Posted in Category : Common Ailments | October 9, 2009

Natural Remedies for Wasp Sting

A wasp sting is caused when the stinger of a wasp is pierced into the skin of another animal or human. There are many symptoms by which one can recognize a wasp sting. Some of the primary symptoms are pain and burning sensations in the affected area. This is due to the venom, which was present in the sting of the wasp.

Venom is a substance that can be simple formic acid, as it the case in ants, to the more complex protein based venoms in wasps and bees. The ultimate venom comes from creatures like spiders and snakes that can even kill because of the presence of neurotoxins in them. Venom is a substance that also causes an acute inflammation in the area of the bite and if the venom stimulates histamine release in the body, it can cause swelling and mucus all over the body as well. There are a couple of other symptoms as well like redness of the stung area and a painful swelling. When a wasp stings a person, there are different reactions to the same. Some people who are allergic to wasp stings might develop painful swellings near the lips, throat, experience intense bouts of coughing and bronchial constriction like an asthma attack, vomiting sensations and nausea. However, those who are not allergic might just experience pain and swelling on the area near the sting. Some of the more serious symptoms include lightheadedness and low blood pressure, which might result in unconsciousness.

Though it is not potentially fatal, there is a lot of pain involved due to which it is necessary that you get some wasp sting treatment done as soon as possible. A number of treatment methods are available for wasp stings such as taking a painkiller, application of a mixture of meat tenderizer and water, or application of an ice bag on the affected area. Firstly, the enzymes present in the meat tenderizer are very effective in breaking down of the protein present in wasp venom. This will help in reducing the intensity of the pain. The enzyme known as Papain that is derived from the papaya fruit is also useful in treating wasp stings. However, remember to remove the mixture from the affected area within a maximum period of 30 minutes as it can otherwise cause irritation and rashes. For treating wasp sting, the application of an ice pack on the stung area will ensure that the cold temperature will slow down the inflammatory response of the body to the venom.

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