vinegar. And then run to the nearest hospital, especially if you are prone to developing severe allergic conditions.

Prevention - How to Avoid

Hornets are not as curious as wasps and people are not interested in them. They only attack if provoked. But if this happened, and the hornet still flew in, you should remain calm, move away from it. Or just do not move and calmly wait until he flies away.

It is good to refrain from sudden movements and under no circumstances try to drive with your hands. Since he can consider such behavior as an attempt on his life. The natural reaction of a hornet is to protect with a bite.

Important!
When the hornet enters the house, it is best to open the window and let it fly out. Or try using something oblong with a wide surface (like a newspaper). A glass cover may fit under which to lay a piece of cardboard and, thus, drive it out.

It should also be remembered that hornets are much more nervous and aggressive on hot days. Pungent odors (such as perfumes) and alcohol can also be irritants. Keep this in mind when you are in front of the house or in the garden. Bright contrast or dark clothing also attracts hornets.

Hornet bit: consequences and first aid

A hornet bite is considered one of the most dangerous - these insects are able to inject into the human skin such an amount of poison that has a serious pathological effect on the body.

It is noteworthy that a person may not immediately pay attention to the fact that he was bitten by a hornet - the initial pain is similar to that caused by the bite of a wasp / bee. But the distinguishing characteristic in this condition is the high toxicity of hornet poison.

Everyone should be able to provide first aid for a hornet bite, it is especially important not to be late with it in the case of a person who has a history of an allergic reaction - most likely he will rapidly develop anaphylactic shock, which in most cases leads to death.

Symptoms

These insects can inflict repeated attacks on their “victim”, hornets can even inject their poison through a mosquito net! And the symptoms of a hornet bite are as follows:

  • acute, severe pain occurs at the site of the lesion;
  • swelling instantly appears at the site of the bite (while it spreads), and the skin turns red;
  • the victim may experience nausea and vomiting;
  • upper and lower limbs get colder;
  • a pronounced bluish tinge of the ears, lips and neck appears;
  • heart palpitations and pulse are noted;
  • low blood pressure - manifested by excessive pallor of the face, sudden weakness, desire to lie down to sleep;
  • if a hornet has bitten a child or a person with a weakened immune system, then the victim may lose consciousness;
  • there is a difficulty in speech - a person cannot speak some words, begins to stretch them;
  • clearly localized reddish spots with a flaky surface suddenly appear on the skin.

Similar symptoms are present in 96% of all cases of a hornet bite and only a few of the victims are “lucky” - no pronounced symptoms are noted, they do not need any specific treatment.

After an insect has attacked a person, the victim may develop:

  • severe headache - many people are simply not able to endure it;
  • dizziness - this symptom is always accompanied by a headache, and together can lead to a short-term loss of consciousness;
  • sweat (increased sweating) begins to be actively released in a person;
  • body temperature rises sharply, and immediately to critical indicators;
  • disturbances in the work of the respiratory system develop - shortness of breath appears and the respiratory rate increases;
  • rarely, but cramps can be recorded.

The consequences of a hornet bite can vary - some people get only severe swelling and difficulty breathing, someone complains of an incredibly intense headache and vomiting.

Advice!
It all depends on how many times the hornet attacked a person, how much poison got under the skin, whether the victim had any somatic disease that occurs in a chronic form, in what condition the human immune system and many other factors are.

The indicated symptoms and consequences of a hornet bite in childhood are most intensively manifested - they are not only pronounced, but are rapidly progressing.

What to do first

First of all, you must try to remove the poison from the wound at the site of the bite. But remember that you need to do this as quickly as possible - the wound is rapidly dragging on.

So, for 1 minute (no more!), We suck out the poison from the hornet's bite, then apply a cold compress to the wound - it can be a hot-water bottle with ice, a bottle with a drink from the refrigerator, a piece of meat from the freezer.

A hornet with a bite never leaves a sting in the wound! Therefore, do not waste time searching for it - in the case of a bite with a hornet and with respect to first aid, every minute is precious.

In no case should you bite, scratch, crush the place of the bite - this helps to spread the poison into the deeper layers of tissues. If we summarize the whole range of first aid measures for hornet bites, we can form a clear list:

  1. the contents are sucked from the wound (you must try to do this to the maximum);
  2. for a few minutes a cold compress (ice) is applied to the bite site;
  3. then the damage site must be treated with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or a solution of potassium permanganate - this is done for disinfection;
  4. moist sugar should be applied to the affected area and cover with a damp towel (cold) on top.

You need to apply sugar in order to delay a part of the poison, which is located directly under the skin. Moreover, sugar has such an effect for a maximum of 10 minutes - after this time the sugar can be changed to a tampon / gauze cloth soaked in citric or acetic acid.

Attention!
The important moment is to attach the acid exactly to the bite site - the hornet venom has an alkaline environment, which is neutralized just by the acid. If the indicated funds were “not at hand”, then an apple slice, a circle of lemon, a clove of garlic, a plantain leaf may come in handy.

The provision of first aid for a hornet bite involves the use of any antihistamine drug by the victims - for example, Suprastin or Diphenhydramine, or some other. These funds contribute to the suppression of an allergic reaction, prevent its intensive development.

Effects

If after a hornet bite there is only swelling, redness and itching, no other symptoms develop, then symptomatic treatment at home can be dispensed with - in principle, qualified medical care can be dispensed with.

You can use any specific ointment from insect bites - it will alleviate the condition of the victim and quickly restore his health. But there are a number of symptoms that should serve as a reason for immediately seeking qualified medical help. These include:

  • a sharp increase in temperature, a feeling of heat throughout the body;
  • labored breathing;
  • rapid pulse;
  • extensive swelling (not only at the site of the bite);
  • headache;
  • preservation of swelling specifically at the site of a hornet bite for 4 days or more.

If it is impossible to urgently hospitalize the victim in a medical facility (for example, he is in a summer cottage or outdoors on a camping trip), it is necessary to give him glucocorticosteroid or antihistamine drugs - they will have both anti-inflammatory and antihistamine effects.

These drugs include:

  • Hydrocortisone;
  • Loratadine;
  • Prednisone;
  • Dexamethasone.

These drugs prevent the development of a dangerous allergic reaction, but they can only be used as first / urgent medical care for a hornet bite, since they are highly likely to develop side effects.

Help without signs of an increase in an allergic reaction

If the victim is among the "lucky" and the hornet's bite does not cause progressive allergic reactions, then he will need to provide the following assistance:

  1. the bite site should be lubricated with Fenistil gel, Soventol, Moskitol (gel balm);
  2. with an increase in body temperature above 38 degrees - take any antipyretic drug;
  3. correction of the diet - with nausea, it is better to temporarily abandon the intake of solid foods, but consume a large amount of liquid (compotes, fruit drinks and more).

What is strictly forbidden to do

Not only do you need to know about the rules of first aid for a hornet bite, you need to know exactly what it is strictly forbidden to do at this time.

So, with a hornet bite you can’t:

  • Drink alcohol. Most often, hornets bites occur during outdoor recreation or in the country - a place where people relax and have fun with alcohol. So, alcohol contributes to increased swelling and the spread of poison under the skin.
  • Take diprazine as an antihistamine drug - this drug can cause the body's own immune response.
  • Ignore the first symptoms of a hornet bite. It is such victims who actively refuse to help (“think, it's like a bee or wasp sting!”), Then resuscitators literally pull them out of the world. But often it’s impossible to stretch the victim out - a fatal outcome is guaranteed.

Bite Prevention

Hornets live not only outside settlements - these insects can live quietly in the settlements, so their nests are often found in wooden buildings.

In no case, when a hornet's nest is discovered, they must not be poisoned with deodorants, dichlorvos or try to knock down insects, disperse them. It is enough to contact specialized services that will help get rid of these dangerous insects.

Another point - if you find a hornet circling around you, you can’t swing your arms or start to move sharply - this can provoke an insect attack.

Hornet bite is a dangerous condition, which in most cases requires the provision of qualified medical care. If you can immediately contact a specialist, then this will be the best option - even if there is no rapid allergic reaction, the person will be safe from the consequences of a hornet bite.

What to do at home with a hornet bite?

If you were bitten by a hornet, then first aid can be provided at home. Moreover, in the absence of serious consequences, there is no urgent need to consult a doctor. Swelling, itching and pain will go away on their own in a few days.

But at the same time, there are a number of signs that indicate the development of an allergic reaction after an insect bite and require immediate medical intervention:

  1. increased heart rate;
  2. heat;
  3. an increase in body temperature above 38 degrees;
  4. labored breathing;
  5. severe nausea;
  6. extensive swelling;
  7. headache;
  8. the tumor at the site of the bite lasts more than three days.

If you notice the onset of the symptoms listed above, then immediately take appropriate measures to avoid negative health effects. After all, a bite can be fatal if you do not start treating it in time.

Necessary steps and actions

A local reaction that is not allergic in nature does not require any special medical interventions. You can minimize its manifestations at home. For this, it is necessary to do simple and not requiring special medical knowledge manipulations.

Important!
Wipe the bite area with a cotton swab previously moistened with hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine. Also, for these purposes, a solution of potassium permanganate or ammonia diluted with water in a ratio of one to five is perfect. After you have treated the wound, rinse it with clean water.

In order to slow down the process of poison absorption, it is necessary to put ice or a cloth moistened in cold water in place of the resulting edema. To minimize pain and relieve itching, rub an aspirin tablet into the powder bite.

You can also make a lotion from saline. To do this, mix a tablespoon of salt with a glass of water, mix thoroughly, soak a cloth in the resulting liquid and attach to the affected area.

Herbal ingredients will help relieve pain and relieve swelling:

  • juice and onion slice;
  • chopped cucumber;
  • plantain leaves;
  • rhubarb leaf;
  • chopped root and parsley.

Ensure that the victim has constant access to drink. After a bite, do not make rare movements, go for a walk and move a lot. It is necessary to keep calm.

How to respond?

If there are no signs of an allergic reaction, and the victim has only pain and swelling, then to minimize the manifestations of the poison, you can use special ointments and medicinal balms.

Perfect for these purposes:

  • Soventol;
  • Fenistil gel;
  • Moskitol;
  • Picnic family;
  • Gardex Family.

Many people, trying to help the victim, try to give him as much medicine as possible so that he will recover faster. This also applies to antipyretic drugs.

However, the only thing that is not worth doing is to bring down the temperature if it has not reached 38 degrees. With a similar symptom, the body can cope on its own.

If a person is nauseous after a bite, then it is worth temporarily restricting the use of food, but you can drink liquid in any quantity. Warm tea is an excellent option that will restore water balance and help calm the manifestations of nausea.

What actions should be avoided?

  • Do not scratch or touch the bite site. Such actions can provoke the spread of poison throughout the body, as well as infection.
  • Limit your drinking. Otherwise, the vessels will expand, and the poison will spread faster.
  • In no case do not try to cool the wound with earth, clay or water from ponds. By such actions, you several times increase the risk of infection, the development of an allergic reaction and the development of tetanus.
  • Do not use sleeping pills. They several times increase the effect of poison on the body.

At home, you can provide first aid for a bite, but if you notice a severe allergic reaction, or the bite fell on the face and neck, then immediately contact the hospital.

Hornet attacked - what to do?

Hornets belong to the genus of social wasps, but ordinary wasps, in comparison with hornets, turn into harmless insects. The hornet's bite is very painful and can lead to serious consequences for human health, given the mortal danger to life.

Advice!
Hornets reach quite large sizes compared to the wasp - up to 55 mm in length. They are not inclined to attack first, but they will defend themselves upon invasion.

The hornet is a very dangerous large hymenoptera, an insect family of wasps. Hornet sting poses a threat to human health and can even be fatal

What is a bite dangerous?

Why is a hornet sting dangerous when compared to a bee sting? The hornet injects 2 times more toxin into the body. In addition, if a bee can sting only once, then the hornet is able to repeat this action many times. After a bite, the sting does not remain in the skin, the insect does not die.

The hornet takes it out and can deal another blow. At the moment of danger, he will give off a special smell that other hornets react to, so the risk of serious damage is greatly increased.

Biting, a hornet can inflict several attacks in a row, while the sting will not remain in the wound. Single bites activate inflammation in the tissues, and multiple bites activate severe allergic reactions.

You can figure out if a bite is dangerous by examining the composition of the poison that the insect releases at the time of the bite:

  • Acetylcholine. This substance, being a neurotransmitter, provokes an increase in the reactions of nerve endings and the development of reflexes. It is because of him that a hornet bite is very painful for a person.
  • Mastoparan and crabrolin. Components of the protein, under the influence of which the destruction of the body's own mast cells occurs, which is accompanied by increased histamine production.
  • Histamine. Throwing in histamine provokes the immediate development of an allergic reaction, the degree of which will depend on the individual characteristics of the human body.
  • Amines. Substances that accelerate the heartbeat and the work of the respiratory system.
  • Phospholipase and Orientotoxin. Under the influence of these components of the toxin, the cell walls are destroyed, as a result of which their contents are poured into the intercellular space. The result of such damage is the inflammatory process, hemorrhage, which can be supplemented by the formation of pus.

Clinical picture

A hornet bite is accompanied by the occurrence of certain symptoms. In this case, the bite causes not only local symptoms, but also a change in the condition of the person in general.

Common Hornet Bite Symptoms:

  • heart palpitations;
  • temperature increase;
  • low pressure;
  • headaches and dizziness;
  • hyperhidrosis;
  • discoloration of the skin, namely, blueness of the ears and lips;
  • a jump in blood sugar;
  • general signs of intoxication.

The poison also affects the functioning of the nervous system. The first sign is arousal, and then inhibited reactions occur.

Attention!
The poison of ordinary hornet is not more harmful than bee, but when it enters the skin in large quantities, it causes pathological processes. The substance that secrete poisonous Asian species provokes serious consequences.

The bite site is very swollen. Severe allergic reactions can result in Quincke's edema or anaphylactic shock. An allergic reaction with a bite is a specific response of the body, in which it needs additional support in the form of desensitizing therapy.

Of particular danger are insect bites for children. In childhood, allergic reactions manifest themselves more strongly, and all processes proceed more rapidly. Therefore, if a hornet has bitten a child, it is necessary to immediately take him to the hospital.

Local symptoms include the following:

  1. sharp pain, which gradually increases in intensity;
  2. hyperemia of the skin at the site of the bite;
  3. the occurrence of swelling;
  4. severe inflammatory process;
  5. with a bite in the face, an increase in the size of the lymph nodes occurs;
  6. swelling
  7. the appearance of a papular formation of white in the place of contact of the sting with the skin.
Hornet bite
Hornet bite

In the photo you can see what the hornet's bite looks like.

With adequate therapy and first aid, the consequences of a bite usually do not occur. The length of the period during which the developed symptoms disappear depends on many factors, in particular on the body’s ability to withstand the action of the poison and the speed of its elimination.

Severe consequences

A few hours after the bite, people experience nausea, vomiting, hyperhidrosis, signs of intoxication. Especially dangerous are multiple hornet bites. However, a single bite can be fatal. You can die from a hornet bite due to an allergic reaction or in the case when the insect has bitten in the throat or tongue.

Such bites provoke edema that blocks the trachea, as a result of which a person suffocates and death occurs. No less dangerous are situations in which a bite occurred in the head or large vessels. According to them, the toxin spreads very quickly throughout the body, including penetrating the brain.

It is very difficult for bites to be tolerated by people prone to allergic reactions, as they can experience anaphylactic shock. If timely medical attention is not provided, death will occur. Even with timely medical care, mortality from hornet stings is high - about 15-20%.

First aid

At home, you need to inspect the place where the hornet bit. If there are pieces of the sting in the wound, it should be carefully removed with tweezers. The bitten must be freed from tight clothing, unfasten the buttons, remove the tie, remove the rings and jewelry.

The bite should be washed with soapy water. To prevent the development of an allergic reaction, an antihistamine is taken. Cordiamine is recommended to prevent a sharp drop in pressure.

Important!
It is important to provide comfortable conditions for the victim - to lay so that he is comfortable, to cover, to drink tea.

It is forbidden to take alcoholic beverages, as they can provoke an increase in edema. If the first signs of anaphylactic shock occur, it is necessary to lay the person on a hard, level surface, monitor breathing and immediately call an ambulance.

Signs of anaphylactic shock include: severe pallor of the skin, a significant drop in blood pressure, sticky sweat, filiform pulse. After a hornet bite, poison cannot be squeezed out of the wound.

After a hornet bite is prohibited:

  • crush or rub the bite;
  • cauterize, warm the affected area;
  • apply for processing brilliant green or iodine

Attempting to squeeze out the poison will cause the toxin to spread to nearby tissues. In the first few minutes after the bite, you can try to suck it after the example of a snake. Combing, rinsing with water from a local reservoir can lead to infection in the wound from a hornet bite, which will lead to the development of complications.

Medicines

After a hornet bite, it is necessary and as soon as possible to take an antihistamine. New generation antiallergic drugs that work for a long time and do not cause drowsiness include:

  • Suprastinex;
  • Fexofenadine;
  • Tsetrin;
  • Erius.

First aid for a hornet bite is to treat the bite site with hydrogen peroxide or diluted ammonia. In cases where there are no medicines at hand - clean water is taken for washing.

The most formidable complication of a sting of these stinging insects is a severe allergy to poison. Erius copes with allergic reactions with first aid
After wiping, wet sugar is applied to the wound - this is another method that allows you to stretch the poison. A wet, cold towel is placed on top of the sugar.

Such an application will work for 10 minutes - after this time, sugar must be removed, and instead a compress with citric acid or acetic acid should be applied. An acidic environment will be the antidote to the hornet alkaline venom. In extreme cases, a piece of lemon, an apple, can be attached to the wound.

To slow the spread of toxin throughout the body, a heating pad with ice water is pinned to the site of the lesion. Such manipulation will also allow to slightly reduce puffiness. In addition to drugs for internal administration, treatment includes ointments for topical application:

  • Fenistil-gel;
  • Lifeguard balm;
  • Fluorocort;
  • Psilo-balm.

For oral administration, sorbents are also shown that will reduce the level of toxin in the blood, and, consequently, the manifestations of intoxication. To do this, you can use Polysorb, Enterosgel, Smectu, activated carbon.

Folk remedies

The following remedies will help relieve inflammation and hyperemia a little:

  1. juice and pulp from the leaves of the agave;
  2. plantain leaves and juice;
  3. chopped parsley.

Of course, these drugs cannot be compared in their effectiveness with pharmaceutical preparations, however, if there are no medicines at hand, it is necessary to take all possible measures and urgently consult a doctor.

Advice!
The leaf of a plantain needs to be thoroughly kneaded so that it gives juice and fixes in place of a wasp sting. Change several times a day. Plantain will help relieve inflammation and swelling.

An application with aspirin will help reduce soreness. The tablet should be crushed, diluted with water and applied to the site of the bite. You can also use salt lotions by soaking a cotton wool in a solution of sea salt. Be sure to drink plenty.

Prevention

First of all, you should think about the safety of children. Before going to nature, you need to tell them about the dangerous insect, show in the photo how the hornet looks.

It is important to observe the rules of behavior when meeting with an insect.

  • In no case should you touch or even approach the nest. You should not try to kill a hornet, as they sensitively react to danger and, highlighting a specific flavor, can “call for help” their relatives.
  • If an insect flies nearby it is impossible to make sudden movements, try to fight back from it. In the absence of danger, the hornet is not the first to attack.
  • Carefully pick up fallen fruits. Very often, hornets are found inside.
  • If the insect is still bitten, first aid should be given immediately.Adults should remember that an antihistamine should always be under your arms.

You should know that hornets are much more nervous and aggressive on hot days. Pungent odors (such as perfumes) and alcohol can also be irritants. Bright contrast or dark clothing also attracts hornets. If you go outdoors, clothes should choose closed, muted tones.

If you have found a nest in your area and want to remove it, then the first thing to do is take protective measures. It is necessary to dress so that the whole body is closed.

In the case of a bite, one should not wait until the response of the body passes. In many respects, the consequences depend on the location, but in any case it is better to see a doctor. Bites of bees, wasps, hornets can be very dangerous.

What to do if a hornet has bitten

Hornets are the genus of the largest representatives of public wasps. The length of the largest hornets can reach 55 mm. The world fauna numbers 23 species of these insects, which are distributed mainly in the countries of Southeast Asia. In our area, the most famous is the common hornet.

It lives in the European part of Russia, throughout Ukraine, in the countries of Europe and Northeast Asia. The length of the body of the uterus reaches 38 mm, and the weight is 200 mg.

Attention!
Like other representatives of the hornet family, large nests are built, in which there can be up to 10 tiers of honeycombs. The nests are brown in color, as the hornets are taken from rotten stumps and birch twigs. Hornets prefer to settle in forests and forest glades, while choosing well-lit dry edges.

However, the area of ​​forests as a result of human activity is reduced, and hornets are gradually changing their habits. Increasingly, their nests can be found not only in hollows of trees, burrows, but also near human dwellings, in wooden buildings, in attics. In rainforests, hornets hang their nests from tree branches. The length of the nests can reach 1 meter.

If the bees are collectors of nectar, then the hornets are insect hunters. Their sting is imprisoned for hunting insects, while the bee sting is an ideal tool for use against vertebrates. Therefore, the bee leaves its sting when bitten and dies, and the entire contents of the poisonous bubble penetrates the wound.

Hornets use the sting to destroy prey, which is very resistant. They cannot afford to use poison so wastefully, as it is often required by them during the hunt.

How to protect yourself

Hornets, contrary to popular belief, are quite peaceful insects. They do not attack a person for no reason and in most cases prefer to evade conflict. However, remember that there are always 2-3 guard hornets near the nest.

When danger arises, they make a special sound warning all other members of the family. The warned hornets immediately flock and together attack the enemy. The larger the family, the more aggressive it is.

Avoiding hornet bites is easy enough. First, when setting off into the forest and other unfamiliar places, be extremely careful. Secondly, do not disturb the hornet's nest, do not shake it, as the answer will follow immediately.

Thirdly, if you find a hornet's nest, try to leave this place as soon as possible. Hornets chase the enemy at shorter distances than bees. Fourth, do not block the hornet's flight path. Fifth, do not make sudden movements, do not wave your hands, trying to drive away the hornet.

Sixth, never kill a hornet near a nest, because the distress signals emitted by it can lead to an aggressive state for his entire family.

Important!
Seventh, remain vigilant in orchards before biting, for example, a ripe pear or an apple, make sure that no hornet has got into their pulp.These hymenoptera love to feast on overripe fruits, gnaw holes in them and gradually completely dig into the flesh.

Eighth, remember that a variety of materials that, due to their chemical properties, freely come into contact with anxiety pheromone, can push a hornet to attack. It can be clothes, skin, certain food fragrances, for example, banana and apple, which contain C5 alcohols and C10 esters.

What are the consequences of a bite?

The hornet pinched is rather painful, since 0.5 to 2 mg of poison is injected into the wound at a time. However, the poison of common hornets and most other species is less toxic than bee venom. In accordance with a special scale of pain in Schmidt stings, the pain from a hornet sting is moderately strong and is approximately equal to the pain from a sting by a honey bee.

The sting itself also does not remain in the body of the victim, although the hornet can prick several times in a row. Poison of Asian species, which also have larger sizes, is more toxic.

The consequences of a hornet bite depend on the number and place of bites, on the individual reaction of the victim's body.

When a local reaction is observed: acute, burning pain, a pale papule at the site of the bite, a belt of hyperemia, edema, inflammation. The most severe swelling is formed by a bite in the face. Such cases are often accompanied by inflammatory enlargement of the lymph nodes.

With a bite, a general reaction may develop, the symptoms of which:

  • headache,
  • dizziness,
  • chills,
  • fever
  • dyspnea,
  • palpitations
  • nausea, vomiting,
  • low pressure,
  • cramps
  • labored breathing.

Hornet venom has an effect on the central nervous system, in which its arousal is first observed, and then inhibition. The most dangerous complication of a hornet bite is hemolysis or, in other words, the destruction of red blood cells.

In the absence of timely medical care, allergic reactions in some cases can be fatal. A danger to human life is also a simultaneous sting of a large number of individuals.

What should not be done

In no case should you kill a sting hornet. As already mentioned, a dead or injured insect gives off a pheromone of anxiety, which pushes all other members of the family to attack.

Advice!
You should not rub and scratch a bitten place, as this is fraught with the spread of poison in neighboring tissues and infection in the wound. When biting a hornet, it is not recommended to drink alcohol, which dilates blood vessels and thereby accelerates the spread of poison.

It is also impossible to cool the affected area with earth, clay, water from natural and artificial reservoirs, as this increases the risk of tetanus infection. When a hornet is bitten, it is forbidden to take sleeping pills, since they help to increase the effects of the poison.

What can be done

Local, that is, non-allergic reaction, as a rule, does not require special medical treatment. But still, at home, it is possible and even necessary to minimize its manifestations, especially if the bite fell on a sensitive area of ​​the body. In this case, you can:

  1. Wipe the wound with a swab moistened with hydrogen peroxide, a solution of potassium permanganate, a solution of ammonia in water in a ratio of 1: 5, or rinse it with ordinary clean water.
  2. To slow the absorption of the poison, place an ice pack or a heating pad filled with cold water in place of the edema.
  3. To alleviate painful sensations and relieve itching, rub aspirin, powdered into powder, place a lotion in a salt solution or apply herbal ingredients:
    • juice of dandelions, onions
    • slice of cucumber, onion,
    • leaves of plantain, rhubarb,
    • leaves and chopped parsley root.
  4. Provide the victim with a plentiful drink.
  5. Keep calm.
  6. When stinging in the mouth or throat, immediately seek medical help, as in this case breathing problems may occur.

You can try to wait a mild allergic reaction at home. However, if you experience nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, a feeling of suffocation, a heartbeat, etc., you should call an ambulance as soon as possible.

If the bite of Hymenoptera has already caused an allergic reaction in you, the doctor may write you a prescription for a special autoinjector with adrenaline. Adrenaline stimulates the heart, provides vasoconstriction and widens the airways. Autoinjector allows you to enter it intramuscularly at home.

Interesting Facts

An allergic reaction to hymenoptera bites, including hornets, takes the lives of twice as many people as poisoning by snake venom. Each year, more than 70 deaths from wasp and hornet bites are recorded in Japan.

Even in biblical times, hornets were used as biological weapons.

Clay jugs with hornets inside were thrown from catapults into the enemy ranks. An angry swarm of hornets flew out of the broken jug, stinging everything that was possible. Enemy warriors were forced to flee.

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