Overview

• Cooling the sting site with ice packs, cold water, antihistamine gels or saliva is advised immediately to reduce pain and swelling.
• Any retained stinger should be carefully scraped off with a plastic card to halt further venom injection.
• People showing signs of systemic reactions such as hives, breathing issues or shock should call 112 and use a prescribed emergency kit containing corticosteroids, antihistamines and an epinephrine auto-injector.
• An estimated 2–3% of Germans have genuine insect venom allergies, with individuals suffering from atopic conditions, mastocytosis or frequent sting exposure at higher risk.
• A targeted immunotherapy regimen over three years offers about 98% protection against severe reactions and can eliminate the need for an emergency kit.