How to Treat a Bee Sting

 Steps

1. Remove the stinger. (Only honey bees leave the stinger and poison gland; yellow jackets, wasps, and hornets do not.) Scrape it out gently with a fingernail or edge of a credit card. Don't squeeze the sac or pull on the stinger. You run the risk of squeezing the sac on its exposed end and releasing more venom. Don't waste much time looking for a credit card, or analyzing the sting - the important thing is to act swiftly and stop the stinger from pumping venom into the skin.
2. Look for symptoms of an allergic reaction:[1]  
   • Difficulty breathing
   • Hives that appear as a red, itchy rash and spread to areas beyond the sting
   • Swelling of the face, throat or mouth tissue
   • Wheezing or difficulty swallowing
   • Restlessness and anxiety
   • Rapid pulse
   • Dizziness or a sharp drop in blood pressure
   If the symptoms are present, seek emergency medical attention. Take an antihistamine as soon as possible and be ready to use the epinephrine part of an emergency allergy kit, if it has been prescribed in the past.[2] See How to Use an Epipen.
3. Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief.[2]
4. Wash the sting site with soap and water.
5. Apply one of the following remedies, ordered from most effective to least effective.[3]

 Remedies

1. Apply ice wrapped in fabric to the bee sting for 20 minutes.
2. The symptoms should disappear almost immediately, and stop bothering you for about 5 hours before you need to reapply. The coldness constricts blood vessels (which slows the flow of venom-tainted blood) and numbs the pain and itching. And ice is practically free![3]

1. Apply toothpaste on the bee sting. The tingling action will make you feel like you're scratching the itch, which is relieving.[3]
2. Wait 15 minutes for the symptoms to be alleviated
3. Reapply in 5 hours.

1. Mix vinegar, baking soda, and meat tenderizer into a paste.
   • Meat tenderizer contains an enzyme called papain that can break down toxins in bee venom.
   • This mixture will make you smell like an antipasto sampler.
2. Apply it to the bee sting. It will fizz.
3. Wait 20 minutes for the symptoms to subside; they should disappear about an hour after application.[3]
4. Reapply after several hours.

1. Apply a calamine lotion with analgesic (e.g. Caladryl). You'll start feeling a soothing tingle.
2. Wait 45 minutes for the symptoms to be relieved.
3. Reapply 4 hours later. The symptoms will return suddenly, unlike with other remedies.[3]

1. Apply maximum strength hydrocortisone cream on the sting site. It'll dry visibly white.
2. Expect the symptoms to be slightly relieved.[3]
3. Reapply after four hours, when the symptom return full-force.

1. Apply honey on the sting.
2. Expect the cool and soothing sensation to alleviate the symptoms slightly for 30 minutes.[3]

1. Apply an antihistamine cream to the bee sting. Most creams are odorless and dry invisibly, which can be beneficial depending on your situation.
2. Expect the symptoms to be relieved slightly for about 30 minutes to an hour.[3]

1. Rub the stick against the bee sting. The Benzocaine deadens nerve endings, and the sticks are convenient to carry, although the relief is fleeting.
2. Expect slight relief for 15 minutes.[3]

1. Apply a deodorant (such as Ban Roll-On) on the site.
2. Expect for the symptoms to be displaced, rather than relieved. The area immediately surrounding the sting will be soothed, but the area surrounding that might get worse.[3]

1. Rub raw onion on your sting at your own risk.
2. Prepare for the possibility that the symptoms will get worse, and you'll smell.[3] You might need these articles:
   • How to Chop Onions Without Tears
   • How to Remove Onion Smell From Hands

1. Apply dampened tobacco to the sting.
2. Don't be surprised if the symptoms don't improve at all.[3]

 Video

 Tips

• If it's been 10 years since your last tetanus booster shot, make an appointment with a doctor to get one.[2]

 Warnings

• You may become allergic to stings even if you have not had reactions to stings in the past. Previous stings without incident does not mean you will never have an anaphylatic reaction. Typically once you have a reaction you will continue to be allergic. Your reaction may also depend on the type of bee that stings you. Some are allergic to wasps but not honey bees.
• Consult your physician if you are noticing more severe symptoms to stings. Your physician may want to prescribe an Epinephrine pen for you to carry with you in the event you are stung again. The Epi-Pens are preloaded shots with medication to treat anaphylaxis.

 Related wikiHows

• How to Treat a Stingray Sting
• How to Cure Insect Stings
• How to Treat a Fire Ant Sting
• How to Treat a Sting from a Stinging Nettle

 Sources and Citations

• Dave-Cushman.net - Source of images, shared with permission from Dave Cushman.

1. â  http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/insect-stings
2. â  2.0 2.1 2.2 http://firstaid.webmd.com/bee-and-wasp-stings-treatment
3. â  3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 http://www.slate.com/id/2088863/

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