How to Treat a Bee Sting At Home

Acne On The Scalp

How much a bee sting will hurt will depend on several factors, such as the kind of bee that you were stung by, where you were stung, and each person’s sensitivity to the venom that the particular bee uses. Bee stings can be painful or dangerous. Some people are highly allergic to bee venom and approximately 40 to 50 people are fatally injured by bee stings every year.

To treat a bee sting at home first find the stinger in your skin. If you do not locate this, the stinger will continue to slowly release venom and make the situation much worse. Sometimes the stinger can be scraped off or removed by the use of tweezers. You will need to work around the bee sting location and pinch it to get the stinger to work its way above the skin. You may be able to then grab it out with tweezers.

The area of the sting itself will be sore and painful. You can use cold compresses to soothe the area and reduce the inflammation. Mix water and baking soda to make a thick paste. Instead of water, the baking soda may be combined with vinegar, which will tend to draw out some of poison. Apply this paste to the area on and around the sting. It helps to reduce the inflammation and the pain.

Chewing tobacco can also be applied over the area which was stung. Many people throw a few sprinkles of meat tenderizer over the affected area, as this will combat any swelling or pain. Honey is a natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory. Apply some over the area which was stung to reduce the redness and pain.

An allergy to bee stings can precipitate anaphylactic shock. Symptoms include weakness, confusion, hives, labored breathing, wheezing, hypotension, a loss of consciousness, dizziness, and/or seizure activity. Swelling is also noted with common areas being the head and the neck. This can occur within a few minutes, sometimes even seconds, of being stung. Anaphylactic reactions are a medical emergency and require a trip to the hospital. With each concurrent bad reaction to a bee sting your body will react more violently the next time. In other words, although your past reaction may have only been some swelling and dizziness, with the next bee sting you could lose consciousness and die.

Bee stings can occur when you least expect them. Bees can be found inside buildings when they get in through the vent systems or the front door. If you have an allergy to bee stings, carry your epinephrine injection pen with you at all times and always call for emergency care if stung. If you are not allergic to bee stings, take care to treat the area after a sting and remember that you can develop an allergy to bee and wasp stings at any time in your lifetime.