Gaby
Doctors warn that during the hot season, invisible predators are everywhere. To avoid becoming easy prey or someone else’s “trophy,” gardeners and vacationers should stay vigilant in gardens, fields, and the great outdoors.
What to Do If Bitten by a Tick
If you can’t see a doctor right away, remove the tick yourself or with help, and note the date of the bite. Do not crush or damage the tick with your fingers: if the tick’s abdominal contents enter the wound, they can infect the bite victim or contaminate the skin of the person helping to remove the insect. Avoid using ammonia, nail polish, oil, or petroleum jelly to remove the tick; these substances can make the tick release saliva into the wound, which may contain the tick-borne encephalitis virus.
To remove the tick, use a loop of thread placed snugly against the skin. A sharp pair of tweezers also works: grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull it straight out with steady, gentle pressure. Do not yank or twist the tick; it needs to be removed completely. After removing the tick, dispose of it properly and clean your hands and the bite area with soap and water or an antiseptic.
If the tick is larger than 5 mm, doctors may prescribe a single dose of doxycycline for adults and children over 8 years old to help prevent tick-borne borreliosis (Lyme disease). The antibiotic is most effective when given within 1–3 days of the bite. If symptoms resembling a cold—such as fever, skin rashes, or joint and muscle pain—appear after an initial negative test, expect to be tested twice with a two-week interval. Certain immunoglobulins are detectable only from about the tenth day after the bite, while others appear from the third week onward.
What to Do If Bitten by a Spider or Scorpion
Venomous crawling arachnids are present in southern Crimea, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. Scorpions are generally nonaggressive, but they can sting unintentionally—while you sleep, pack, or dress—because they often crawl into backpacks, sleeping bags, and clothing left on the ground. At the moment of the sting, a person will feel a burning pain, and redness and swelling will appear at the site, often followed by clear blisters.
The body can react to a scorpion sting with a fever (up to 38°C), headache, dizziness, weakness, and cramps. Take the affected person to the hospital immediately so medical staff can administer the appropriate antivenom to prevent complications. Keep the victim warm and give two pain-relief tablets to ease the pain. Neither a tourniquet nor treating the wound with ammonia will help.
Venomous spiders include tarantulas and the black widow (Latrodectus mactans). Spiders bite unintentionally, but the pain from their bite can intensify over time and spread through the body. Symptoms of poisoning may include bluish discoloration of the face, pain with minimal exertion, difficulty moving, nausea, and shortness of breath. In people with lung or heart disease, death can occur within the first or second day after the bite (estimated probability about 2%). Because certain spider venoms constrict blood vessels, first aid focuses on pain relief, warming, and gentle massage. In the hospital, the patient may receive antivenom.
How to Help with Insect Bites
Be aware of the potential consequences of hidden threats. Small creatures can cause serious problems, from fever and intense pain to loss of consciousness, respiratory paralysis, and cardiac arrest. It is not just scorpions, spiders, and ticks that pose a risk: an individual’s reaction to an irritant can be as dangerous as a venomous toxin. Allergic reactions are most commonly triggered by bites and stings from bees, wasps, hornets, and fire ants.
Symptoms of an Allergic Reaction to an Insect Bite:
- Hives (itchy red spots at the bite site, like a nettle burn, and a spreading skin rash);
- Anxiety and panic;
- Difficulty breathing and shortness of breath;
- Increased heart rate;
- Swelling of the face, mouth, or throat;
- Sudden drop in blood pressure, dizziness;
- Loss of consciousness, shock, and cardiac arrest.
A life-threatening allergic reaction can develop within 2–5 minutes. Call for urgent medical help as soon as alarming symptoms appear. Timely injection of epinephrine, IV fluids, and oxygen can save the victim. A repeat allergic reaction can occur in a significant number of cases.
What to Do If Stung by a Bee
To reduce the risk of a severe allergic reaction, remove the venom sac left in the skin within about 30 seconds. Do not squeeze the sac to expel the stinger, since that can push more venom into the skin. Remove the entire sac and stinger with a fingernail or a plastic card. Treat a bee sting seriously: in severe cases, the person may require emergency resuscitation and intensive care.
First aid depends on the condition of the affected person. Remove rings and bracelets immediately if swelling is likely. Wash the sting site with soap and water and apply a soothing or antiseptic agent—apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion and cover with a dry sterile bandage. Reduce swelling with a cold compress or ice. Relieve pain with one or two ibuprofen tablets.
An allergic reaction to a bee sting may require epinephrine (adrenaline). Note that epinephrine has side effects and may interact with other medications or be contraindicated in people with certain heart conditions. People with known allergies should carry an antihistamine to relieve swelling, itching, and rashes. During pregnancy and in young children under two years old, use allergy medications only when absolutely necessary and under medical guidance.
What to Do If Stung by a Wasp
An allergic reaction to a wasp sting occurs in about one in 300 cases. Symptoms include rapid heartbeat, dizziness, headache, nausea, rash, itching, and cramps. A wasp sting inside the mouth or throat risks airway swelling and suffocation; take the affected person to the hospital immediately. While waiting for emergency help, try to slow swelling by gargling with cold water and giving the victim ice or ice cream to suck on.
When a child is stung, the risk of an allergic reaction increases and symptoms may not appear immediately. Keep an ampoule of prednisolone, ephedrine, or diphenhydramine on hand, but remember that an injection does not replace the need for an urgent call to a doctor. Until help arrives, reduce swelling with a cold compress or ice, try to remove the stinger if visible, and disinfect the site with an antiseptic such as hydrogen peroxide.
Pain from a wasp sting can last up to 20 hours. Traditional remedies that people use include applying calendula tincture and cooled olive oil hourly, raw potato juice, mint, plantain, parsley, lady’s mantle, or dandelion to the sting site. Chopped anti-inflammatory herb leaves can be used in a compress. Some also apply a sliced garlic clove or a garlic or onion paste compress for about 15 minutes.
What to Do If Stung by a Hornet
Hornets have a hollow, sharp stinger at the end of the abdomen that works like a syringe, injecting venom into the skin. Like wasps, hornets attack only when threatened, but they can sting multiple times. Folk sayings warn that a person cannot withstand nine stings, but the real danger is severe allergic reaction.
Even a single hornet sting can be fatal if anaphylactic shock develops. A sting on the tongue, gums, or palate in allergic people can cause local angioedema and threaten suffocation. Cool the affected area to reduce swelling and call emergency services. For inflammation, itching, and pain, a compress made from baking soda and crushed wet tablets of activated charcoal, validol, and aspirin is sometimes used.
Particularly dangerous is the hornet Vespa mandarinia, which has a roughly 6-millimeter stinger and highly toxic venom. If attacked, try to expel as much venom as possible from the wound, then treat the site with ammonia or iodine. If you are prone to severe allergic reactions, avoid areas where stinging insects may be present and avoid spending time outdoors alone. Wasp nests are often found in earth mounds, old walls, and logs. Hornets nest in houses, bushes, and on tree trunks. Steer clear of these places to stay safe.
What to Do If Stung by a Bumblebee
Bumblebees are larger and hairier than honeybees and sit somewhere between honeybees and solitary bees in behavior. Their powerful jaws are used to chew plant fibers and build nests. A bumblebee will sting only to defend its nest, and its sting is generally less painful than a honeybee’s.
Bumblebees are attracted to sweet scents and bright colors. Avoid provoking them with colorful clothing (especially blue) and the smell of alcohol. Do not drink sweet beverages outdoors. Avoid using perfumes when you are in nature. To reduce the chance of bites, stay away from plants that attract insects. Avoid walking barefoot in summer grass: when walking in meadows and forests, wear socks and closed shoes and choose long sleeves.
After removing any stinger, rinse the sting site with cold water and take an antihistamine such as suprastin or diphenhydramine if needed. Keep a self-help kit on hand for acute allergy symptoms. Allergy desensitization shots are an option for long-term prevention: the allergic person receives gradually increasing doses of insect venom so the immune system stops reacting to the allergen.
Insect Bite Remedies
- Install mosquito nets on windows and doors to protect indoor spaces against flying insects.
- Before sleeping, turn on a fumigator or spray insect repellent in the bedroom.
- For mosquito, horsefly, and fly bites, treat the skin with ammonia or a soapy solution. Apply the flesh side of a peeled aloe leaf to the bite site.
- For compresses, make an infusion of tansy flowers: pour 3 tablespoons of flowers with a glass of water, simmer for 15 minutes over low heat, cool, and strain. Soak a bandage or gauze in the infusion and apply it to the sting site.
- To relieve itching and swelling, use an infusion of oak bark, mint, and St. John’s wort. Mix the herbs in equal parts, pour 1 tablespoon of the mixture with a glass of water, boil, and let steep for an hour. Cool and strain the infusion, then use it for compresses.
- Some people use an infusion of parsley root for allergic reactions: pour 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley root with 0.5 liters of boiling water and steep in a thermos for 8 hours. Divide and drink it in equal portions throughout the day.
What to Do If Bitten by a Snake
Each year, more than 2 million people worldwide suffer snake bites. Nonvenomous snake bites usually leave only minor scratches, so first aid is minimal: rinse the wound with running water and apply plantain or treat the bite site with iodine or hydrogen peroxide. A dangerous bite typically shows puncture marks at the ends of the scratches. If the wound looks like a pair of bloody dots, that usually indicates a venomous snake: the predator punctures the skin with its two front fangs and injects venom into the bloodstream.
Snake venom affects the body in two main ways: it can paralyze the respiratory organs and cause rapid death by suffocation, or it can provoke vascular spasms and tissue swelling while destroying blood cells. One common venomous snake in our region is the viper—a 30–80 cm snake with black or gray scales and a characteristic zigzag pattern. If you encounter such a snake, act quickly and calmly.
If a snake bites you through clothing, remove the clothing to avoid trapping venom against the skin. Also remove wristwatches, bracelets, rings, and other jewelry, since swelling can impede circulation. If the snake bites your arm, bend it at the elbow and secure it with a bandage in that position. If the bite is on the leg, immobilize the injured limb and tie it to the other leg to help transport the victim to the nearest medical facility while keeping them lying down. Lie down after the bite; symptoms can include headache, dizziness, nausea, and fainting.
First Aid for Snake Bites
First, lay the bite victim down and keep them still. Do not let the person walk or sit, since snake venom spreads through the lymphatic system. Carefully wipe away any visible drops of venom from the skin to prevent them from entering the wound. Some rescuers try to suck out venom, but this is dangerous if the rescuer has bleeding gums or mouth injuries and is only potentially effective within about 15 minutes of the bite. Attempting to suck out venom should be considered only if it will take more than an hour to reach medical care.
Some people make a cross-shaped incision around the wound to allow blood mixed with venom to flow out more quickly, but medical professionals generally do not recommend using a tourniquet above the wound. Stopping venous and arterial blood flow can cause venom to be absorbed through deep veins and worsen intoxication when the tourniquet is released. Do not drink alcohol after a snake bite: alcohol increases absorption of venom and the severity of poisoning. Instead, drink plenty of water to help reduce intoxication.
Traditional poultices are sometimes applied to draw out venom. Examples include a poultice made from two chopped onions and a few drops of kerosene, or wet tobacco. Poultices made from an infusion of veronica (four stems per liter of water) are used by some for spider or viper venom: apply the herbal compress three times a day for up to a month.
What to Do If Bitten by a Dog
While walking in a park or woods, an unfamiliar dog may attack if it perceives you as a threat. A bite from a domestic animal does not always mean rabies exposure, but bite wounds are always contaminated with bacteria and can lead to serious complications. Bite wounds tend to heal more slowly than other injuries, so treat them with extra care.
For disinfection, use hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, iodine, or brilliant green. Soak a sterile bandage, gauze, or a clean cloth made of natural fibers in these solutions and wipe the skin around the bite several times, leaving the treatment of deeper tissues to a doctor. After applying a bandage, take the injured person to the emergency room. Hospital staff will ask about the vaccination status of the biting animal and administer a rabies vaccine if necessary. Typically, a course of four vaccine shots is given to anyone exposed to an aggressive animal (including dogs or cats) or to bites from wild animals such as foxes, beavers, nutria, wolves, or bats.
Aggressive behavior in wild, domestic, or household animals can signal illness. Rabies is nearly always fatal without vaccination: doctors report a very high mortality rate in unvaccinated victims. First aid after a bite from a potentially rabid animal is to wash the area with soapy running water for 10 minutes and remove any saliva from the aggressor. The only effective prevention is prompt vaccination. An immunization course is prescribed immediately after the bite and may include follow-up doses over several months. Do not underestimate the danger and seek medical care promptly.
