Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Take immediate action
• Method 2 of 3: Try home remedies
• Method 3 of 3: Using medications
• Tips
• Warnings

Sitting comfortably in the garden or in the park is a wonderful way to spend your day off. Then you could of course get stung by a bee - a common and painful experience! If you treat a bee sting quickly, you can avoid a lot of discomfort. Take the sting out right away, look for signs of an allergic reaction, and then try home remedies or medicines to reduce the pain and swelling.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Take immediate action

1. Get the stinger out as soon as possible. As soon as you are stung, you should immediately remove the sting from your skin. This is the most important thing you can do! Some people think it's better to scrape the sting out with a credit card than to squeeze it out, but it probably just slows down that way. Some scientists even think that this is not good at all, and that it is better to remove the sting as soon as possible.
   • You should see the sting when you are stung. It is about the size of the tip of a pen, and consists of the stinger itself and a piece of torn bee flesh. Sometimes the bee gets stuck to the stinger with a piece of meat.
   • If you can, take the stinger out with your fingernails. Otherwise, grab a credit card and scrape the sting out with it. Don't squeeze it, though, as more poison will enter your body.
2. Wash the area with cold water and soap. The cold water is soothing and the soap removes dirt and poison. Let it foam well and then rinse the area clean.
3. Watch for symptoms of an allergic reaction. Even if you've been stung by a bee before without any problems, keep an eye out for signs of an allergic reaction. An allergy can develop over time or get worse. Severe reactions (anaphylaxis) can be life-threatening. Watch for these signs of anaphylaxis:
   • Difficulty breathing or wheezing
   • Swelling of the lips, tongue, face or throat
   • Dizziness, fainting, or a drop in blood pressure
   • Skin reactions such as hives, red spots, itching or pale skin
   • A fast, weak pulse
   • Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
   • Restlessness and anxiety
     • Immediately take an antihistamine such as Cetirizine if you have been stung by a bee. This is a precaution even if you don't have an allergic reaction.
4. Call 112 if you have an allergic reaction. If you experience any of the above symptoms, call 911 immediately. While waiting for the ambulance, take an antihistamine such as Cetirizine. If you have an EpiPen, use it.
   • If you are waiting and you have a really bad allergic reaction, take a double dose of antihistamine. Tell the ambulance team what you took and how much.
   • After your treatment, see your doctor and get a prescription for an EpiPen - a syringe of adrenaline that you should always keep with you in case you have another allergic reaction. Take the EpiPen with you wherever you go. Make sure people in your area know you have an EpiPen and that you may need it.
   • If you've had a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting, make an appointment with an allergist as well. They can give you injections to prevent serious reactions in the future.

Method 2 of 3: Try home remedies

1. Put something cold on the spot. Keep the spot with the bee sting under cold tap, or put ice or an icepack on it. Wrap ice in a towel first before putting it on your skin. Leave it on for 20 minutes.
   • Put the ice back on later if it starts to hurt.
   • Continue to monitor the size of the bee sting while using home remedies. The poison can sometimes spread widely. You can keep an eye on this by putting a circle around it with a pen. If the redness continues to spread, see your doctor.
2. Keep your arm or leg higher. If you got poked in your arm or leg, keep it higher. Put your feet on some pillows so that they are higher than your heart. Also rest your arm on something so that it is higher than your heart. This will reduce pain and swelling.
3. Make a baking soda paste. Mix baking soda with water, spread that paste on the bee sting and let it dry. This will pull the poison out when you apply it right away and will help with the pain and swelling. Place a tablespoon of baking soda in a small bowl and add enough water to make a thick paste.
   • You can also make a paste of baking soda, vinegar, and papain powder and apply it to the bee sting. Add enough vinegar to a tablespoon of baking soda to form a paste, then add a pinch of papain powder.
4. Spread some honey on the bee sting. Using your fingers or a cotton ball, apply a little honey to the spot where the bee stung. Honey is known for its antiseptic properties. Use honey as pure as possible, preferably 100% honey without additives.
5. Put a little toothpaste on the bee sting. Put some toothpaste on the sore spot. It is likely to tingle, which will lessen the itchiness of the sting. Apply it as often as you want.
   • Natural toothpaste works better than normal, but you can try both.
6. Spread some apple cider vinegar on the bee sting. Wet a cotton ball with apple cider vinegar and press it against the sting. It burns for a moment, but then it relieves the pain.

Method 3 of 3: Using medications

1. Take a pain reliever. Relieve the pain with an over-the-counter drug from the pharmacy or drug store, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Ask your doctor or pharmacist what to use if you have health problems, especially liver or kidney disease. Take the painkillers as directed in the package insert or as your doctor tells you.
2. Apply a hydrocortisone cream. Apply a hydrocortisone cream or other corticosteroid cream to the red, swollen area. This will reduce pain and inflammation. Use it as instructed in the package insert.
   • If necessary, reapply after four hours.
3. Put some calamine shake or lotion on it. Calamine shake is just as effective against bee stings as it is against chicken pox. Put some on a cotton ball and dab it on the bee sting. Use it as directed on the label. Calamine lotion with an antihistamine in it, such as Caladryl, can also be very effective.
   • If necessary, reapply after four hours.
4. Take antihistamines if the bee sting is very itchy. Take oral antihistamines such as Cetirizine. Use it as stated in the package insert. This can help with the itching.
   • Antihistamines can make you sleepy. Make sure you know how you react to it before driving or working.

Tips

• Treat a bee sting with antihistamines as soon as possible and monitor the heart rate. Keep a close eye on the victim and the site of the sting for at least 4 hours.
• The sting may be itchy, but scratch it not On. That actually makes the itching and swelling worse, and the wound can become infected.
• Apply antiseptic ointment after cleaning the sting. That prevents it from igniting.

Warnings

• Leave blisters alone; do not puncture them. Puncturing blisters can cause them to become infected.
• You can become allergic to bee stings, even if you weren't previously. You can also be allergic to one species and not the other. Having previously been stung without problems does not mean that you will never have an anaphylactic reaction, so always pay close attention if you are stung.