I am going to tell some of the effective home remedies to get rid of bee sting swelling.
Getting stung by a bee is no fun for anyone, be it an average person or a very well experienced beekeeper.
It might be one of the worst fears of many people, and it isn’t a joke at all. Bees, like snakes, can have a huge variety, depending on location or time of the year.
In this article, we will discuss a few types of bees, and what can you do in immediate first aid, in case they stung you
Table of Contents
SYMPTOMS OF A BEE STING
First of all, the most important thing is to make sure that you got a bee stung. It is because sometimes other insect stung also resembles like a bee stung and these home remedies to get rid of bee sing swelling won’t work. Nevertheless, these remedies can provide you a bit relief at all times.
Normally, you will experience pain and itchiness, redness and swelling. The Pain will last for a few hours and then should disappear. However, for the following symptoms, you should seek medical advice:
- If stung inside nose or mouth (the swelling might affect breathing).
- If stung several times by many bees.
- You find difficult to breath
- Tongue starts to swell.
- Experience dizziness.
- Experience blurry vision.
- Feeling nauseous.
- Speech is slurred, or you have a difficulty in talking.
- Hives or rash appears (especially in an area away from the wound).
- The wound swells to alarmingly large size.
- Rapid rise in the pulse.
- Dizziness or sharp drop of blood pressure.
- Restlessness and anxiety.
If the reaction looks severe (especially if breathing is affected), don’t hesitate to call emergency medical services as the victim might be having an allergic reaction that can trigger anaphylactic shock.
Home Remedies To Get Rid Off Sting Swelling
At first, you must make sure that stinger is removed, do this immediately as it is effective in reducing the amount of venom that is released into the body.
At a time, it was believed that you need to scrape out the stinger (with a blunt knife or a plastic edge), but tweezers can also be effectively used to pull it out.
Then Wash the stung area with soap and water, after that try a remedy or treatment from the below for pain relief.
1. Tooth Paste For Bee Sting Swelling
Apply a thick layer of toothpaste on the affected area. This will immediately cool up the area and give your relief from swelling in minutes. More off, the alkalinity of the toothpaste will neutralize the acidic effect of the bee.
2. Baking Soda For Bee Sting Swelling
Generously sprinkle baking soda and then drizzle some drops of vinegar over the baking soda, making it fizz. Leave it on until skin pain vanishes. It works as the acidic effect of bee venom is neutralized by the baking soda.
3. Mustard For Bee Sting Swelling
Cover the area with a dot of mustard. This will help to heal the affected area and provide relief from itching and redness.
4. Meat Tenderizer For Bee Sting Swelling
Apply a thick paste made by mixing meat tenderizer and vinegar over the affected area. The meat tenderizer contains a protein called papain that is effective in breaking down the proteins that are responsible for pain, swelling, and itching.
5. Honey For Bee Sting Swelling
Cover it with honey and reapply if needed for persisting pain. Honey has potential anti-inflammatory properties so, it will reduce the swelling effectively in some time.
6. Ice Pack For Bee Sting Swelling
Apply ice or use an ice pack. Do it for good 10 minutes for 3-5 times a day.
7. Aloe vera For Bee Sting Swelling
Slather Aloe Vera on the affected area. Aloe vera gel has the property to reduce irritation, itching, inflammation, and infection. Prefer applying fresh aloe vera gel.
8. Apple Cider Vinegar For Bee Sting Swelling
The ACV has the property to neutralize the venom of the bee. Soak a cloth in ACV and keep it on the affected area for 15 minutes for optimum relief.
9. Parsley For Bee Sting Swelling
Parsely has anti-inflammatory properties and is a very effective home remedy to get rid of bee sting swelling. Crush freshly obtained parsley and apply the paste over the affected area.
10. Lemon For Bee Sting Swelling
Lemon has anti-inflammatory properties and is used for ages as an effective home remedy to get rid of bee sting swelling. Cut a piece of lemon and hold the piece in the area affected.
11. Garlic For Bee Sting Swelling
Garlic can reduce swelling and prevent infection and also fasten the healing process. Crush a garlic clove, add some salt and apply over the area. Cover this with a Band-Aid.
12. Cucumber For Bee Sting Swelling
Cucumber has caffeic acid in it that can reduce the swelling and also cool up the affected area. Put a slice of freshly cut cucumber. The cooling action of cucumber will help a lot.
13. Lavender Oil For Bee Sting Swelling
Lavender oil has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. Dilute the oil with coconut oil or olive oil before applying as it very potent and can cause irritation. Apply the lavender essential oil on the affected area.
14. Marigold Flower For Bee Sting Swelling
Petals of a marigold flower are capable of reducing itching, redness, and swelling. They are used from traditional times as an effective home remedy to get rid of bee sting swelling. Rub petals of freshly plucked marigold flower over the stung area.
15. Basil Leaves For bee Sting Swelling
Basil has an active ingredient Eugenol that can act as an inflammatory agent and reduce any kind of swelling when applied topically. Squeeze fresh basil leaves the juice in the area. The antibiotic properties of the basil will help to reduce signs of a bee sting.
16. Witch Hazel For Bee Sting Swelling
Witch hazel is an effective herbal home remedy to get rid of bee sting swelling and insect bites.. It works for reducing the inflammation, pain, and itching. Apply witch hazel directly to the bee sting area quiet a few times for maximum relief.
17. Tea-tree Oil For Bee Sting Swelling
Tea-tree oil has natural antiseptic and healing properties that can reduce itchiness, irritation, and swelling. Dilute the oil with coconut oil or olive oil before applying as it very potent and can cause irritation. Next, after dilution apply the essential oil on the affected area.
18. MatchStick For Bee Sting Swelling
It is interesting to know how can a matchstick reduce bee sting swelling fast. There are certain chemicals on the tip of the matchstick that can neutralize the bee venom and provide immediate relief against swelling. For this, rub the tip of matchstick on the affected area for good 5 minutes.
Having looked at almost all common remedies to make instant soothing of the wound, there are also a few things to remember, the DOs and DON’Ts:
DO’s
- Get tetanus inoculation to avoid any adverse effect of insect.
- Wear proper protective clothing.
- Use insect repellents in available conditions.
- Remove any stingers that are remaining in the skin by scratching or scraping it as soon as possible, so as to prevent any further infection.
- Sting site must be immediately washed with antiseptic soap and water.
- Increasing the intake of vitamin C and E, minerals, vegetables, whole grains and fruits will also help.
DON’Ts
- Never try to agitate insect nests by swatting on them.
- Do not apply any medication or ointment directly to the affected area. First, wash the area before applying any herbal remedy.
HOW TO PREVENT A BEE STING
Having information about all the remedies, rather than trying those, you might just want to skip being stung by a bee in the first place. So, note the following, so you don’t get stung by a bee.
1. Don’t Wear Perfume Or Colognes
In other words, try not to smell like a flower. Bees will detect and follow strong scents; wearing perfumes or colognes are bound to attract nectar-seeking bees and wasps from long distance.
Once they identify the source of the flower like the smell (you), they will likely investigate by landing on it (you) or buzzing around it (your body).
2. Avoid Wearing Brightly Colored Clothing And Clothes With Floral Prints
This goes along with what is said above – don’t seem to look like a flower. There’s a strong reason beekeepers wear white. If wearing bright colors, you are asking bees just to land on you.
Keep your outdoor clothing colors limited to khaki, white, beige, or any other light colors, so you don’t attract bees, by any chance.
3. Be Careful Regarding What You Eat Outdoors
Sugary foods and drinks are bound to attract bees and wasps for sure. Before you enjoy a sip of your soda, have a look at the can or glass and make sure a bee or wasp hasn’t been in there for a taste.
Fruits will also attract the stinging crowd, so have a good observation when snacking on ripe fruits, especially when outdoors. Don’t leave peach pits or orange peels, or any fruit waste for that matter, sitting around.
4. Don’t Go Barefoot
Bees may be residing on clover blossoms and other small flowers in the lawn, and some wasps just make their nests on the ground.
If you step on or even near a bee, it will try to protect itself and sting you. But if you’re not barefoot, and wearing any protection, probably shoes, it will hurt only itself, not you.
5. Don’t Wear Loose-Fitting Clothes
Bees and wasps may just find their way up the pant leg or into your shirt if you give them the easy opening.
Once inside, they are trapped against your skin. And what would be your first reaction when you feel something crawling around in your clothing? You will slap at it, right? That’s the best recipe for disaster.
Choose to clothe with tighter cuffs, and keep baggy shirts always tucked in.
6. Stay Steady And still
If you are afraid of bees and wasps, this will sound as reasonable as eating Jell-O® with chopsticks. But the worst thing, probably you could do when a bee flies around your head would be to swat at it. Don’t do it!
7. Keep Car Windows Closed
Bees and wasps have an uncanny hobby of getting themselves trapped in cars, after which they will buzz around in a panic, just trying to find the way out.
If you are driving the car at the time, this might certainly be a bit unsettling. But they can’t get inside the car that’s closed up, so keep the windows rolled up if possible.
If you do find any time, that you are giving a ride to an unwanted stinging insect, pull over and when it’s safe to do so; then roll your windows down. Trying to swat at it while driving might not at all be a good idea.
8.Rinse Your Garbage Cans And Keep Them Closed
Wasps just love the empty soda and beer bottles and will try to check out any food waste left in your garbage. Don’t let food residue build up in or on your garbage cans.
Rinse them well now and then, and always try to put tight-fitting lids on them to keep wasps as far away from your garbage.
This is bound to cut substantially down on the number of wasps hanging around in your yard.
9. Don’t Hang Out Often In The Lower Garden
The chances of being stung while admiring the beauty of natural flowers are slight, but if you’re apprehensive about being stung, don’t hang out where the bees are most likely to be numerous.
Bees spend most of the time and energy in collecting nectar and pollen from flowers. Don’t try to get in their way. If you are deadheading flowers or gathering them, keep an eye out for the bees and wait until they have moved to another flower.
TYPES OF STINGING INSECTS
Most of the people find insects creepy. The first thing that may come to your mind hearing the word insect would be spiders, or mosquitos, or the least, bees. This article focuses mainly on bees, so let’s have a look at the types of bees.
For a simple list, bees can be of following types:
- Honey Bee
- BumbleBee
- Apidae
- Carpenter Bee
- Sweat Bee
- Andrenidae
- Andrena
- Colletidae
- Melittidae
- Dasypoda Alternator
- Stenotriridae
- Meganomiidae and the list continue to several of them.
But for this article, we would consider only those who sting, and most importantly, home remedies to get rid of bee swelling fast
Following is a list of stinging bees:
1.Bumble Bees
Pest: They are between ¼ – 1 inch in size, have black and yellow markings, and overall fuzzy appearance.
Nest: They build their nests out of pollen clumps, usually in the ground or dense grass clump, and often in abandoned mouse nests.
Threat: They are considered a beneficial insect as they help to pollinate. However, they sting. If a nest is found in or near a structure, then controlling it is necessary.
2.Carpenter Bees
Pest: They are between 1/2 – 1 inch in size. They mostly resemble bumble bees, but their top of the abdomen is largely bare and shiny.
Nest: They don’t live in nests or colonies. They bore into wood, making galleries for rearing their young. They tend to prefer decaying or weathered wood to any new or painted wood.
Threat: Carpenter bees can be a severe property threat, and may cause structural damage over time, if necessary, steps to eliminate them are not taken.
Male carpenter bees tend to be territorial and hover in front of one’s face aggressively, but they do not have a stinger, and such actions are merely for show. Female carpenter bees, however, do have a potent sting, which can rarely be
3.Honey Bee
Pest: They are between 1/2-5/8 inch in size and brownish orange or black in color.
Nest: They are social insects and live in colonies in the form of hives, with mature colonies consisting of 20,000 – 80,000 individuals, at a time.
Threat: They are not aggressive and are not searching for something to attack. They are more of defensive type and will attack to only whatever will seem to threaten their colony.
4.Bald-Faced Hornets
Pest: They are primarily black in color, with mostly a white face.
Nest: They build aerial nests out of paper cartons. The nests are usually located in exposed locations, on trees, utility poles, overhangs or such structures. Nests can be quite large, growing up to 14 inches in diameter and 24 inches in length.
Threat: They are considered beneficial insects as they control many pest insect species. However, if their nest is situated near a structure, control should be warranted.
5.European Hornets
Pest: They are large, ranging ¾ to more than 1 inch. They are brown colored with yellow abdominal stripes and a pale face.
Nest: They build paper carton nests that will usually be covered in a brown paper envelope, proving as Typically, the nests are found in hollow trees, barns, hollow walls of houses and attics.
Threat: They are considered beneficial insects because they control many pest species. However, if their nest is situated near a structure, control is warranted.
6.Mud Daubers
Pest: They are long and slender, usually black in color, and may have pale markings or metallic luster.
Nest: They are solitary wasps, so don’t live in colonies. Females make nests of mud. Many short mud tubes, about 1 inch long, are made side by They frequently build these nests under eaves, porch ceilings, in sheds and garages, barns, building walls and attics.
Threat: They are considered beneficial insects as they control spiders. However, if their nest is situated near human activity, monitoring is warranted.
Having knowledge of WHICH bee stung a person, could prove a life-saver for him/her considering how dangerous some might be.
Final Talk
Logically speaking, the best way to get rid or stay away from being stung by a bee is still that you maintain a safe distance from any bees. And, even knowingly or unknowingly, if you do get hurt at any point in time, panicking is not a good option.
You need to cool down, so you don’t attract more bees in case a swarm is nearby, and follow simple home remedies to soothe the wound.
However, no matter how better you may feel after the treatment, it’s always a better idea to get checked by a physician, probably a skin specialist, so that you don’t continue experiencing any symptoms if it was a wild bee.
