3.0 PRACTICE OF BEEKEEPING
The candidate will be:
3.3 able to describe the possible effects of honeybee stings and to recommend suitable first aid treatment;
NOTES
A honey bee sting causes a sharp pain as the sting enters the skin and venom is injected. The pain will reduce gradually but will often be replaced by swelling in the immediate area of the sting. Swelling can start immediately or not until several hours later. The extent and duration of the swelling reaction will be different for different people and may not happen at all to “seasoned” beekeepers. Often people become immune to the sting allergen but a few people will become more sensitive and start to have symptoms of shortness of breath or dizziness. A small proportion of people can develop a severe anaphylactic reaction to bee stings.
The recommended way to remove a bee sting is to scrape it away from the skin with a hive tool or fingernail as soon as possible so that less venom is injected. Don’t try to pick the sting out as this usually results in squeezing in more venom.
Bee stings can be relieved by antihistamine creams or tablets. If someone shows a severe reaction to a bee sting then medical help should be sought as soon as possible, especially if anaphylaxis is suspected, as this can be life threatening.