Dryden
Brown Ltd
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TRAVEL
HEALTH
INSECT BITES OR STINGS
Most
insect stings are themselves harmless. However, sometimes
they may be serious. For example, if you are stung on the
tongue or in the throat by a bee or wasp.
If you are allergic to bee or wasp stings it may trigger
a severe allergic reaction. Reactions pointing to such an
allergy are:
becoming generally unwell
swollen lips and eyes
generalised itching, possibly a rash
fainting
problems with breathing, such as wheezing and chest tightness.
What
you can do yourself
Most insect bites do not need any treatment. You can treat
an irritating itch with do-it-yourself remedies or Hydrocortisone
1/2% or 1% cream available from pharmacies. Ointments
containing anti-histamines may cause an allergy and provoke
itching and ideally these should not be used and are no
longer recommended. Ask a pharmacist for advice.
Do-it-yourself remedies
Put some vinegar onto the spot where a wasp has stung.
With a bee sting carefully remove the sting with a pair
of tweezers without pressing on the venom sac.
If a tick will not come off remove it by smearing with
some vaseline or butter. This blocks its breathing pores
and forces it to let go, though it might take a few hours.
Do not attempt to just pull it out, because you might
break the tick's head from the body and it will be harder
to remove the head from the skin.
Contact a doctor
If you can't remove the sting.
If the bite becomes infected (bigger) and, despite antiseptic
cream, the redness spreads.
If you become unwell with a fever.
In rural areas, if you have a tick bite which you can't
remove, or redness develops in the area of the bite/sting.
Contact a doctor immediately
With a bite on your tongue or in your throat.
If you know you get dangerously ill from a bite.
If you get blisters or a rash on another part of your
body.
If stings trigger a severe allergic reaction these
are the symptoms:
Swollen lips and eyelids
Increased generalised itchiness
Difficulty in breathing
Aches/pains, feeling unwell (wheezing)
Becoming pale and fainting
If you have a severe allergic reaction phone for
an ambulance.
To order
your copy of a What should I do? booklet
use one of the following methods:
On-line
Shop
Phone: +44 (0) 23 8022
9041
Fax: +44 (0) 23
8022 7274
 
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