87371
document
Removing bee stings . BACKGROUND Conventional advice on immediate treatment of honey-bee stings has emphasised that the sting should be scraped off , never pinched . The morphology of the sting suggested little basis for this advice , which is likely to slow down removal of the sting . METHODS The response to honey-bee stings was assayed with a measurement of the size of the resulting weal . Injection of known quantities of venom showed that this measurement is a good indicator of envenomisation . FINDINGS Weal size , and thus envenomisation , increased as the time from stinging to removal of the sting increased , even within a few seconds . There was no difference in response between stings scraped or pinched off after 2 s. INTERPRETATION These data suggest that advice to patients on the immediate treatment of bee stings should emphasise quick removal , without concern for the method of removal .
87372
Intervention_Physical
Removing bee stings
87373
Intervention_Pharmacological
venom
87374
Intervention_Physical
quick removal
87375
Outcome_Physical
Weal size
87376
Outcome_Physical
time from stinging to removal of the sting
87377
Outcome_Other
stings scraped or pinched off
87378
Outcome_Physical
bee stings
87379
Participant_Condition
honey-bee stings