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What To Do For A Bee Sting

Over the weekend, I was at a park with our boys when I felt a colossal wave of pain hit one of the toes of my right foot. After scrambling to get my sandal off, I looked inside to find a bee that was curled up and unable to move.

Fortunately, I knew not to try to pluck the bee's stinger out with my fingers, and ended up feeling fine within a couple of hours.

So, courtesy of my first-ever bee sting and notes from my first aid and emergency care class in chiropractic school from the mid-90's, some thoughts to keep in mind in case you or a loved one is stung by a bee:

If you're stung by a honey bee, try to find the stinger. Honey bees don't always leave their stingers behind, but they often do. The sooner you get a stinger out, the less you'll suffer.

If you're able to locate the stinger, take the edge of a firm surface, like a credit card or even a finger nail and try to brush or scrape the stinger off.

Stingers shouldn't be removed with forceps or with a pinch of your fingers because compressing the attached sac of venom is likely to worsen the injury.

If you can see the end of the stinger but can't access it, try using a fingernail to press down into your skin about half an inch away - sometimes, this will allow the tissues surrounding the stinger to relax a bit and allow the stinger to rise enough to scrape it away (this is a commonly used technique to remove an acupuncture needle that muscle fibers have contracted around).

Once you're relatively sure that you don't have a stinger in your skin, gently wash the area with cold water and soap. If pain persists after running cold water over the injured site, apply a cold or ice pack (wrapped in a thin towel or cloth) for five to fifteen minutes, or until the area feels numb. Repeat cold or ice pack application in this manner once every couple of hours until discomfort subsides.

Wasps and bumble bees don't tend to leave their stingers behind. If you're ever stung by a wasp or bumble bee, simply clean the punctured site with cold water and soap, then use an ice or cold pack as directed above.

In all cases, be on the lookout for signs of an allergic reaction. The most common signs of an allergic reaction to a bee or wasp sting are:

  • Hives
  • Noticeable swelling surrounding the site of injury
  • Lightheadedness or fainting

Sometimes, an allergic reaction to a bee or wasp sting can result in respiratory distress. If you experience trouble breathing after getting stung, it's best to seek medical attention immediately.

The mouth and throat regions are sometimes stung by bees or wasps that have made their way into drink containers. Getting stung in the mouth, pharynx, or esophagus can lead to significant respiratory distress, so be mindful of protecting your drinks when outdoors, as accidental ingestion of biting insects is more common than one would think.

The take-home message here is to remember not to pluck a stinger out with tweezers or your fingertips. Where there's a stinger in the flesh, try to scrape it off.

If you have any thoughts on this topic that you'd like to share with others, please use the comments section below. Thank you.

 
 

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Comments

Heard not to long ago that if you put a penney on top of a sting it will take away the pain. I tried this on an insect bite and it helped but once the penny is removed the stinging came back. I just covered the penny with a bandaid to hold in place. Takes apx 15 to feel result. Something to do with the copper. Hope this helps others. Love and Gratitude.

Next to the other good recommendations, Vitamin C might help, especially when allergic.
see http://www.doctoryourself.com/allergies.html

In my 30s, while living on an Arkansas farm, I always used vitamin C powder, pure ascorbic acid. This worked within five minutes or less to relieve all pain and swelling, when made into a paste with a drop or two of water. However, in recent years I've only been able to find vitamin C crystals and they don't seem to work. Does anybody know why the powder doesn't seem to be around, and why the crystals don't work so well?

Hi,

I don't know about the crystals, I could imagine a cristal is harder to dissolve and thus doesn't absorb as well.. Why not try pulverising them to powder in a blender? Or with some water to a drink.
Also I've heard good things about liposomal vitamin C, it is supposed to absorb really well into the body. Perhaps it's possible to make your own liposomes by blendering the vitamin C powder or crystals with water and olive oil.. It couldn't hurt to try :-)

-Rudolf.

For a bee or wasp sting, remove stinger and place a wet poltice of pipe tobacco on site. It will remove pain and swelling immediately. This is an old Indian remedy and it works every single time.

Three things I know work, depending on the person and their own body chemistry. 1. vinegar, take sting out of spider bites too on some people. 2. baking soda moistnend with milk
3. I am a fan of magnets. For pain and muscled relief we have used Nikken magnets. Magnets draw . Put a bandaid over bite, put the magnet over that and itching stops and it draws the poison. I have done this with burns that got infected...any sore that looks like it is getting red, put the topical antibiotic cream on, cover, magent over that. After several hours, let it be in air, re apply if itching occurs.

The penny idea is new to me--I like ammonia- just a drop after flicking out stinger. The only time I was stung was when I stepped on a bee--never walked barefoot in our yard again--That night, I went into labor--I wasn't early but... I still wonder if that little bee juice helped me along!!

The BEST thing we have ever found for a bee sting is Standard Process's Chlorophyll Ointment. Yes, it turns the area green, but it is pure, natural goodness that helps both pain and healing. Only sold through professionals, but worth it!

homeopathic med arnica ..keep some on hand ..there are the tiny tablets, and there's a cream

<strong> APIS MELLIFICA is the homoeopathic medicine prepared from the bee's sting fluid.</strong>

This medicine if given every six months can reduce the reactions and make the stings more tolerable, in case one is stung. This is especially useful for pets that are outside and exposed to the bees.

Consult a homoeopath for the correct potency and dosage.

Its been a long time since I've had to suffer a bee sting but I read a great remedy this weekend. Keep some meat tenderizer on hand for this type of sting. Make it into a paste and apply (after removing the stinger). Apparently the meat tenderizer has papain which breaks down the poison. I also make sure I always have benedryl on hand, as well.

As bee keepers, we often used meat tenderizer. It worked well for us. Recently, I've had campers here at Bethel Camp tell me they use Mustard (just regular yellow mustard) to help with the pain. Another person recommended baking soda.

An absolutely wonderful remedy that I have discovered is to lather up a bee sting immediately with organic Lavender oil. In a matter of five minutes the sting is no longer painful and the swelling is completely gone. ( I have even seen a sting or two that you could no longer find the site of, 5 - 10 minutes after applying the oil) It works wonders, right out of the bottle non diluted, on all the stings this family has had in the last few yrs of trying it. Works on mosquito bites as well, if you catch them right away...just not AS well. However sometimes you need to re-apply it several times.

I don't go anywhere without a bottle in my purse.

I love essential oils for lots of things. I got stung by a hornet last year and it hurt like crazy! I put peppermint oil on it because that's what I had in my purse. In five minutes the pain was gone and you could hardly even see where I was stung. It wasn't even red. I carry lavender and peppermint from Butterfly Express.

I saw your comment about lavender oil. I have pure lavender oil which I use in my diffuser. Can I apply that?

I was stung by a bee just last week and did the following:
. scraped the stinger with my finger nail.
. applied Desitin (the zinc pulls out the poison -- supposed to
work for black widow and brown recluse bites also)
. After about 10 minutes I removed the desitin and applied an
ice pack for about 20-30 minutes.

Absolutely no pain or swelling occurred after that - I could still
see the sting mark - but no pain or swelling.

Adolph's Meat Tenderizer (the one with papain) will take away the pain almost immediately. I have used this for me, my children and my grandchildren and always keep on hand. I guess it is the enzyme papain that neutralizes the sting. Make sure it has papain listed on the ingredients. Make a paste with water and put in right on the sting.

Applying a paste of baking soda and water helps to quickly remove the pain.

I grew up allergic to bee's. I have since grown out of it, however we used baking soda and vinegar as a paste and let it sit till dry. Perhaps the smell of the vinegar took my mind off the pain. Can't say for sure whether it's better than water or not.

Dr Ben,
Working outside around the horse farm, I tend to get more than my share of bee stings. Immediately upon a sting, I take four to five Serrapeptase and do so evey hour to hour and a half for several hours. Usually after about 4 to 5 hours I no longer have any indications of a sting - no swelling, pain or itching.
I formerly reacted quite a bit to a sting with swelling, pain and itching for several days but not any longer.

I got stung on the top of my head last year by a large hornet. Most pain I ever recall but after a few hours of my Serrapeptase routine, pain, swelling, etc was gone.

Regards,

Olin

Dr. Kim - the last time I was stung by a bee, also on my foot, I too was amazed at how much it hurt . . . and the pain seemed to be increasing. After scraping off the stinger, I decided to put EFT to the test and began a round of tapping - and the pain diminished and then dissipated very quickly. It is such an easy and effective tool.

My neighbour, very into home remedies, insists that quick pain relief can be achieved by using Baking soda (with water=paste) for Bee stings and Vinegar for wasp stings. Her memory tip is matching initial consonants: B's and/or V & W. My mom used mud for my multiple hornet stings when I disturbed a nest as a child. My toddler was stung in the foot, and the hospital said to watch for a red line leading from the sting to indicate blood poison. Happily, these occurences are very infrequent.

My Mom always made a paste of baking soda and water and globbed it on stings. It always worked and they weren't an uncommon thing as I was and still am a barefoot girl alot of the time. I think as well as soothing it also had a drawing effect as it dried. Thanks Dr. Kim for all the info you send.

My father had several hives of bees near our home in Texas we cared for growing up. Everything you mentioned to care for stings is right. Our family would mash up an aspirin tablet or two and make a paste with water and place it on after 'scraping' the sting out. We learned this from a fellow bee-keeper and it does wonders for the pain.

"Stop insect stings and bites from itching by dabbing them with a cotton ball saturated with undiluted white distilled vinegar."

Recently, when my husband had a bee or wasp (we weren't sure which) fly up his shirt and sting him twice on the back, I remembered reading the above regarding vinegar. So, I sprayed some distilled vinegar on the sting site (I keep some in a spray bottle for various applications. Works great on burns too). He ended up having almost no pain at all and forgot all about being stung.
I sure wish we had known to try the vinegar when I stepped on 4 bees in a row and was stung all on one foot as a teen. My foot swelled up so much that I could not wear a shoe for at least a week.
As far as I can remember, that was the last time I was ever stung. Thank goodness, because I never react very well to a bee sting.

Last weekend I was stung by a bee while working in my garden. The bee was floating in my cats water dish
and could not get out, so I rescued him on my finger and got stung while lifting him out of the water. I remembered that lavender was helpful for bites and stings, so I picked some blooming lavender and
rubbed it on the sting, and I also noticed plantain growing nearby and crumpled up a leaf and rubbed that on the sting. After about 5 minutes all the pain was gone .......I did not find a stinger so I think the bee only gave me a "warning sting" before he flew away. I think lavender oil would be good to use if the sting
happened somewhere else than a garden.

A most effective way to deal with bee stings, even ones with a large reaction, is to use the Homeopathic remedy Apis, given in small pellets, by mouth. And Rhus Tox takes care of poison ivy, sumac and such

My mother is "deathly" allergic to bee and wasp stings. A couple of years ago, she was stung and could not access her epipen quickly enough. She sliced an onion and threw it on the sting. She went to a movie instead of the ER for some reason and kept the onion on it for two hours.....it resolved without becoming a big issue! I would not recommend this when someone needs an epi-pen....she was lucky. But others have told me this is a good remedy. She recalled it from her childhood.

Several have mentioned this already, but I'll just throw in my vote for a paste of baking soda and water. Our family has used this for generations with great results.

I was preparing to play tennis with my daughter. We were going to ride our bikes to the court. I placed my hand on the back of my bicyle seat directly over a hornet who was resting there. The sting was between my middle finger and ring finger at the base. I consulted the internet for home remedies and found a "granmother's remedy"--put white flour on the sting. Within two minutes after putting the flour on the sting I was free from pain. I was amazed. I used my hand to grip the bicyle handles and to play tennis. No pain no after affects. It was truly incredible.

Activated charcoal will adsorb all the poison out and the pain will go in a few minits. The charcoal poultice, made by mixing it with ground flaxseed and water is a wonderful remedy for all kinds of bites. Simple and powerful!

Pass this on

As a nurse, I have treated bee stings and wasp stings with a paste made of meat tenderizer (unseasoned if you have it) and a little water. I smear it on the site and let it sit awhile (maybe 20 min). Then rinse off and apply an ice pack. The enzymes in the meat tenderizer are supposed to neutralize the venom. I have also been told this helps with jelly fish or man-of-war stings at the beach. Keep a container of this in your car first aid kit.

After living near a southern beach I can attest that meat tenderizer works on jellyfish, bees and even stingray venom...fast too!!!!

The first thought that came into my mind was "At least there are still bees in that park!" I miss honey bees buzzing around my flowers. However, I've been stung 7-8 times in my life so I know how they hurt. One thing you can do if there are bees flying around or near you, is to BLOW on them. Swatting at them can result in a sting. They always fly away. As a school teacher I taught my student to do this as a proactive way to shoo bees away. It works much better than screaming and running away. This method does not work on Africanized bees as I discovered in a Kenyan village a few years ago. Get away from them as fast as you can.

Dr.Kim,

I was stung by a wasp on my shoulder last weekend after coming out of my front door. I ended up with a severe allergic reaction from the sting. Within 24hrs I had hives from my shoulders to my feet and a week later I am still trying to get my natural skin tone back. I went to the doctor on Monday and was given a steriod shot in my butt cheek and currently taking medication to help clear the discoloration of my skin. I have never experience anything like this before in my life. I now have to carry an EpiPen in my purse at the suggestion of my physican.

I believe that I made matters worse because I ran 5 miles in the sun immediately after I was stung. I am now completely terrified of bees and wasp.

Carmen

When I was a youngster I was stung by both honey bees and wasps. The old remedy that we used was to coat the sting area with plain old mud. The mud would be left on for a half hour or so and then washed off with soap and water. Supposedly the mud draws the venom out. I never had a reaction and only had mild discomfort after the mudpack was used.

My mom swears by the mud as well! The benefit to this remedy is you can access it anywhere!

I've used mud to help with swelling and to make it easier to remove swelling. Also helps with pain. The last time I had to do this was in 1997--one of the girls on our hockey team was stung, first time ever for her. That's when we found out we had no epi pen in the first aid kit (which we promptly corrected), but in the interim, something needed to be done. So, i took some dirt from the field and mixed with some of the water from one of our water bottles to make mud and applied it.

She said she was going out to dinner with her family after practice, and i told her that she didn't have to leave the mud on as a fashion statement, just to keep it there during the rest of practice.

At the end of practice, she washed off the mud, and went out to dinner with her family. No pain, no swelling, and felt right as rain.

Make a paste of baking soda a nd water will ease the pain almost instantly

Hey Dr. Ben,

I also had my first bee sting (I think) the other day. I promptly plucked a plantain leaf from the ground, chewed it up a bit and placed the "poultice" right on the affected area. The pain was gone within 5 minutes and did not return. And no, I did not remove any stingers - it was on my back and I wouldn't know how to get to it anyhow.
It's interesting that this subject came up (not that I'm thanking you for getting stung), because I wanted to tell the world about it. :)

Marie-Lynn

My son is highly allergic to stinging insects so homeopathic remedies provide our best treatment option as they are effective, quick, inexpensive, handy to carry, and for the most part do no harm if you do not chose the correct remedy.

I give Aconite (1M or whatever is on hand) first and follow with Ledum (also whatever strength is available) as soon as I feel the emergency period is over and am ready to switch. Many homeopaths (lay & professional) like to use Apis, however, it never worked for him, and of course the correct remedy is chosen for the individual's symptoms or how they match the remedy's "picture".

I gave him Arnica once when he was stung while we were driving down the road. A bee entered the car and zapped him. Arnica was the only thing we had to use .... and of course he didn't have his Epi pen. By the time we pulled off the road to search for a hospital, we realized that he wasn't having any reaction to the sting. It was truly amazing.

We have used Apis for stings and Ledum for insect bites that are bad, like from a spider. They both work amazingly well for stings and also Ledum is good for a food allergic reaction. Tea tree oil and lavender essential oils work topically after a sting. Remember to wash the area so it doesn't get infected, which it can quite easily especially if the insect has been into garbage and is dirty.

For 20 years, I've successfully used Adolf's Meat Tenderizer on bee, wasp, and jellyfish stings, and even, 2 Brown Recluse spider bites. We first learned about Adolf's on the beach in South Padre Island, Texas, in 1989. Our son sat on the sand where a jellyfish had died. He was screaming as we carried him back to our room. The hotel sent a room-service attendant to our room with a jar of Adolf's. The attendant made a paste with a bit of water and applied to the red area of my son's thigh. The pain immediately stopped. I've carried a jar of it in our car's first aid kit ever since. Once in Colorado, we pulled to a roadside stop for a picnic. Bees emerged from under the picnic table and stung every single kid. As soon as I put the paste on, their pain & crying stopped. Twice we've used it on Brown Recluse spider bites. Both times, the bites healed without a scar.

I discovered a safe, easy, and very quick way of eliminating the associated pain and swelling of these stinging insects. Your not going to believe this but all you do is treat the area with tooth paste!!
It works miracles. I live in the mountains where there are a lot of these stinging insects so as a precaution, whenever I go outside, I usually have a small travel tube of toothpaste in my pocket, just in case. The quicker you treat the site, the better and you quickly eliminate the pain, and this is a permanent cure.
You must try this, you'll love the speed and simplicity, and exceedingly low cost (mere pennies).
Try this, you will be thanking me!

Glad to help---Ruth

Lots of great tips here, but I had tooth paste on hand and it relieved itching immediately. Got stung in the leg by a bumblebee which had the bad fortune of getting into my car. Thanks, Ruth! :)

For bee/wasp stings I use onion. Cut a slice of onion and put directly onto the sting and it draws the poison out.

I also use chopped onions wrapped in a J Cloth secured with two elastic bands. Secure this around your head and ensure the onions in the J Cloth are directly over the ear. I usually use gauze to wrap around the head. Do this at night – try and get some sleep & in the morning the infection will be on the J Cloth.

I have used this remedies since the late seventies.

The homeopathic remedy Apis mellifica, which is available in most health food stores including Whole Foods, contains bee venom and in homeopathy, "Like cures like."
Place 1 pellet of Apis mellifica 6c, Apis mellifica 12c or Apis mellifica 30c (whichever potency is available at your store -- the number of c's indicate potency) under your tongue. Take another pellet every ten minutes or so, up to three times. If there is still itching and swelling the next day, you can repeat taking a pellet of the remedy once or twice. It's good to have a tube of Apis mellifica with you. If not, you can take Apis mellifica when you get home and it will still help.

If I mix clay with water and apply it to the area of a sting, I can actually feel the venom being pulled back out through the top layer of skin by the drawing action of the clay.
I have also crushed chickweed and plantain leaves and applied them to stings (chewing the leaves works well and quickly)!
If I have homeopathic Apis or Ledum with me, either of them enable the body to respond with rapid healing.

Apis Mellifica 200 C for this and other allergic reactions works amazing. The only thing that helped with my son's shellfish reaction.

I was recently stung by big fat wasps five times on the right side of my face and three times on my left ring finger. Luckily I got my wedding ring off quickly, as my hand swelled to at least twice its size. My face swelled tremendously and I was great entertainment for my friends and family. I couldn't work for four days. I took homeopathic Apis and Arnica, applied a baking soda paste, and even tooth paste. But the best remedy by far was good old ice. The homeopathics took away the emotional distress right away, but ice was the only thing that kept me sane for those four days. It took the swelling down and reduced the intense pain and really saved the day for me. Now I joke that the next time it happens, that I am going to get into the freezer and stay there for three days. Thaw me out later.

To prevent the serious shock that can accompany such stings, I have long kept a small vial of APIS homeopathic pills handy, in my car's glove compartment, home medicine cabinet, and in my purse. APIS is the exact homeopathic formulation to counter the effects of bee stings, and has almost instant ability to lessen the pain, and reduce swelling that can quickly become life-threatening in allergic persons.

Mix up a small amount of meat tenderizer (i.e. Adolph’s) with water into a paste and apply to the sting area as soon as possible after the your or others are stung. Most of the pain goes away in just a few minutes. I understand that the meat tenderizer breaks down the enzymes of the poison. Although I am vegan, I always have some meat tenderizer on hand for bee’s and other insects’ stings. I think that the active ingredient in the meat tenderizer is papain (from the papaya fruit).

Wow! I had no idea about the <em>not pulling the stinger out</em> bit. It's good to know that scraping is what you should do!

I have never been stung by a bee (knock on wood) but I have been stung by a bark scorpion, and man, do they HURT! Yowzer! I figure if I could survive that, then, g-d forbid, if I ever do get stung by a bee, it won't be that bad in contrast!!

I have not had much to do with honeybees, but for the stings from bees, wasps and fire-ants, as quickly as possible I put a bit of ammonia or Clorox just directly on the spot, using the blunt end of a q-tip or equivalent, and then scraping or scratching a few times to make sure the bit of liquid gets in where it is needed. The venom is acidic and
these solutions are highly alkaline. A wasp sting on a knuckle still itched but hurt very little.

Castor oil is a little used home remedy that is worth its weight in gold. We have used it to cure hematoma's in dogs, bruises on kids, and bug bites on everybody. For bug bites of any kind, mix about a teaspoon of castor oil with a teaspoon of aloe vera gel and about 5 drops of lavender essential oil. Lavender is antivenomous, castor oil draws, and the aloe is soothing. We have had bee stings that were not visible 20 minutes later by using this.

Candy's advice about castor oil is spot on. Totally worth its weight in gold. Wasp bite and swelling completely disappeared in ten minutes after massaging in a drop.

Why did you not mention vinegar or soda if it is accessible

I was allergic to bee stings as a child (suppose I still am)- not deadly so, but bee stings made my foot swell up and hurt like hell for several days, taking a week to go away. All the above methods sound good for mitigating the stinger-site pain but if you're allergic, you might want to take lots (like 5 grams right away, then 1 gram every hour for at least 6 hours, continue next day) of Vitamin C.
The last time I got a sting I did this and there was no swelling the next day which was incredible for me!

I read somewhere recently that if you tape 2 pennies on the site of the sting it will stop the pain. Have you heard anything about this? I haven't tried it.

I read your columns all the time. I also work for the manufacturer of Mrs. Stewart's Bluing, an environmentally friendly laundry whitener that has been around since 1883 and that has many many other uses, not the least of which is relieving bee stings, wasp stings and ant bites.

Years ago (1970s?), the U of AZ actually did a study on remedies for ant bites and reported that Mrs. Stewart's Bluing (a laundry staple at the time) was one of the best remedies ... just dab it on (it will turn your skin blue temporarily) and let it work).

I've worked here for 16 years and raised two active outdoor boys along the way. I've always advocated for natural, easy on nature remedies and so early on I began using Mrs. Stewart's for the many bee stings my boys experienced. Then, I got the opportunity a couple summers ago to try it on myself when I got a black wasp sting on my neck. Experience is everything. It works great! www.mrsstewart.com! Your great grandma's remedy for many things!

I have also experienced the agony of walking on a poor bee. That was many years ago before I became a homeopath. Since then I know better:
I use homeopathic tablets of APIS MELIFICA, which is nothing else but bee venom. Three tablets sucked and left to assimilate under the tongue will avoid swelling and pain if taken just after the sting. I have also experienced that even when taking the remedy a few hours later or the next day, the swelling is reduced very rapidly. I always have a package handy.

Apis isn't the only homeopathic remedy for a bee sting. It depends on you and your symptoms. However, the right remedy is fast and permanent.

Homeopathic Apis mel (30C) is made from honey bee venom. It is a remedy for many things, but is amazing for bee stings. When my boys were growing up there were three things always in my purse: Apis, Arnica and Rescue Remedy. A pretty complete kit for injuries, sprains, bleeding, trauma and bee stings!
Morgaine

If you have access to hollyhock leaves crush one with your fingers and apply the juice to the bee sting. My Husband thought I was crazy for suggesting it but he tried it and was amazed that the stinging stopped almost immediately.
V.B.

This might sound crazy, but it's grandma's remedie. Scrape the stinger out going with the angle of the stinger. Make a mud salve with water or spit enough to coat the area. As the mud dries, it sucks the remaining venom from the skin. Then wash. Works instantly with no infection. I've done it many times and I'm still here to tell about it. Works for wasps and ants too.

Gosh, I am sorry to hear about your pain. By the way, that bee wouldn't be a "he", I don't think. It would likely be a female worker bee. Anyway, I disturbed a pile of brush looking for firewood one fine fall day and a whole cloud of wasps came after me and started stinging immediately. I never ran so fast in my life. When I reached the house I did not even take the time to slam the door behind me, so they followed me into the house. To cut to the chase, I stopped counting the stings at #15. I right away put pure lemon juice on all of them and 24 hours later the swelling & pain was down by about 90%.

My dad was a beekeeper so stings were part of our young lives. My parents never fussed over us when we got stung. They would pull the stinger out and send us on our way. A good decision. I, unlike most people I know, don't panic when I see a bunch of bees or wasps as so many people do, who flail and scream and act silly.

wet tobacco on sting like a compress and it will draw poison out

I was stung a couple weeks ago while I was putting something into the trash can, but I think it might have been a wasp. By the time I got inside it was already getting very red and beginning to swell. I put my hand under cold running water for a few minutes, but the pain was getting really bad and the redness & swelling continued to spread. But then I remembered how great my magnets that I use for carpal tunnel also worked on burns. So I put a wet paper towel over the area and held the magnet on it. Within about ten minutes the pain was almost gone and the redness was reversing. I couldn't believe how well and how fast it was working!! I left it on for a while longer and by morning there was only a dime size red spot which took a couple days to completely heal. You have to try it! I have also used magnetized water on my son's sunburn & he never blistered or peeled (I know...we had a long talk!). Thanks for your time and great blog!

I too have done a LOT of research and experimentation with magnets. They are sorely underappreciated. Must be neodymium except for water treatment. North pole toward the skin always.

I am a beekeeper and when I occasionally get stung~ I head straight for the HONEY! A drop rubbed on the site for a minute or so and pain will fade away.

It is my understanding that all stings are full of protein. Thus anything that lessens the protein will lessen the pain. Therefore use vinegar on the sting or if you have it a papaya (pawpaw) fruit - or 'meat tenderiser' which used to be made from papaya and was available in powdered form, from supermarkets, I am not sure if it is still sold. We use the vinegar in Australia on jelly fish stings, and it is effective. I have used the vinegar on bee stings with the same effectiveness!

Neem oil is great to alleviate the stinging feeling. And because it is anti inflammatory it will reduce swelling. Works for nettle stings etc. too!

A small drop of tea tree oil will stop the pain immediately!! No Waiting. It also works on other stings & will even help with fire ant bites but not completely

I have gotten stung a few times, and always when I was out walking in the woods or fields. Since I carried nothing with me and, of course, never expect to get stung, I had nothing to use. One time a wasp stung me in the forehead, another time in the arm, etc... I remembered that if you mix dirt with water, you get mud and this mud, applied wet on the sting, will pull out the toxins as it dries. I used that every time. Every time it would dry, I would apply again. It is good to remember this when you have nothing else, and are nowhere near the other home remedies.

I am allergic to bee stings, yellow jackets , wasps etc.
I use natural remedys, such as immediately putting some
meat tenderizer in a small amount of water and putting it
right on the sting.most people would have that on hand. If you can get the Homeopathic tissue
salt, take 4 right away of the Apis Well, you can put a drop
of water on one and put it on sting and leave to dry it should
not itch much after that if at all. I had the shot but I never
used it did not have to I would rather use safe remedys instead.
either of these things works great so have some on hand, the
mud works great also, but if it is allergys than I would take the
tissue salts and use as directed. they are very small and dissolve
under the tongue goes into the system faster that way. I had immediate
results.

As a beekeeper since 1952 in Africa, be warned. Mostly allergies get progressively worse. I took over my grandfathers bees at 10 years old, when he became dangerously allergic. If the swelling spreads more than just a couple of inches,and gets progressively worse, and you value your life, carry a genuine allergy medication. Your next sting could be close to, or spread to your throat, causing you to choke to death.
Probably, though, you are not badly allergic, or the home remedies would not work. Add Sodium Bicarbonate , found in most kitchens, to your list.

Use fresh Aloe Vera for Wasp & Bee stings. The pain , redness & swelling go immediately. I've always had Aloe in my garden & in pots close to the house.

I know first hand with a couple of my grandchildren that placing a "copper penny" on the site of the bee sting ..... "works". Press the penny down and then keep a band aid on it for at least twenty minutes.

I had always heard and read that honey would stop the pain from a bee sting. At the school where I worked, a worker came in asking for the school nurse because he had been stung by a bee. I had a little packet of honey and asked if I could apply it. He agreed and within a couple of seconds the pain was permanently gone. The nurse removed the stinger. I also applied honey to my grandson's ankle when he was stung. Same results.

This information is helpful and I wish I had know this about removing stingers when a bees nest stung me 6 times in 7th grade. I was in the woods and walked too close to a bee's nest. I don't have any remedies but a few tips on how to avoid Bee stings. If you encounter a Bee, don't panic. Stay still because you don't want to agitate the bee. Moving around a lot and sudden movements just aggravate the bees and they try to sting you. It's amazing how well this technique works. Also, I heard that Bees are attracted to the color yellow, so if you know you're gonna be in the wilderness for a day, try wearing darker less flashy colored clothing.

If stung by a bee or wasp rip open a few cicarettes and put the tobacco in a paper towel. Wet the paper towel and apply to the sting. The tobacco draws the venom from the wound and the sting will feel better within 15 minutes. I've used this many times and it works well.

Tobacco was the remedy used by my mom and grandmother since I was a little boy (54 years old). It works!!!

Toothpaste works wonders as well. The stinging goes away in minutes.

Moist skoal will pull all the poison out. Only takes about 1 minute after you put it on the sting. Works on spider bites also, I promise. My grandpa taught me that and it works better than anything- try it out!