What to do with a hornet bite and how dangerous it can be to health

Many beekeepers know very well what to do if suddenly bitten by a hornet. And just some wise people are always ready to give useful and correct advice for such a situation.

However, the vast majority of people not only do not know what to do when they are bitten by a hornet, but they do not even really know how dangerous it can be. As a result, if a person is bitten, no great importance is attached to this, sometimes “grandmother's” recipes are used, the sense of which in serious cases is no more than, for example, from meditation. Sometimes such unpreparedness and inactivity end very badly...

So, suppose a man was bitten by a hornet. What to do? First, of course, calm down. You need a cool head to make important decisions about emergency care.

Severe pain at the site of the bite - and it will definitely appear - does not at all mean indispensable destructive consequences for the body. The point here is that the hornet venom itself contains components that have a very strong effect on the nerve endings and therefore lead to a very pronounced pain syndrome - up to shock.

In an average situation, it can be difficult to predict in advance what will happen if a hornet bites: for some people, everything is limited only to pain and swelling, while for others it can come to rapid suffocation and loss of consciousness (possible death). Often, the severity of the reaction to a bite is exacerbated if a person has ever been bitten by hornets, bees or wasps before.

Therefore, as soon as the hornet has bitten, you must immediately provide first aid to the person (or give it to yourself if this happened to you). Inaction in such a situation is unacceptable.

 

How dangerous are hornet stings

The sting of a hornet is both a tool for hunting and active protection. Unlike a bee, a hornet can sting a person repeatedly. With each bite, this insect injects a certain amount of poison into the wound.

It is interesting

The poisonous gland of the hornet contains approximately 5-6 "portions" of poison. Often, when attacked, hornets sting repeatedly in the same place, which greatly aggravates the consequences of such a “meeting” for a person. However, a single hornet bite can be very dangerous.

Why is a hornet bite so dangerous? Here are just a few reasons why:

• hornet venom causes quite a strong pain syndrome;
• the components of the poison destroy the cell walls of the affected tissues, which leads to hemorrhages and inflammation at the site of the bite;
• in most cases, the bite causes an allergic reaction, the severity of which depends on the individual sensitivity of the stung person.

Pain and swelling at the site of the bite are observed to varying degrees in all victims. If a hornet has bitten a person sensitive to insect poisons, then in addition to these symptoms, headaches, palpitations and signs of general intoxication will appear.

The most dangerous hornet bite is for allergy sufferers. A large amount of histamine in the hornet's venom and its additional release from the collapsing mast cells of the victim's tissues can lead to the development of anaphylactic shock and death even after a single bite. That is why in some tropical countries several dozen people a year regularly die from hornet bites.

On a note.

An important feature of the body's reaction to a hornet bite is a constant increase in sensitivity to the components of the poison - from bite to bite. For example, if after the first bite a person can only experience swelling, then each subsequent attack by hornets (for example, in a month or a year) will lead to more and more serious consequences. It is this feature that underlies the fact that among the people the hornet has a second name - nine. It is believed that after the ninth bite of an insect, a person will certainly die. Scientists in this matter, of course, are not so categorical, but there are still scientific prerequisites for such statements.

 

First aid for a hornet bite

Now let's see what to do first when bitten by a hornet. Before that, we note that one should not look for a sting in the wound and, moreover, try to pick it out from under the skin with a needle: a hornet, unlike a bee, always takes its weapon with it, leaving only poison in the body of the victim.

The first steps for a hornet bite:

1. Try to suck out some of the poison from the wound as much as possible. However, you should not be zealous in this matter for more than 1 minute after the bite, as further attempts will be ineffective;
2. Then you need to treat the affected area with citric or 9% acetic acid - the hornet venom is partially neutralized (by the way, some of the poison components are also neutralized with alkaline solutions, for example, soda or soap);
3. Then it is necessary to disinfect the wound with alcohol or a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution;
4. At the next stage, it is useful to apply a cold (preferably ice) compress, under which wet sugar is placed - the cold prevents the poison from quickly spreading through the tissues, reduces the severity of edema, and sugar helps to draw out an additional part of the toxin from the wound.

But what you should not do after a hornet bite is to take alcohol inside. In this case, alcohol in the human body will only contribute to an increase in edema and exacerbate the toxic effect of the poison on the body as a whole. This is especially dangerous if the hornet bites on the head or neck.

If there are no signs of an increasing allergic reaction, and the ice compress has already done its job, then the next step is to reduce pain at the site of the bite. For this, the wound is lubricated, for example, with Fenistil or Soventol gel. You can also use Insectline, Gardex Family or Picnic Family ointments.

Folk remedies for hornet bites include: a solution of soda, dandelion or plantain juice, a slice of onion, garlic or an apple. It is assumed that when applied to the wound, these agents will reduce pain and swelling. Although in practice the effect is in most cases weakly expressed.

On a note

The above folk recipes are also relevant for the treatment of pets - for example, if a hornet has bitten a cat or dog. One has only to take into account that it is necessary to process directly the skin under the coat.However, if the animal becomes worse, you should immediately show it to the veterinarian.

If swelling and pain do not increase after a hornet bite and no additional alarming symptoms appear, then no special further treatment is required. Within a few days, the swelling of the tissues will decrease, and the pain will disappear.

If signs of a generalized allergic reaction join the local reaction, then additional actions will be required.

 

Eliminate intoxication and generalized symptoms

Signs of a generalized allergic reaction that may occur after a hornet bite are:

• increase in body temperature;
• headache;
• strong heartbeat;
• dyspnea;
• abdominal pain.

At the slightest hint of these symptoms, you need to take Diphenhydramine or Fenistil tablets as soon as possible to weaken the effect of histamine. In addition, the more liquid the victims drink during this period, the better, since drinking plenty of water significantly reduces the symptoms of intoxication.

In case of an increase in body temperature, it is worth taking antipyretics only after 38 ° C.

If the victim has severe dizziness, confusion or difficulty breathing, it is urgent to call an ambulance, asking for additional advice by phone on the necessary actions. If for some reason it is not possible to call an ambulance, you can give the victim Suprastin (at the rate of 1-2 tablets 4 times a day), Prednisolone (4 tablets a day) or one tablet of Loratadine (these drugs can lead to side effects Therefore, a doctor's consultation is very necessary, at least by phone).

Important!

It is impossible to drink Diprazine with the development of an allergic reaction to a hornet sting. This drug itself can cause allergies and only exacerbate existing symptoms.

 

Particularly severe cases

It is important to understand the following: if, after a hornet bite, more and more symptoms appear and health deteriorates rapidly, the further development of an allergic reaction can be unpredictable and very rapid. For any such signs, you should immediately call an ambulance or, if possible, ask relatives or friends to take you to the hospital. In this case, you cannot drive on your own.

In especially severe cases, doctors immediately inject adrenaline - this substance is an antagonist of acetylcholine, which causes the transmission of a nerve impulse, and stimulates the heart. In critical situations, such an injection may well save a person's life.

Usually, particularly severe consequences are observed if the hornet bites in the neck or throat. In this case, swelling of the upper respiratory tract is not so uncommon. Because of it, the victim can simply suffocate.

Artificial respiration will not help here, because due to swelling of the larynx, the air simply will not pass through the airways to the lungs. In the most extreme case, a so-called conicotomy is necessary - an incision between the cricoid and thyroid cartilage. A hollow tube is inserted into this incision, which will allow inhalation and exhalation even with severe swelling of the larynx.

 

Different hornets - different bites

We can say that in general, a hornet bite is undoubtedly dangerous. However, the degree of risk to human health after being stung by different species of these insects is still not the same.

So, for example, the bites of ordinary European hornets rarely lead to serious consequences, and therefore can be dangerous mainly for people with hypersensitivity to insect venoms.

At the same time, the huge Asian hornets living in Southeast Asia, Primorye and Japan are considered one of the most dangerous insects in the world. For example, in Japan, about 40 people die every year from the bites of these hornets.

One giant Asian hornet injects such a portion of poison into the wound that corresponds to the dose from 5-6 of its European relatives. At the same time, the Asian hornet toxin contains additional specific components that have a more powerful toxic effect on the human body.

That is why when traveling in Southeast Asia it is always worth having at least Suprastin and painkillers in your first aid kit. If you have a sensitivity to insect venoms, you should take with you the appropriate certificate from the allergist, which will help the local doctor prescribe the correct drugs in an emergency.

However, the most reliable way to protect against hornet attacks in nature or in a summer cottage will be just due care and diligence. Hornets are rather peaceful insects; they attack a person only when he accidentally touches them, actively waves his arms or deliberately tries to destroy their nest.

So, if you see a hornet, just go around it and do not make sudden movements. In this case, the bite will not occur, and no emergency measures will have to be taken.

 

Useful video: what are the dangers of wasp and hornet bites and what to do if you are still bitten

 

About hornet attacks on humans