Call poison control or a hospital emergency room for guidance if the person has an allergic reaction (severe swelling or difficulty breathing). It may be necessary to go to the hospital if the reaction is severe.

If you are allergic to bee, wasp, or yellow jacket stings, it is important to carry a bee sting kit (which requires a prescription) and become familiar with how to use it if necessary.

To remove the bee stinger:

Carefully scrape a blunt object (such as a butter knife) over the area to remove the stinger, if the person is able to remain still and it is safe to do so. Otherwise, you can pull out the stinger with tweezers or your fingers, but avoid pinching the venom sac at the end of the stinger. If this sac is broken, more venom will be released.

Clean the area thoroughly with soap and water.

Place ice (wrapped in a washcloth or other suitable covering) on the site of the sting for 10 minutes and then off for 10 minutes. Repeat this process. If patient has blood flow problems, place the ice on the skin for a shorter amount of time. (In such persons, ice may cause circulatory damage to the skin.)

Give the person diphenhydramine (Benadryl) by mouth if the patient is able to swallow. This antihistamine drug may be used alone for a mild symptoms.

Determine the following information:

• Patient's age, weight, and condition
• Type of insect
• Time the sting occurred
• Location of the sting

Images

Wasp

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Review Date: 10/04/2009
Reviewed By: Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)