Skin Care for a Wasp Sting
Getting stung by a wasp while hiking, gardening or engaging in other outdoor activities will put a damper on anyone’s day. It is next to impossible to completely protect against such stings, although being aware of your environment can help. Open soda bottles and trash cans are magnets for wasps. Fortunately, first aid treatment is relatively simple and doesn’t require anything that most people don’t have readily on hand in a standard first aid kit.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Wash the site of the sting with soap and cool water. Apply a dab of hydrocortisone cream or a paste of baking soda and water. Reapply as needed every few hours until the symptoms are gone.
-
2
Apply an ice pack to the sting for some relief from the pain. Place a layer of cloth between the skin and the ice to keep the skin from freezing. Keep the ice on the sting for up to 20 minutes.
-
-
3
Relieve itching with an antihistamine such as Benadryl or Claritin. Relieve the pain with ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Forget about the tweezers. Unlike bees, wasps do not leave stingers.
If the wasp sting victim experiences nausea, severe itching, swelling in her throat or other troubling symptoms, she may be experiencing anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. Obtain emergency medical attention immediately. Check to see if the person is carrying an EpiPen, as many people who know they are allergic to wasp stings carry them when engaging in outdoor activities.
Take individuals who have been stung more than 10 times to a hospital, as they may need to be observed by trained medical staff.
References
- Photo Credit wasp image by Marian Maier from Fotolia.com
