eTopical Precious Finds
The first thing that you should note is that hornet stings can be dangerous. What may surprise you is that hornets are generally not aggressive. They won’t attack unless they feel threatened or are under attack. However, you should note this is not always the case with the Asian hornet which is known to be more aggressive.
That’s why you should always be vigilant when you see hornets around. Watch where they are flying to and from, it will help you to identify their nest. The closer they are to your home the more likely it is you’ll be attacked. If you have a hornet’s nest in your yard, get your local pest control specialists to take care of it for you.
It’s worth speaking to them now in order to find out more about the service they offer and create a connection. You’ll probably benefit from faster service when you need it!
Dealing With Hornet Stings
The hornet sting is fairly large and can be very painful. That’s assuming you don’t have an allergic reaction. If you come across someone that has been stung you’ll want to ask them if they have allergies. People who know they have an allergic reaction to hornets, wasps, and bees will probably have an EpiPen with them. If not you’ll need to get them urgent medical attention.
If no allergic reaction is obvious then the following can be done:
- Wash First
Although it may sting more, the first thing you should do is wash the sting area with soap and warm water. You need to make sure there are no bacteria in the vicinity that can get into the wound caused by the sting.
You should be careful handling the sting area as, if part of the stinger is still present you could get yourself stung.
- Scrape It
Once the area has been washed, you’ll need to use a credit card or your fingernail, to gently scrape the area. Again, this will be painful but it’s important. Hornets don’t lose their stinger like bees. But that doesn’t mean a piece of it can’t break off.
If the piece of hornet stinger is left in the wound it is likely to become infected. Scraping it removes the stinger without pushing it further in or causing the release of additional venom. That’s why you should never use tweezers.
- Add Ice
Now that it’s clean and sting-free you’ll want to place some ice on the site. This will numb the skin, reducing the pain. It will also reduce blood flow, lowering the risk of inflammation and swelling
- Painkillers
Finally, you can add a topical anesthetic cream to protect the area and, if the pain is severe, the patient can take over-the-counter painkillers.
The good news is the throbbing should pass within a couple of hours. After this, your patient will just need to be careful to keep the area clean and try not to knock it as it heals.
