Baking soda, vinegar and bee stings Both baking soda and apple cider vinegar (used separately) are said to neutralize bee venom.
3) Baking Soda—Mixed with water, this paste will draw out the venom. 4) Apple Cider Vinegar—This will reduce pain and minimize swelling also helping to draw out the venom. 5) St John's Wort Oil and Bentonite Clay—With these two ingredients you make a paste and apply liberally to apply.
Baking soda, when mixed with water, is said to help neutralize bee venom, reducing pain, itching, and swelling. Mix baking soda with enough water to make a paste, then apply a generous amount onto the affected area. Cover the area with a bandage, then leave it on for at least 15 minutes. Reapply, as needed.
The majority of the time, the symptoms of bee sting serum sickness will improve on their own within 48 hours. As the chemical from the bee toxin is filtered out of your body, the sickness will begin to go away.
Bee sting leaves acid which cause pain and irritation. Use of mild base such as baking soda on the stung area can neutralise the effect of acid and provides relief.
If the sting is on an arm or leg, elevate it. Apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to ease redness, itching or swelling. If itching or swelling is bothersome, take an oral antihistamine that contains diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or chlorpheniramine. Avoid scratching the sting area.
To sting, a bee jabs a barbed stinger into the skin. Bee sting venom contains proteins that affect skin cells and the immune system, causing pain and swelling around the sting area. In people with a bee sting allergy, bee venom can trigger a more-serious immune system reaction.
Toxic reactions to bee stings
Someone who's experiencing a toxic reaction may feel nauseous, vomit and develop diarrhea. Within 24 hours, muscle breakdown and renal failure may occur if left untreated. It's estimated that around 500 stings are enough bee venom to cause death.
Options for home remedies
Baking soda paste – Mix a little soda with water. It neutralizes the bee venom. Apple cider vinegar – It can neutralize venom, similar to baking soda. Honey – The anti-oxidants in it may help with wound healing and pain - similar to its healing properties for allergies.
While some common bee sting remedies may not be effective, they typically aren't harmful, says Dr. Nguyen. However, she cautions against using any treatment that makes the pain and redness worse, such as hydrogen peroxide or antibiotic soaps that can be irritating to the skin.
Delayed Reaction to an Insect Sting
Reactions occurring more than four hours after a bee or other insect sting are classified as delayed reactions. There have been isolated reports of serum sickness-like syndromes occurring about a week after a sting.
Avoid using tweezers or anything else that could puncture or squeeze the venom sack and make symptoms worse. Once the stinger is out, a cool compress can help alleviate pain (just don't dunk the whole area in ice). An antihistamine taken orally or applied as a cream can help alleviate itching and swelling.
If you can, put vinegar or rubbing alcohol on the area several times for 30 or more minutes until the pain is relieved. Apply dry or moist heat to the sting area until the pain subsides. You can mix one part ammonia with 3 parts salt water and apply this to the sting area. Wear gloves when you remove stingers.
First, look at the stung area closely. You'll likely see a red bump. If a stinger was left behind, you'll also see a small black filament sticking out of the center. It may have a bulbous end, which is the venom sac.
Severe bee sting reaction
The reaction to a bee sting should be localized to the area where the sting occurred. If the reaction starts spreading, it's time to seek bee sting emergency treatment, particularly if you have a known allergy to bees or are suffering from multiple bee stings.
If a person's symptoms are worsening or if the person is showing any signs of anaphylaxis, they should seek immediate medical attention. People can treat swelling at home by: taking OTC anti-inflammatory drugs. taking antihistamines to reduce the swelling.
Reactions to bee stings
Some beekeepers develop immunity to stings while others become more sensitive. Yet others have an out of the blue severe reaction after not showing any signs of developing sensitivity and may never react the same way again after subsequent stings.
People can usually manage their bee sting symptoms using over-the-counter creams and oral medications, including: hydrocortisone creams, which can help reduce redness, itching, swelling, and pain.
If you know you may be allergic, especially if you've had a severe reaction in the past when stung by a bee or wasp, seek immediate medical help. Take an antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or a nonsedating one such as loratadine (Claritin) as soon as possible.
A do-it-yourself remedy that involves a paste that consists of baking soda and water can be effective in reducing itching, swelling and redness, Dempsey says. Mix water and baking soda to create a thick paste, and apply it to the area that was stung.
Severe pain or burning at the site lasts 1 to 2 hours. Normal swelling from venom can increase for 48 hours after the sting. The redness can last 3 days. The swelling can last 7 days.
Redness, pain, and swelling can last up to seven days after the incident. This is for someone not allergic to bee stings. If the symptoms seem to get worse after several days, see a doctor. Anaphylactic reaction to a bee sting can start within two hours of the incident and rapidly progress.