1 Immediately flood the entire stung area with lots of vinegar for at least 30 seconds. DO NOT use fresh water. If pain relief is required, apply a cold pack only after vinegar has been applied. 2 Urgently seek medical aid at a hospital if symptoms are severe.
Vinegar and lemon juice are great options if you're looking for a bee and wasp sting home treatment. Both contain a type of acid that will help to neutralise the sting and provide a soothing sensation. Any vinegar will do, but apple cider vinegar is ideal.
As vinegar is an acid it does not provide relief to the affected area. (b) Wasp sting is alkaline in nature so it should be treated with an acid, to neutralize the effect. As baking soda is also alkaline, it does not provide relief to the affected area.
The initial jabbing pain usually lasts only 1-2 hours, and any swelling, redness, and/or itching should peak about 48 hours after the sting. However, it may take up to a week to fully heal.
Most bee and wasp stings cause symptoms such as swelling and discoloration that peak about 48 hours after the sting. The initial burning sensation and pain usually only lasts 1–2 hours. Discoloration can persist for 3 days and swelling for up to a week.
Bee stings are acidic in nature, which is why a household remedy for a bee sting is baking soda or sodium bicarbonate, which is a basic substance. A wasp sting, on the other hand, is mildly basic, so a household remedy for this will be vinegar, also known as acetic acid.
As a wasp deterrent, some people place an equal mix of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. They then spray the wasps to get them away.
Often, it's best to rinse a sting with vinegar. Vinegar is a weak acid that might keep the stingers from firing for some kinds of stings (especially from dangerous types like box jellyfish). Do not rinse with fresh water (like tap or bottled water) because that can make more stingers fire.
Like baking soda and toothpaste, apple cider vinegar has been known to help neutralize bee venom and ease the swelling and pain. Pour apple cider vinegar into a basin and soak the affected area for at least 15 minutes. You can also use a piece of cloth: soak it in the basin and then dab it onto the affected area.
1 Immediately flood the entire stung area with lots of vinegar for at least 30 seconds. DO NOT use fresh water. If pain relief is required, apply a cold pack only after vinegar has been applied. 2 Urgently seek medical aid at a hospital if symptoms are severe.
Wash the sting site with soap and water. Placing hydrocortisone cream on the sting can help relieve redness, itching, and swelling. If it's been more than 10 years since your last tetanus booster, get a booster within the next few days. Most insect stings require no additional medical care.
For example, wasp stings are alkaline but bee stings are acidic. So if you get stung you need to put bicarbonate of soda on a bee sting and vinegar on a wasp sting. Hair conditioner is slightly alkaline as shampoo tends to be slightly acidic, so any traces of shampoo can be neutralised by the conditioner.
Dealing with a bee or wasp sting will obviously be different depending on your sensitivity. But let's begin with the most common scenario in which a person has a mild reaction. The first thing you need to do is remove the stinger if you were stung by a bee (wasps don't leave stingers behind).
Toothpaste. If your bee or wasp sting is itchy, apply a thin layer of toothpaste to the affected area. This should be a paste, not a gel toothpaste. This creates a tingly sensation on your arm which satisfies your urge to scratch the area while also reducing itchiness.
The body typically starts to break down histamine within a few hours, which is why the itchiness from a bee sting usually goes away within a day or two. However, in some cases, the body does not break down histamine as quickly. This can cause the itchiness to last for days or even weeks.
This is called a large local reaction. The area may become large (4 inches [10 cm] or more) over 1 to 2 days and then slowly resolve over 5 to 10 days. Having a large local reaction does not mean that you will have a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) if you are stung again.
In some cases, however, the swelling from a wasp sting can continue to spread or intensify even after 48 hours have passed. This may be a sign of an allergic reaction, which can be serious or even life-threatening in some cases.
It may remain swollen or painful for several days on people who are sensitive to insect stings. For others, the wasp's sting may disappear in as little as three days. If there is intense pain or swelling for days, it is possible you could be experiencing an allergic reaction or perhaps some kind of infection.
Bites and stings may become infected. Signs of infection include redness, warmth, pain, redness streaking up the arm, drainage of pus, and swelling. Infections will need treatment with antibiotics and should get better over the next 10 days.
Do not apply vinegar or methylated spirits as they can make the sting more painful. The National Poisons Centre is available 24 hours a day on 0800 764 766 for advice on first aid and treatment of stings. You can take pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.