Home remedies for bee stings
- Honey. Honey may help with wound healing, pain, and itching. To treat bee stings with honey, apply a small amount to the affected area.
- Baking soda. A paste made of baking soda and water can help neutralize bee venom to reduce pain, itching, and swelling.
- Apple cider vinegar. Some people believe vinegar helps neutralize bee venom. Soak the sting site in a basin of diluted apple cider vinegar for at least 15 minutes.
- Toothpaste. It’s unclear why toothpaste can help bee stings. Some people claim that alkaline toothpaste neutralizes acidic honeybee venom.
- Meat tenderizer. An enzyme in meat tenderizer called papain is also believed to help break down the protein that causes pain and itching.
- Wet aspirin tablet. A popular home remedy for reducing the pain and swelling of a bee sting is to apply a wet aspirin or aspirin paste to the sting site.
- Herbs and oils. Aloe vera is known for soothing the skin and relieving pain. ...
What herbs are good for bee stings?
These herbs have wound-healing properties and may help relieve symptoms of a bee sting:
- Aloe vera is known for soothing the skin and relieving pain. ...
- Calendula cream is an antiseptic used to heal minor wounds and ease skin irritation. ...
- Lavender essential oil has anti-inflammatory abilities and can help relieve swelling. ...
- Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and may ease bee sting pain. ...
What is the best treatment for bee stings?
Treatment for a bee sting should start by removing the stinger, if it's still there, and cleaning the affected area with soap and water. After that, there's a few ways you can ease redness, swelling, or itchiness, but only time will fully heal the sting. Wrap a towel around an ice pack and apply it to the bee sting for 20 minutes at a time.
What to do to reduce swelling from a bee sting?
What is the best treatment for a bee sting?
- Wrap a towel around an ice pack and apply it to the bee sting for 20 minutes at a time. This will reduce swelling.
- Use an antihistamine, such as Benadryl, to relieve itchiness and swelling.
- Apply calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream to reduce pain and itching. ...
- Avoid scratching the area, as that can increase the risk of infection.
How do you cure a bee sting?
Wrap a towel around an ice pack and apply it to the bee sting for 20 minutes at a time. This will reduce swelling. Use an antihistamine, such as Benadryl, to relieve itchiness and swelling. Apply calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream to reduce pain and itching. If you use these, cover the sting with a bandage afterward.
What is the best thing to put on bee stings?
Apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to ease redness, itching or swelling. If itching or swelling is bothersome, take an oral antihistamine that contains diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or chlorpheniramine. Avoid scratching the sting area.
Is toothpaste good for bee stings?
Cover the Sting with Toothpaste. While this might sound unusual, toothpaste is actually one of the top home remedies for bee stings! While it has never been scientifically proven toothpaste helps bee stings, many folks claim alkaline toothpaste helps to neutralize honeybee venom.
What can you put on a bee sting to stop the pain?
Wash the area with soap and water to remove residual venom and reduce the chance of infection. Apply an ice pack for at least 20 minutes to control pain and swelling. Apply a thin layer of hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to help with pain and itching, and cover with a bandage.
Is vinegar good for a bee sting?
Clean the Wound The ointment will both help to disinfect the sting and reduce itching and swelling at the site of the sting. Home remedies include applying an apple cider vinegar-soaked cotton ball or a mixture of baking soda and water to the wound.
Does rubbing alcohol help bee stings?
If you can, put vinegar or rubbing alcohol on the area several times for 30 or more minutes until the pain is relieved. Apply dry or moist heat to the sting area until the pain subsides. You can mix one part ammonia with 3 parts salt water and apply this to the sting area. Wear gloves when you remove stingers.
Why does baking soda relieve bee stings?
Mix 1/4 of a cup of aluminum-free baking soda with 1 to 2 teaspoons of water together, and then apply the paste to the area that was stung. Reapply every 15 minutes or so. It's believed that baking soda can help neutralize the acidity of the sting and mitigate inflammation.
How long does it take for bee sting pain to go away?
Severe pain or burning at the site lasts 1 to 2 hours. Normal swelling from venom can increase for 48 hours after the sting. The redness can last 3 days. The swelling can last 7 days.
How long does bee venom stay in your system?
The majority of the time, the symptoms of bee sting serum sickness will improve on their own within 48 hours. As the chemical from the bee toxin is filtered out of your body, the sickness will begin to go away.
How do you get the swelling down from a bee sting?
TreatmentRemove the stinger using tweezers or some other object with a hard surface, such as a credit card. ... Thoroughly wash the affected area using soap and water.Apply a cold compress to help reduce swelling.Take over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen (Advil).Contact a pharmacist.More items...•
Can you put hand sanitizer on a bee sting?
After you remove the stinger, sterilize the area with hand sanitizer liquid or soap and warm water. Mix salt and water together to form a thick paste. Next, apply the healing paste to the sting. You can also use a paste composed of baking soda and water.
How long do I leave baking soda on a bee sting?
To help reduce the pain and itching, consider the following:Apply a paste of baking soda and water and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes.Apply a paste of nonseasoned meat tenderizer and water and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes.Apply a wet tea bag and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes.More items...
Is coconut oil good for bee stings?
When coconut oil is applied to bites or stings, it forms a thin layer that protects the cut from dust and bacteria. With its anti-bacterial properties, you can rest assured that you are getting some much needed protection from any germs trying to take advantage of a little opening into your body!
What is the best way to treat a bee sting?
Essential oils. A number of essential oils have antiseptic, antibacterial, or antifungal properties. Though essential oils have long been used in home remedies, there is little high-quality evidence to suggest that any can relieve the pain or swelling of a bee sting. The following oils are often used in home remedies:
How to get rid of a bee sting?
Share on Pinterest. Ice can reduce pain and swelling. Immediately after a bee sting, wash the area thoroughly to remove any remaining bee venom. Then, apply ice to reduce pain and swelling: wrap an ice pack, or a bag of ice or frozen vegetables in a cloth. place the bundle against the site of the sting.
What is the best way to relieve a severe allergic reaction?
Some alternative home remedies include honey, aloe vera, and calamine lotion. Still, it is important to be able to identify signs of a severe allergic reaction.
How to stop stinging pain from bees?
Removing the stinger and its venom sac from the skin will prevent further irritation. Below, we describe home remedies that relieve swelling and pain caused by bee stings and explore related research: 1. Ice. Share on Pinterest. Ice can reduce pain and swelling.
How long does it take for a bee sting to go away?
In most cases, people can easily treat bee stings at home. The pain and swelling around the site of a sting will usually go away in a few days without treatment. In the meantime, home remedies can reduce discomfort and speed the healing process. However, if a person has an allergic reaction ...
How to stop itching from a bee sting?
Calamine lotion. People often use calamine lotion to relieve itchy skin, and it may also help reduce pain and itching caused by a sting from a bee or wasp. If the site of the sting becomes itchy, try rubbing on a little calamine lotion. It is available for purchase in health stores or online. 5.
What happens if you get a bee sting?
If a person has an allergic reaction to a bee sting, they may develop anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening reaction that requires medical attention. A person who has any of the following symptoms after a bee sting should receive emergency medical attention: hives.
How to treat a bee sting?
Otherwise, there are several things you can try at home to alleviate bee sting symptoms. Here are the top 5 home remedies for bee stings: 1. Use a Cold Compress.
How to stop a bee sting from hurting?
Simply apply a small amount of honey to the affected area, cover the sting with a loose bandage, and leave the bandage on for up to an hour. 4. Utilize Meat Tenderizer.
Do honey bees die after stinging?
Note that honeybees are the only type of bee that die after they sting, while wasps and other specials do not lose their stingers and can sting multiple times. After washing the sting site with soap and water, apply a cold compress to help reduce the pain and swelling.
Do you need to see a doctor for a bee sting?
When You Should See a Doctor. Remember most bee stings do not require a visit to the doctor, but there are individuals who are highly allergic to the venomous toxin in a bee sting. If you are allergic to bees, the stings can not only be problematic but life threatening.
Does toothpaste help with bee stings?
While this might sound unusual, toothpaste is actually one of the top home remedies for bee stings! While it has never been scientifically proven toothpaste helps bee stings, many folks claim alkaline toothpaste helps to neutralize honeybee venom. Therefore, just dab a bit on the affected area to try this unique home remedy.
What to use on a bee sting site?
honey: some folks swear that the use of honey on the site helps. toothpaste: applied to site gives relief for bee stings but not wasp. meat tenderizer applied to sting site. Apple Cider Vinegar applied to site for 30 minutes. wet aspirin applied to sting site.
Is it normal to have a bee allergy?
Local reactions (swelling, redness, itching) are normal. They resolve themselves as long as no infection occurs. Severe bee allergy reactions are systemic. Affecting parts of the body away from the sting site, they are life threatening. Difficulty breathing and a drop in blood pressure can occur.
Can a wasp sting multiple times?
Wasps inject a smaller amount of venom but can sting multiple times. If you think you may be allergic to insect stings, always have a talk with your doctor. Carry an epi-pen or whatever safety precautions are advised. Do not attempt home treatment for bee stings if you are having allergic reactions!
Can bee stings cause swelling?
All stings hurt and may cause swelling and pain. Chemically, bee venom and wasp venom are different but cause similar skin reactions. A person can be allergic to one and not another. However, some people are allergic to both types of venom. Bees inject a lot of venom in one event.
Is it dangerous to sting a bee?
While it sure does hurt, a couple of stings are not usually dangerous-unless you are allergic to the venom. Also, keep in mind that not all stinging insects are bees. Wasps and hornets sting too! While it may not matter to you at the time, each type of insect has different venom.
Do bees have pain?
In many cases, beekeepers experience less pain and swelling from stings over time. For some, this represents less effects from venom over the years. Other beekeepers have pain and swelling from their stings early in the season and less so later in Summer.
Can you get relief from a bee sting?
Bee Sting Relief. Bee stings hurt and that is a fact, But the good news is, you may already have some effective home remedies for bee stings in your kitchen cabinets. That’s great because if you experience a sting, you want relief fast!
How to get rid of a bee sting?
2. Ice : Wrap an ice cube in a handkerchief, and place it on the sting area for at least 20 minutes. This will give relief from the inflammation, caused due to the bee sting. 3.
How to prevent bee stings?
How to Prevent a Bee Sting 1 Don’t wear bright-coloured or floral-printed clothes. 2 Keep a distance from a bee hive. 3 Avoid wearing perfume or utilizing scented products, if you are going in a bee hive area. 4 Leave the area immediately if you are stung by a bee as other bees may also reach the place.
What to do if a bee sting is tingling?
2. Cantharis : If a bee sting develops red painful blisters along with intense burning sensation, this remedy is best suited. 3. Aconitum napellus : This remedy can be taken if a bee sting is accompanied by symptoms, such as a burning pain along with a tingling sensation and swelling in the area. 4.
What is the best homeopathic treatment for a bee sting?
1. Apis mellifica : This is an effective homeopathic remedy to treat a bee sting if it is causing a lot of burning and stinging sensation to the area along with a reddish swelling. Apis is useful in reducing the swelling very quickly.
How to stop bee sting pain?
Apply Hydrocortisone Cream : This is one of the most effective home remedies for bee sting pain. This cream is easily available in the market and gives relief from the pain, swelling and itching, caused due to the bee sting. 17.
Why does my skin swell up after a bee sting?
The main cause behind the pain and swelling due to a bee sting is the protein in its venom, which affects the skin cells as well as the immune system. If a person is allergic to a bee sting, then it might create serious problems to the immune system.
Can a bee sting cause nausea?
Hives & itching in other parts of the body. Swelling in the throat or tongue. Nausea or vomiting. Dizziness. Unconsciousness. The bee sting can be not only unpleasant, but quite dangerous.
2. Honey
Honey's soothing properties help to ease the pain and swelling of a bee sting.
4. Home Remedies for Bee Stings: Baking Soda
A baking soda paste can help to reduce pain, swelling, and itching by neutralizing the bee’s venom.
6. Bee Sting Home Remedy: Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial and so works well to reduce swelling and itchiness.
7. Essential Oils
Essential oils are antibacterial and antiseptic, so can be used for bee stings.
What Happens When a Bee Stings You?
When a bee stings you, it jabs its stinger, also known as a ‘barbed’ stinger, into your skin. This releases venom-containing proteins that attack the immune system and skin cells, causing heat, swelling, and pain in the affected area.
How to detox from a bee sting?
A natural detox occurs by drinking plenty of water to rid the body of venom. Try to drink at least eight glasses of water a day while you are recovering from the bee sting.
How to get rid of poison stings?
Toothpaste is also an easily accessible solution, which has glycerin. Glycerin speeds up the process of drying the poison. A small bout of toothpaste can be directly put on the sting. This will also help to reduce the itching and inflammation of the affected area.
What to do after a bee stinger is removed?
After the stinger is removed, an ice pack or any frozen pack can be applied to the area. Often used for other cases of swelling and sores, the ice pack works numb pain whilst taking away the itch. It also helps in reducing the spread of bee poison to the rest of the body.
How to get rid of a sting from a potato?
Potato pieces can be put on the sting to speed up healing. Put the inside of the potato slice on the affected area. Hold the potato slice on the affected area to reduce inflammation.
What is the name of the water that neutralizes poison?
Limewater, also labeled choona, can be obtained from lime and neutralizes the poison in one’s body. The limewater can be applied directly onto the sting and allowed to settle on the sting.
How long does it take for onion to heal?
Slices of onion can be applied on the sting, as the enzymes in onions help take venomous fluid out. If onion slices are placed on the skin for about an hour maximum healing is assured.
How to get rid of numbness in a swollen ear?
To use this home remedy, fill a bathtub with warm water. Add between one and two cups of Epsom salt in the water. Soak the affected area in this bathwater for at least fifteen minutes.
Honey
It’s been known that honey has medicinal properties for thousands of years. According to Medical News Today, honey has a compound in it that will reduce inflammation. Not only that, but these antibacterial compounds can even help to speed up healing and prevent infection of the sting site.
Aloe vera
Keeping an aloe vera plant in your house may be a good idea. Aloe vera is a well-known remedy for cooling off the skin and helping to reduce pain. Healthline suggests that if you have an aloe vera plant in your home, simply break off one of the leaves, and then squeeze the gel onto the affected site.
Baking soda
According to Oak Brook Allergists, baking soda is a good way to help reduce pain while also helping to reduce bee venom. It also can help with the itching and swelling that comes along with a bee sting. They suggest mixing baking soda with water until it makes a paste. After that, apply liberally to the affected area.
Apply a cold pack
The American Academy of Dermatologists advises that by applying a cold pack from the freezer, it will help to reduce swelling and pain from a bee sting. The nice and cold ice pack will cool down the area that the sting is in. It is prudent to make sure, though, that any redness or swelling isn’t moving anywhere, in any other part of the body.
Oatmeal bath
Everyday Health suggests taking an oatmeal bath as a way to soothe the area. This is especially true if your child was stung multiple times in multiple areas. The oatmeal will help them feel better by cooling off and soothing the skin in the area it was stung.
Tea tree oil
According to CareSpot, tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and may decrease the pain from the sting. To use this method, you will want to use a carrier oil instead of just putting the essential oil right onto the skin. Good carrier oils are olive, grapeseed, and coconut.
How to treat a sting from a sting?
Honey has been used for generations to soothe pain and reduce infection from minor skin wounds, including stings. Spread a thin coat to the skin. If it drips or smears, cover it in plastic wrap.
What is the best way to kill a stinger?
The paste made of these ingredients will disinfect the wound, and the enzyme in the meat tenderizer breaks down the venom. Spread the paste over the sting and cover it with a damp cloth .
How long does a bee sting last?
Six Home Remedies for Wasp and Bee Stings. It’s amazing how much pain a small insect can cause. The area around the sting swells up, the pain lasts for hours, and the itching can last for days. In this situation, you want immediate relief.
How to get rid of a stinger on a sandbox?
First Aid. First, inspect the site of the sting. If the stinger is still in there, try using the edge of a credit card or butter knife to gently scrape it out. Next, wash the area with soap and water and gently pat it dry. It’s probably quite painful by now, so take a look at what home remedies you have available.
How to stop bee stings from hurting?
Once you're in a safe place and have removed the stinger (if necessary), clean the area with soap and water. It'll hurt, but this is important for preventing infection. Bee stings almost always cause a local reaction (at the site of the sting), even in people who aren't allergic to them.
What to do if you have been stung by a bee?
If you've previously had anaphylaxis after a bee sting, you should always carry an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen) with you in case you're stung again. This can stop the reaction and keep you alive. If you witness anaphylaxis in someone else, use any EpiPen that's available along with calling 9-1-1. 2.
What to do if you witness anaphylaxis?
If you witness anaphylaxis in someone else, use any EpiPen that's available along with calling 9-1-1. 2. Most people only find out they're allergic to bee stings after they've been stung, making it a surprising and frightening situation.
What happens when a bee stings you?
When females of certain bee species sting you, they leave behind a barbed stinger attached to a venom sack. The stinger can continue injecting venom into your body until it's removed, so it's important to remove the stinger right away. (Males, females from other species, yellow jackets, hornets, and wasps do not leave stingers behind, ...
How to get rid of a stinger?
Especially if the skin around the sting is loose, pull it tight to get a better look and make it more accessible. Then, pinch or scrape the stinger to pull it out. Act quickly, because the longer it pumps in venom, the more the sting will hurt. It also increases the risk of an allergic reaction.
How to get rid of venom stings?
You can apply this one in a couple of ways: Soak a cloth in vinegar and apply it to the sting. Soak the stung body part in a water and vinegar solution. Give this treatment about 15 minutes.
What happens if you get stung by a bee?
Anyone who's stung will generally experience: 1. Sudden intense pain. Swelling around the sting. Redness and itchiness around the sting. Whether or not you're allergic to bees, it's important to take the right steps immediately after a sting. Verywell / JR Bee.