How to deal with bites and stings
Summer brings so many opportunities to immerse ourselves in the beautiful outdoors.
Whether you prefer splashing around in the waves at your local beach, tramping in the bush, or playing with your kids at the local swim hole, it is highly likely you will be subjected to one sort of bite or sting or another at some point – and, if you are like me and seem to be something of a target, this could happen multiple times every day.
Luckily for us, our local wildlife can’t inflict anything too serious, but good first aid can make a huge amount of difference to how uncomfortable you are, and can enable you to enjoy the rest of this wonderful season.
Of course, in an ideal world, we should avoid getting bitten in the first place, so make sure you take good-quality repellent with you, particularly if you are heading into the bush. Avoidance isn’t always possible though, so here are some quick pointers on how to treat the most common bites and stings, and what to do if you think it is more serious:
Jellyfish
There are a few different types of stinging jellyfish in New Zealand and, at times, our waters seem to be full of them.
The Lion’s Mane variety can grow to two metres across, varies from white to deep blue in colour, and has long, almost invisible tentacles. The mauve stinger is much smaller – and only has a few stinging tentacles. The Portuguese Man of War (more commonly known as the blue bottle) is frequently found washed up on the shore – it is actually not a true jellyfish, but is the most common ‘‘stinger’’ we have.
The first and obvious thing to do, if you get stung, is to get out of the water. Don’t try to pull any tentacles off your skin immediately, but first flush the area with sea water to try to get rid of them. Don’t use vinegar, as it can make blue bottle
stings worse. If there are any tentacles left after that, gently remove them with a towel (ideally wearing gloves so you don’t get stung again). Then try to immerse the area in warm/hot water for about 15 minutes – if you are close to home, the easiest way to do this is by hopping in a shower, but if that isn’t practical, using any sort of container full of fresh warmed water will suffice. You can repeat this every 15 minutes or so for the next 2 hours.
To alleviate the pain, prompt paracetamol or ibuprofen can be really helpful, and an over-thecounter antihistamine (such as cetirizine or loratadine) can reduce swelling and itch.
If you think the reaction is unusual in any way, or you’re not sure what stung you, don’t hesitate to get some help – the National Poisons Centre is available for advice on treatment and first aid every day of the year on 0800 764 766.
Wasps and bees
For most of us, stings from wasps or bees will be really uncomfortable for a day or two, and will then wear off; but, for some unlucky people, they can cause a serious allergic reaction. If you have been stung by a bee, try to remove the stinger as soon as you can by scraping it out using a fingernail, credit card or the blunt side of a knife.
This will reduce the amount of venom released. Wasps won’t leave a stinger and can sting you more than once. Applying cold water or ice to the area and taking an antihistamine as soon as you can, will help your symptoms.
Lots of people get a local reaction with redness, swelling and pain around the area – this is normal, but if it persists, or gets large, see a doctor, as you may need a short course of steroid tablets or antibiotics to treat it. If there are any signs of an allergic reaction, don’t delay – get help immediately by calling 111. This includes:
■ Nausea or vomiting
■ Sudden widespread rash
■ Swelling around the eyes, lips or mouth
■ Difficulty breathing
■ Dizziness or fainting
■ Pallor or sweating. Mosquitoes and sandflies
Prevention is the key here. Invest in a really good repellent and encourage your kids to wear longsleeved clothing if you can, especially in the evening. If you do get bitten, it is really important not to scratch the area (easier said than done!) – scratching damages the skins protective surface and increases the likelihood of getting infections.
Apply topical hydrocortisone cream to reduce the redness and swelling, cold or ice packs to alleviate discomfort and an oral antihistamine to make things less itchy.
If the area around the bite starts to swell, or the redness and warmth spread, you could be getting cellulitis, so keep an eye on it and go to a doctor if it isn’t improving. Spiders
While these aren’t seasonal as such, they are more likely to happen when we are enjoying the outdoors. Luckily for us, the vast majority of our spiders won’t harm us – but it is sensible to avoid katipo¯ , redback and white-tailed varieties, as they do have the potential to make us unwell.
A spider bite will immediately feel quite sharp and painful, similar to a pinprick, followed by a burning sensation. Depending on the type of spider, bites can cause localised redness and swelling, and rarely can lead to systemic or wholebody symptoms such as sweating, stomach ache, nausea or vomiting and achey muscles and joints.
If you think you have been bitten, simple first aid is usually all that is required – clean the area thoroughly with antiseptic solution or soapy warm water and then put ice on it to ease the discomfort. If there are any signs of either a serious body reaction, or you are worried the area is becoming infected (it looks increasingly red, blistery or ulcerated), visit a doctor or local hospital for advice.
Whatever the culprit, if you or anyone around you seems to be having a serious reaction to a bite or sting – don’t delay. Call 111 and get help. Although thankfully rare, it is possible to be allergic to any of the above, and prompt administration of a medication known as adrenaline is life-saving in these situations.