How to treat bee stings if it’s happening to you? For most people, bee stings are nothing serious. You may feel temporary pain, swelling or redness but that’s about it. If you are allergic to bees or get stung multiple times, it can be more dangerous. It may even prove fatal. When a honeybee stings you, their stinger is typically released into your skin. This ultimately kills the honeybee.

The only type of bee that dies after it stings you is a honeybee. Wasps and other types of bees can sting more than once, meaning they won’t die from the sting. If a bee stings you, it leaves behind a toxin that sometimes causes pain and other symptoms. Some people are allergic to this substance which can lead to severe reactions. Mild allergic reactions may cause a red, swollen sting site.

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Bee Stings Causes

In some cases, severe allergic reactions may cause:

• hives
• pale skin
• severe itching on body parts
• difficulty in breathing
• rapid pulse
• nausea & vomiting
• diarrhea
• dizziness
• loss of consciousness

If you experience any signs of anaphylactic shock, immediately seek emergency help. You may be having a severe allergic reaction to the sting.

How to treat bee stings at home?

Unless you have a severe allergic reaction, you can generally treat a bee sting at home. If a honeybee stings you, remove the stinger immediately with the edge of your fingernail or credit card edge. This cuts down on the amount of toxins released into your skin

The area where the sting should be washed with soap and water. It is important to ice the site in order to prevent venom from being absorbed. If you do not, you will see numbness and swelling on the site.

Here are some home remedies which may help ease symptoms:

1. Honey

Honey has documented benefits for wound healing, pain relief, and itch.

Honey is very effective for treating bee stings. Apply a small amount to the area and secure it with a loose bandage. Leave on for up to an hour.

2. Baking soda

A paste made of baking soda and water helps to neutralize the pain, itchiness, and swelling caused by bee stings.

Put a thick layer of baking soda paste on the affected area. Cover with a bandage and leave in place for at least 15 minutes, reapplying if needed.

3. Apple cider vinegar

There is a belief from some people that vinegar can neutralize bee venom.

Place the sting site in a basin of diluted apple cider vinegar for at least 15 minutes. You can also soak a cloth or bandage in the vinegar and apply it to the sting site.

4. Toothpaste

The reason for this is unclear and the scientific research available on the internet does not provide a conclusive answer. It’s possible that some toothpaste may neutralize acidic honeybee venom, but we can’t be sure. Wasp venom is alkaline and thus, it would neutralize rather than activate any baking soda in toothpastes.

Either way, toothpaste is an easy home remedy to treat the affected area. Simply dab a bit on the specific spot.

5. Wet aspirin tablet

A popular home remedy for reducing the pain & swelling of a bee sting is to apply a wet aspirin or aspirin paste to the sting site.
There have been several studies on the effectiveness of aspirin for bee and wasp stings. These show that It does not make symptoms of a sting worse, but it also doesn’t help improve redness or swelling.

6. Herbs and oils

The following herbs are known to have wound-healing properties. They may help relieve symptoms if you’ve been stung by a bee:

• Aloe vera gel is an excellent remedy for burns, soothing the skin and relieving pain. Just break off a leaf from your aloe vera plant and squeeze the gel onto the area you want to apply it to.
• Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic which can relieve the pain of bee stings. Mix with a carrier oil and apply to the sting site.

Additional Tips while handling Honey Bees

Some helpful tips to keep in mind while handling honey bees are:

• If you are in a situation where bees are flying around, try to stay calm. Protect vulnerable parts of your body like your nose, mouth and walk away slowly.
• Avoid hitting and whacking at bees which may make them angry and attack you as a way of self-defence.
• Do not rub the infected area too vigorously as it will only spread the infection and make the wound worse.
• Consider using a professional to remove beehives around your home as a safety precaution.
• If a bee stings you on your arm or leg, try leaving it in an elevated position to reduce the symptoms.

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References

• 6 Home Remedies for Bee Stings (2022).
• 8 Effective Home Remedies to Treat Bee Stings Naturally (2022).