Bee Sting Home Remedies
If it is summer, chances are you will have to deal with a bee sting. Most people only have a minor reaction to the sting but in some patients a major medical emergency may arise. An allergic reaction is possible in about three percent of the population.
A small stab with the stinger of a bee results in a red puffy area because of the venom the bee injected into the skin. There are several ways of dealing with a bee sting and if you have a toddler or child screaming their head off, you need something that will work fast!
If you know your child is allergic to bee stings you should seek immediate medical treatment. Special pens are available to use immediately after a sting to counteract the effects of the venom.
Other wonderful and handy methods to help a bee sting are found right in your home. Many times the stinger is still in the site so look closely to see if you can pull it out. Then go to the freezer and grab an ice cube to apply to the bee sting site. If you are outside and mud is available, smear the mud on the sting until the pain is gone. Make a paste of three teaspoons of baking soda and water until it is creamy and apply it to the sting. This mixture may need to be applied several times to be effective. If you don’t want to take the time to make the paste, apply dry baking soda on the site.
Aloe Vera can help the pain of a bee sting, but if you do not have that available try these home cures!
* Cut a tomato in half and put it on the sting.
* Swab the sting site with vinegar.
* Smear egg yolk on the sting site until the pain goes away.
* Rub the site with a piece of sliced onion.
* Melt an aspirin with a little water and apply the resulting paste to the sting.
* Put a slice of dill pickle on the bee sting for quick pain relief.
* Put a little yellow mustard on the bee sting area.
A few odder home cures found on the Internet caused some laughs! How about breaking a cigarette in half, wetting it down, and putting it on the sting and covering it with a Band-Aid? You can do the same with a small amount of chewing tobacco. Sounds nasty but it does help take the poison out of the sting!
From dill pickles, onion, egg whites and baking soda, there are many methods used by our mothers and grandmothers to ease the pain of bee stings. It’s important to try to remove the stinger if possible. Then apply the many home cures listed above. Most are handy in your kitchen and would be quick to get to if you have a crying child.
One final home remedy for you! Apply a little Preparation H to the bee sting area. It will take away the itching and give you some relief.
