What to do in the event of a hornet sting? First aid in 6 steps

Three hornet stings have the potential to kill an adult. This saying is still known today and stubbornly lingers in people's minds. Although hornets have a powerful sting, the large insects are extremely peaceful animals. If you or your loved ones have been stung by one or more hornets, you should still use first aid to relieve symptoms.

Hornet sting

How dangerous is a hornet sting?

Hornets have a bad reputation. The wasps of the genus Vespa are significantly larger than wasps and bees, with dimensions between 2.5 centimeters for workers and 3.5 centimeters for queens. Due to their size and their resemblance to wasps, they appear dangerous and aggressive to humans. However, hornets are extreme peace-loving animalswho just want to be left alone and sting less often than their relatives. In addition, a hornet sting is in most cases less dangerous than that of a bee or wasp.

toxicity

The poisonous content of hornet poison is lower than that of wasps and bees. That said, the stings are not as dangerous as those of the smaller relatives. However, the poison contains an extremely high amount of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine takes care of the pain caused by the sting. Due to the acetylcholine content, hornet stings hurt much more intensely than those of a wasp, but the pain subsides more quickly.

Amount of poison

Since the sting is very long with a length of 3.4 to 3.7 millimeters, it penetrates deeper into the skin. However, since it does not remain in the skin, only a small amount of poison is injected through the sting. In addition, hornets regulate the amount of poison, as they do not have that much available and have to keep it ready for defense. It is not known from how many stings the Vespa crabro, the only species native to Central Europe, a lethal dose occurs.

The oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis), for example, takes around 300 stings to poison a person with a fatal outcome.
In addition, hornets sting only extremely Rare. Since they are not among the most aggressive insects, certain requirements must be met before a sting occurs. Two scenarios should be mentioned:

• the nest is threatened
• Hornet is squashed and cannot escape

Allergic reaction

The animals are all about the survival of the colony. This means that if you stay away from the nests and do not disturb the animals in their foraging, you will not be stung. Especially people with an allergy to insect venom should observe these safety measures. The allergens in hornet poison can cause a variety of allergic reactions to lead:

• burning pain around the stab site
• Swelling
• Redness
• Shortness of breath

Depending on the intensity of the allergy, it comes to within a short time Hives or severe shortness of breath until death. In extreme cases, just one stitch is sufficient for this. The symptoms of allergy sufferers and healthy people are the same, only healthy stings are not plagued by shortness of breath or hives. However, you must be careful not to get stabbed in the face, mouth, throat, or throat. This can also lead to shortness of breath, as this is where the poison is most effective. Any swelling can negatively affect your breathing. The information below will help you provide first aid immediately after a hornet sting.

tip: Compared to wasps, hornets do not fly at people and tend to keep their distance. For this reason, in many cases the animals only sting from a direct threat from humans or their pets.

Symptoms & first aid

Treating a harmless hornet sting is easier than you might think. Compared to mosquito or tick bites, you'll know immediately when a hornet has stung you, as the pain can be hellish. Next to the intense painwhich is stronger than that of a wasp, a sting can be recognized by other visual signs in addition to the symptoms mentioned above:

• The swelling turns red
• red point in the middle (puncture site)
• White courtyard around the puncture site
• gets hot
• Itching for a few days
• Swelling can be as big as hailstones

Depending on the intensity of the sting and the location on the body, the swelling lasts for up to 24 hours. During this time, you shouldn't scratch the sting, as this can lead to an open wound, which increases the risk of infection. Once a sting has occurred, act as soon as possible to relieve the pain and contact qualified personnel if necessary.

First aid measures

When treating hornet stings, the following measures will help:

1. Disinfect

• Apply disinfectant spray for the skin directly or with a cotton pad

2. Cool

• The wound can become very hot, itchy and burn
• Urge to scratch very high
• Cool envelopes, ice cubes or wrapped ice packs prevent this
• Alternatively, use gels or pens from pharmacies or drugstores with a cooling effect

3. Anoint

• Systral and Fenistil limit the production of histamines
• suppress itching and burning.
• For particularly painful stitches, apply after cooling

4. Envelopes

• Quark wrap or envelope with aluminum diacetate (acetic acid clay)
• wrap around the affected area and leave it there for some time

5. Consult a doctor in an emergency

If the person has been stabbed on the outside or inside in the following places, you should see a doctor immediately:

• throat
• throat
• mouth

The doctor ensures that the swelling does not block the airways and suffocate. If necessary, cover the patient's neck with an ice-cold compress and give them ice cubes. The ice cubes are sucked and relieve possible swelling, while the poultice protects against possible swelling in the throat.

6. Allergy sufferers

If the person stung is allergic, it is important to act quickly. Contact the emergency doctor immediately and do not deviate from the allergy sufferer's side. Administer appropriate medication if the allergy was known in advance.

If the symptoms of the bite persist after 48 to 72 hours, it is advisable to see a doctor. The possibility of infection is then quite high.

tip: If you have been stung by a striped insect and the stinger remains in your skin, it is entirely a bee sting. Compared to wasps, hornets and bumblebees, the abdomen of bees does not have enough muscle mass to keep the stinger in the abdomen, which ultimately leads to the death of the animals.

Alternative: stitch healer

In contrast to the above-mentioned first aid measures for a hornet sting, you should think about using a sting healer. These are very suitable for allergy sufferers, as they prevent the allergens from spreading further through the bloodstream, which is the reason for an allergic reaction. The stitch healers treat the stitch point in two different ways:

1. Electric

Electric stitch healers are usually cheaper. They generate electrical impulses that stop the transport of toxins. To do this, place it directly on the stab wound and it will draw the poison out of the body via the impulses. However, this method is quite time-consuming as it has to be used between 20 and 30 times. In addition, every actuation feels like a small sting because it is electricity. Electric stitch healers are not particularly suitable for allergy sufferers because they take significantly too long.

2. Thermal

Thermal stitch healers use a high temperature in the range of 50 ° C to neutralize the protein components within the poison. They can also be applied directly to the stab site and heat it up for a brief moment. With thermal stitch healers, you can treat a sting instantly as it only needs one application to destroy the dangerous allergen. This makes them particularly effective for allergy sufferers and children, so that the pain subsides more quickly.

A big advantage of the stitch healers is their compact size. They are usually offered in pen size and can be ideally stowed in a first aid kit, the car or a handbag. This means that you have the device ready to use quickly.