Stung! How to better allocate insect bites and bites

Recognize and assign insect bites

Accurate self-observation after an insect bite and a good puncture help in detecting an allergy. "Under certain circumstances, this knowledge can be life-saving," says Prof. Dr. med. Thilo Jakob, Director of the Department of Dermatology and Allergology in Gießen. "About three million Germans are allergic to a wasp or bee sting and about twenty of them die from an allergic shock every year." The expert explains how to distinguish insect bites and what to do in case of suspected insect venom allergy:

contents

• Recognize and assign insect bites
• gnat bite
• (Horse) brakes stitch
• Stechfliegen Stitch
• Bee sting
• wasp sting
• Sting from the bumblebee
• Hornet sting
• Insect venom allergy: Beware of wasp and bee stings

Recognize and assign insect bites and bites

gnat bite

• Usually happens unnoticed, as the mosquito releases an analgesic substance during stinging
• Strong itching after the sting, stinging spot reddened
• After a short while, the mosquito bite swells. It forms a wheal
• Within 24 hours, the wheal becomes a type of nodule, a pea-sized thickening of the skin - the so-called papule
• After a few days the papule heals itself

(Horse) brakes stitch

• Very painful due to the saber-like mouthparts of the brake
• Small bruises at the injection site remain visible for a long time
• severe itching
• Significant redness and swelling around the puncture site

Stechfliegen Stitch

• Similar to the mosquito bite
• Mostly the effects are even stronger
• Stichstelle is bloody undermined and swells
• Strong wheals
• redness and swelling around the puncture site

Bee sting

• Very painful
• Reddened swelling around the puncture site
• Sting with giftsack usually sticks in the skin and continues to release poison into the sting site, so it should be removed
• Bee does not survive the sting
• Important: May cause severe allergic reactions!

wasp sting

• Similar reaction to bee sting
• Also very painful
• There is no sting left in the skin as the wasp can pull its sting out of the skin after the sting
• Important: May cause severe allergic reactions!

Sting from the bumblebee

• Sting rare, as bumblebees only stumble when threatened
• Unlike the sting of bees no barbs and therefore does not get stuck in the skin
• Very painful
• Significant redness and swelling around the puncture site
• Important: May cause severe allergic reactions if bee venom sensitization / allergy exists!

Hornet sting

• Not very aggressive, which is why there are very few stings
• extremely painful
• May sting multiple times, as sting does not remain in the skin
• Injection site burns, swells and reddens
• Important: May cause severe allergic reactions to existing wasp sensitization / allergy!

Insect venom allergy: Beware of wasp and bee stings

An insect venom allergy usually occurs in the form of a bee or wasp venom allergy. Also hornet or bumblebee can cause allergic reactions - which is less common. Very few people also respond to bites from mosquitoes or brakes allergic. Fortunately, this rarely leads to life-threatening effects for these allergy sufferers.

Anyone who observes symptoms after a bee or wasp sting that goes beyond a normal swelling at the puncture site should seek advice from a specialist. Normal is a swelling up to 10 cm in diameter. A massive swelling at the puncture site, lasting more than 24 hours, is referred to as an overreaching local reaction. Swelling and itching at other parts of the body (regardless of the injection site) as well as complaints such as dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath or tachycardia can be part of an allergic reaction to the insect bite.

If you develop symptoms that go beyond the normal reaction at the injection site, it is important to consult a doctor to determine if you have an allergy and, if so, which insecticide. Therefore, you should look carefully: A bee sting differs from the wasp sting in that the sting of the bee usually gets stuck in the skin. However, a wasp is able to retract its sting after the sting. In addition, wasps are considered more aggressive and more "catchy" compared to bees. Knowing which insect triggered the allergic reaction may help in the diagnosis of unclear findings. It also helps to observe on which occasion you were stung. Was it z. B. when walking barefoot on the lawn or flower picking? That would confirm the suspicion of a bee sting. Or were you stung during a barbecue or near a trash can? Then it could have been a wasp.

In severe allergic reactions such as nausea, dizziness or shortness of breath, the emergency doctor must always be called. Prof. Jakob advises people who already know of an insect venom allergy: "Have your rescue medication always at hand and clarify your environment about the allergy and necessary relief measures. Better yet, prevent over the long term by insecticide vaccination and reduce the risk of an allergic shock to a minimum. "