Timely reminder - remove jewellery if bitten or stung getting stung by a bee

Remove Jewelry During Injuries: A Simple Step to Prevent Complications

Hello Canberra!

Here at Canberra First Aid Gungahlin, we’re always looking to share simple, life-saving tips that make a big difference. Today, let’s talk about something you might not think of in the heat of the moment: removing jewelry during bites, stings, sprains, or other injuries.

Why is this so important? Swelling is a common reaction to trauma—whether from a bee sting, a sprain, or a strain. While swelling helps your body heal, it can turn jewelry into a dangerous obstacle. Rings, bracelets, or watches can restrict blood flow, dig into the skin, or even cause severe pain as the area swells.

For example, if you’re stung by a bee on your hand, that swelling can make it almost impossible to remove a ring later. Similarly, a bracelet on a sprained wrist can worsen the injury.

Here’s our advice: act quickly! As soon as you notice an injury, remove jewelry near the affected area. If it’s stuck, use soapy water or lotion to ease it off gently.

This simple step can prevent unnecessary complications and make recovery smoother. For more tips like this, consider joining one of our first aid courses. Stay safe, Canberra!

During our recent overseas trip, Lorrie was stung in Washington, DC, by what we believe to be a local bee on one of her fingers.    As you can see in the image, we did not remove the rings as soon as the sting occurred and we needed to cut off the rings later to reduce the swelling.    Lesson learnt!!!  so remember to remove jewellery when being bitten or burnt or injured