Always wash the area of the sting with soap and water and keep it clean. Applying a cold pack can help relieve pain and reduce swelling. Simple pain relief medicines such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can also be used if pain continues.
Use soap and water to clean the area of skin where a bee stung you. Place an ice pack on your skin. You can wrap an ice pack in a towel and place it on your skin to reduce swelling. Elevate the affected area of your body to lessen swelling.
Pain and other symptoms of a bee sting can worsen if you don't get the stinger out quickly. The longer the stinger stays in your skin, the more venom it releases, adding to your pain and swelling. This can also increase the chances of an allergic reaction.
Apply a cloth dampened with cold water or filled with ice to the area of the bite or sting for 10 to 20 minutes. This helps reduce pain and swelling. If the injury is on an arm or leg, raise it. Apply to the affected area calamine lotion, baking soda paste, or 0.5% or 1% hydrocortisone cream.
Large, local reactions do not usually lead to more serious generalized reactions. However, they can be life-threatening if the sting happens in the mouth, nose, or throat area. Swelling in these areas can cause breathing difficulties.
Check for a stinger and remove it by scraping the area with a straight-edge object, like a credit card. Don't use tweezers; pinching the stinger can inject more venom. Clean the bite site. Cleanse the area with soap and water and apply hydrocortisone cream, which may help keep the reaction at bay.
The swelling and pain usually improve within a few hours. Approximately 10 percent of people develop severe redness and swelling after a sting. 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.
Local Skin Reactions to the Sting
The main symptoms are pain, itching, swelling and redness at the sting site. Pain. Severe pain or burning at the site lasts 1 to 2 hours. Itching often follows the pain.
Bites and stings may become infected. Signs of infection include redness, warmth, pain, redness streaking up the arm, drainage of pus, and swelling.
Bee Sting Reaction Time
A person with a bee sting will likely experience severe pain for one to two hours after getting stung. After intense pain, the area will start to become itchy. Redness, pain, and swelling can last up to seven days after the incident. This is for someone not allergic to bee stings.
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.
Moderate reactions tend to resolve over five to 10 days. Having a moderate reaction doesn't mean you'll have a severe allergic reaction the next time you're stung. But some people develop similar moderate reactions each time they're stung.
Wash the area with soap and water to remove residual venom and reduce the chance of infection. Apply an ice pack for at least 20 minutes to control pain and swelling. Apply a thin layer of hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to help with pain and itching, and cover with a bandage.
Persistent swelling: 24 hours or more
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.
In rare cases, a bee sting can become infected. Symptoms of an infection include redness, swelling, warmth, and pus drainage. It is important to seek emergency medical attention as soon as possible, as some people can experience an allergic reaction.
Allergic Reactions to Bee and Wasp Stings
Skin reactions, including hives and itching and flushed or pale skin. Difficulty breathing. Swelling of the throat and tongue. A weak, rapid pulse.
You probably won't have a severe allergic reaction the first time you are stung. But even if your first reaction to a sting is mild, allergic reactions can get worse with each sting. Your next reaction may be more severe or even deadly.
Symptoms of an insect sting
“But if the affected area spreads rapidly or if there are breathing problems or dizziness, it is something that needs immediate medical attention,” Dr. Afaneh says. Emergency care for a severe reaction may include the use of epinephrine, also known as adrenaline.
By burying their stingers in their victim's flesh, bees inject an acidic compound called melittin, which switches on the victim's pain receptors. Wasp venom also contains traces of acetylcholine, another chemical that stimulates pain receptors.
Wash the area with water and keep the area clean and dry. Apply ice or cool running water to reduce the swelling and to relieve the pain (do not apply ice to the eye). Seek medical attention straight away if any allergic reaction occurs. If a person has been stung more than five times seek medical attention.
Insect bites and stings usually result in an inflammatory reaction only, and infection is uncommon. Antibiotics are not required for most insect bites and stings. In practice, it can be challenging to differentiate between inflammation and infection as both may present with erythema and swelling.