Getting stung by a bee is no fun and the discomfort can be an initial smart pinch that dissipates quickly or pain can increase and linger on for a few hours.
Here is a bunch of household applications that should help bring fast, soothing relief as well as some interesting tips and bits of info to learn more about the effects of a sting and what to watch for.
Most remedies should provide quick results and the ingredients are pretty basic for the most part so you should be able to find least one or two in the pantry.
Initial Treatment: First ensure the stinger is removed (look for a black spot in the skin), do this immediately as it can reduce the amount of venom released into the body.
At one time it was thought that you had to scrape it out (with something like a blunt knife or plastic edge–a plastic spoon or credit card will do the trick) but you can effectively use tweezers to pull it out. Do so carefully so you don’t release more venom into the wound.
Wash the skin with soap and water, pat dry then try a remedy or treatment below for pain relief. Technically it’s only a sting but I also used bite below to describe the injured area.
Quick & Easy Remedies
- Make a paste of meat tenderizer and water or baking soda and water–apply to bite.
- Sprinkle generously with baking soda then drizzle some drops of vinegar over the baking soda so it fizzes. Leave on skin until soreness is gone.
- Cover with a dot of mustard.
- Slather on a thick paste made of meat tenderizer and vinegar.
- Cover with honey and reapply as needed for pain.
- Dab with a generous amount of toothpaste and leave on the wound (paste seems to be more effective than the gel).
- Use ice or an ice pack.
- Soak in Epsom salt and water or make paste with it.
- Slather on Aloe Vera.
- Chew a plantain leaf then apply the macerated leaf to wound area.
- Crush fresh parsley and apply.
- Crush fresh basil leaves.
- Drizzle apple cider vinegar over it.
- Cover with a slice of fresh papaya.
- Dab on a bit of deodorant.
Symptoms To Watch For
A normal reaction is to experience pain and itchiness, redness and swelling. Discomfort will last for a few hours then slowly dissipate or disappear all at once.
If the following occurs, seek medical attention:
- If stung inside nose or mouth (swelling will affect breathing).
- If you were stung several times by a swarm of bees.
- If you have difficulty breathing or your breathing seems to have been affected in some way.
- Tongue begins to swell.
- You experience dizziness.
- Blurry vision.
- Nauseous.
- Your speech is slurred or you find it difficult to talk.
- Hives or a rash appears (especially in an area away from the wound).
- The site swells alarmingly large.
If the reaction seems severe (especially if breathing is affected), don’t hesitate to call medical emergency services as the victim may be experiencing an allergic reaction that can trigger anaphylactic shock.
Tips & Advice
Simple logic: To avoid being stung, avoid attracting them. Bright clothing, fragrances from hair sprays, perfumes and cosmetic products as well as sweet foods like soda pop, fruits and syrups can attract bees.
If you don’t appear to be aggressive or startle them–chances are they won’t bother you. If one lands on you or is near you, hold still until it loses interest and flies away. Rapid movement and swatting will signal them that you’re ready for a fight so if you’re going to scream with arms flailing–make sure you outrun it ;).
- Tip: If one lands on you, blowing gently on it will help convince it that it’s time to move along.
Did you know: Pickings are slim in the Fall when bees are busy looking for flowers, fruits and plants that haven’t yet died off or harvested for the season. When you’re wearing bright clothing and smelling pretty while much of the vegetation they depend on are gone, it might think he hit the jackpot with the largest, loveliest flower of all (you).
Why Do They Die After Stinging?
The stinger is torn from its body and left in the victim’s skin (it’s the tool that releases the venom). It basically disembowels the poor critter and it cannot survive. Because of this, they will only attack when they feel a threat (to themselves, their hive or to the queen bee).
Even though they can be intimidating, they are very much needed to help our plants and flowers flourish (and to make delicious honey for us to enjoy).
Please Note: None of the information above is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, it’s provided for general knowledge purposes only.
I was stung by a wasp last weekend on my ankle, and tried the soda and water. didn’t seem to work very well, but may have helped some. I then put some nosporin with pain releif on it and it took the pain away. now a week later, it is itchy an swollen. I put ice on it, and the swelling has gone down some, but still itches like crazy. Any suggestions for a week later flair up?
Lori S, what did you end up doing? I was stung by a bee today on my ankle and applied my baking soda paste and everything was okay. I even participated at the afternoon bbq with no problems. Came home went to bed and woke up just after midnight in extreme pain! I can barely walk from the pain. It feels like the bone is broken the pain is that bad! So, I too had a delayed reaction. I don’t want to go to hospital over a bee sting creating severe pain-how many days does the pain last? I have not been stung since 1980 and know I had a severe swelling then and was told by mom that I was allergic but I am not having problems breathing or even itching yet…just severe pain. I have a disability that causes chronic pain so I am used to pain but, this is different pain-I’m going to try to wash it again with soap and water and try some honey on it? Any suggestions as to when to go to the doctor for pain after the fact?
Thanks~
Lori D
I have been applying my ACE cold pak for about 20 mins at a time. Wrapping it on with a large ace bandage so that it doesn’t come in contact with my skin and won’t fall off. Then put in freezer for half hour and apply again-nothing is working and I’m a grown woman about to cry over a sting due to the pain! Am actually limping and moaning about the pain…someone help please! Still no breathing problems or nausea now just severe pain. no itching even at this point. I’ve applied antibiotic cream and even some lidocaine cream to numb it but nothiing is working so far for the bone pain.
Thanks in advance for any response.
Lori D.
I was mowing at a girls camp and did not have any of the above listed items, however in my truck was a can of windshield de-icer in an aerosol can, I sprayed it on the sting and it was cold for a second then all the pain of the sting left instantly.
I got stung on the arch of my foot. The pain was awful! It hurt all day long. I found a home remedy where you mix apple cidar vinager and baking soda til you get a paste. I applied it on the bottom of my foot and it took the pain away about a minute later! Today is the second day and my foot is itching like crazy. I applied baking soda and water mix (paste) and it took some of the itching away. Personally, I think baking soda and vinager works the best.
Okay peeps for any1 getting stung below ur belt u have to elevate the site above ur heart to get the swelling to go down and ice it… This is for during and after the fact of being stung, now the only way any of the remedies will work good is if u do them within like15-30 mins of being stung but the sooner the better. Was told this by doctor once after being stung and it worked to help the heat and swelling go down because after getting stung on the knee within less than 2days I couldn’t even put a shoe on…
Bee sting remedy that actually works:
Ingredient list: a hot raw onion (the kind that makes you cry when cut — vidalia or sweet onions don’t work), vinegar (I use raw apple cider vinegar), baking soda.
Mince (chop finely) raw onion and add equal portions of vinegar and baking soda. Apply poultice to sting sites. Relief will be almost instant. Reapply poultice when pain returns or worsens. Reapply after evening bath and apply fresh poultice in morning if needed.
a couple of odd remedies that i have found to work are;
chewing tobacco, placed on sting site and left their for a while(till swelling goes down to a tolerable level) learned this while working on a backhoe crew.
this does work i just got nailed before i got off work and posting this but when i got home the area was fairly swollen and after i put it on the sting site(got some from room roommate who chews) my hand started to reduce in swelling and after 20 min. i could start to flex me hand a bit
a lemon, pressed into and then pulled away from sting site.(old Indian remedy a customer told me about)
note. i am allergic to bees and i hate going to the doctor so i am willing to try any thing to see if it works and both of these do(or at least for me), also i back up any bee sting with benadryl.
note 2. i create a rules for my self involving bees;
1 sting i am fine
2 stings i should worry
3 stings or more i am going to hospital or calling 911 as necessary.
You can use tweezers on a bee sting but you have to have good eyes and make sure you do not squeeze the gland on the end which is filled with venom. Someone who is highly allergic would get worse when all the venom is injected. I recently learned this December 2013 @college.
I have been keeping bees for years. The sting usually goes away pretty quick no matter what you do, even if you do nothing. Any of the above “first aid” advice will distract your mind for a few minutes. Ice will help with the swelling as it does with any swelling eg sprained ankle. And some sort of disinfectant so it does not get infected. eg saline, or alcohol swipe. If you feel the pain/itching is severe, or is staying for too long, go see a doctor.
I had a bee sting a month back. There is no pain but a black spot of .5cm has developed around it. What to do
I hate bees, I got stunged 15 min ago and it hurt very bad, what can a put on for the burning?
Listerine works great! Pour it on and there will be no swelling or pain.
My daughter is 4 year old she was noted by wasp on hand but swelling appear on whole arm and allergy also .please reply me how to treat her . thanks for reply.
Yesterday I had a bee sting below my let eye. What I did, I first removed the bee stinger and then washed my face with water and soap. But the itching did not go and after some time my face looked swollen.please suggest me wat to do??
I wanted to pass along that straight ammonia on a bee sting will work as well. If it works on you, it will immediately stop the stinging. When my daughter was little she came into the house crying over a sting and I remembered the ammonia remedy, I applied it with a paper towel and she immediately stopped crying!
You can use tweezers on a bee sting but they have a sack on the end if their stinger filled with more venom so the more venom would squirt out in the the affected area and make it worse so I’d you use a plastic card like credit card or whatever you have it will not squeeze the venom into your affected areaall you do it scrape it gently across where the stinger is and it will come out easily