How to Treat a Bee Sting

You can enjoy an enjoyable afternoon with a walk in the park or garden, and of course you could be the subject of a bee sting – a very common but painful occurrence! Early treatment of bee stings can help reduce discomfort. You need to remove the stinger right away, monitor for signs of an allergic reaction, then try home remedies or over-the-counter medications to reduce pain and swelling.

Table of Contents

Take first aid steps

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Remove the stinger as quickly as possible. As soon as you are stung by a bee, remove the stinger from your skin. This is the most important thing you can do! Some say it’s more effective to scratch off the stinger with a credit card than to pinch the stinger to remove it, but this can slow down the sting removal process. Some experts don’t even think this is true, and that getting rid of the stinger quickly is the best thing you can do. ^{[1] X Research Source}

You will see the stinger at the site of the sting. The stinger is about the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen and may be accompanied by a few pieces of the bee’s body torn off. Sometimes, the bee is still attached to the stinger by a piece of the body.
Use your fingernail to remove the stinger, if possible. You can also get a credit card to scratch the stinger out. Do not squeeze the stinger; otherwise, it will release more venom into your body. ^{[2] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

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Wash the affected area with soap and cold water. Cold water will help soothe the skin, and soap can wash away any remaining grit or venom. Rub soap thoroughly and rinse thoroughly. ^{[3] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

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Watch out for allergy symptoms. Even if you’ve been stung by a bee before and have had no problems, you should still be on the lookout for signs that you’re having an allergic reaction. Allergies can develop and worsen over time. Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) can be life-threatening. Watch out for any signs of hypersensitivity below: ^{[4] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to source}

Shortness of breath or wheezing
Swelling of lips, tongue, face or throat
Dizziness, lightheadedness or low blood pressure
Skin reactions such as hives, flushing, itching or paleness
Fast and weak pulse
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
Restlessness and anxiety
- Take an antihistamine like Benadryl right after a bee sting. This is a precaution, although you don’t have an allergic reaction afterwards.

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Call emergency services if irritation occurs. If you experience any of the above symptoms, call 911 immediately. While you wait for help (or on your way to the hospital), take Benadryl or another antihistamine before a reaction occurs. Use an Epipen injection pen if available.

In the meantime, if a severe allergic reaction starts to appear, you can double the dose of your antihistamine. Be sure to tell the emergency team what medicine you have taken and how much to take.
Once you’ve been treated, see your doctor for a prescription for an EpiPen — an epinephrine shot that you always have on hand in case of another allergic reaction. You should always carry an EpiPen with you, and be sure to let someone in your group know that you have an EpiPen and may need it.
If you have a severe reaction to a bee or other insect sting, you should see an allergist. They may give you an injection to prevent serious reactions from recurring.

Try home remedies

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Apply cold compresses to the affected area of the skin. Place the sting under cold running water, or place an ice pack or ice pack on the affected area. Wrap the ice in a towel before applying it instead of placing it directly on the skin. Apply for about 20 minutes.

Apply ice again if the sting hurts again.
When using home remedies, continue to consider the size of the sting. Bee stings will usually continue to spread further. You can measure the size of the wound using a marker. If the redness continues to spread, you should seek medical attention.

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Elevate arms or legs. If you have been stung by a bee on your arm or leg, elevate these parts. Place your feet on the stack of pillows so that they are above heart level. Place your arm on something high above your heart. This can help reduce pain and swelling. ^{[5] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

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Make the baking soda mixture. Mix baking soda with water, apply the mixture on your skin and let it dry. This can help draw out the venom if applied quickly, in addition to reducing pain and swelling. Put a tablespoon of baking soda in a bowl, add just enough water to form a paste.

You can also try making a paste of baking soda, vinegar, and meat tenderizer to apply to bee stings. ^{[6] X Source} Add just enough vinegar to a tablespoon of baking soda to make a paste, and add a pinch of meat tenderizer.

Use medicine

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Take over-the-counter pain relievers. You can relieve pain with an over-the-counter drug that you can buy at the pharmacy, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or acetaminophen (Tylep). ^{[11] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source} Ask your doctor or pharmacist which medication is best for you if you have health problems, especially liver or kidney disease. Take the medication as directed on the label or as directed by your doctor.

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Apply hydrocortisone cream. You can apply hydrocortisone cream or another corticosteroid cream to the red, swollen skin to reduce pain and inflammation on the sting. Use according to the directions on the medicine label. ^{[12] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Reapply after a few hours if needed.

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Apply calamine cream. Calamine cream can help treat a bee sting just as effectively as a rash caused by poison ivy. Use a cotton ball to dab a little on the sting. Use according to the instructions on the product label. ^{[13] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to the source} Pain reliever calamine creams (like Caladryl), can be very effective.

Reapply after 4 hours if needed.

Advice

Treat bee stings early with an antihistamine and check your pulse regularly. Monitor the sting and the person stung for at least 4 hours after being stung.
Bee stings may itch, but do NOT scratch. If you scratch, you will worsen the itching and swelling and increase your risk of infection. ^{[14] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}
Apply antibiotic ointment to the bee sting after rinsing off home-made lotions or creams. This will help prevent infection. ^{[15] X Research Source}
Sometimes bees can wriggle out on their own – so unless the bee is dead, you shouldn’t pull it out.

Warning

You may be allergic to a bee sting, even if you have never had an allergic reaction to a bee sting before. It is also possible that you are only allergic to one type of sting, since there are many types of honey bees and wasps. Even if a bee sting hasn’t caused any problems in the past, that doesn’t mean you’ll never have an anaphylactic reaction, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on it every time you get stung.
Leave the blisters intact; Do not squeeze, as broken blisters can cause infection.

Steps

Take first aid steps

Try home remedies

Use medicine

Advice

Warning

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