Bee Sting!

Hi L.,

Did you remove the stinger yet? I'm sure you did, but if not, you need to do that. Scrape it w/a credit card, or a butter knife--don't use tweezers or straight pins.

I listed conventional and natural remedies for you.

Feel better!

K. W

P.S. If you're allergic, then you may need to go in and get a scrip for anti biotics and a hydrocortisone/and/or steroid injection.

My oldest daughter is allergic to insect stings(wasp, bee), and each time she's been stung, her reaction has been progressively worse. The last time, she had to do what I mentioned, and now she has an epi-pen, *just* in case. Mostly, she watches for bees/wasps like a hawk.

Conventional remedy:

Bee and Wasp Stings Treatment
Treatment will depend on the severity of your condition. It is important to note that no specific antivenom is available to counteract the poison injected by the insect. The majority of problems requiring medical treatment result from the allergic reaction to the sting. Many of the complications from an allergic reaction respond well to various medications—when given in time.

Self-Care at Home
Most simple insect stings in a nonallergic person require no more than first aid at home.

Avoid further stings by wearing protective clothing, using insect repellant, and avoiding infested areas.

Remove any stingers remaining in the skin (most likely from bees) immediately. Some experts recommend scraping out the stinger with a credit card. However, it is probably more important to get the stinger out as quickly as possible than to be overly concerned about how it is removed.

Application of ice to the sting site may provide some mild relief. Ice may be applied for 20 minutes every hour as needed. Cloth should be placed between the ice and skin to avoid freezing the skin.

Consider taking an antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) for itching.

Consider taking ibuprofen (Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain relief as needed.

Wash the sting site with soap and water. Place an antibiotic ointment on the sting site.

If it has 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. More serious reactions may need immediate medical care.

If you have been stung by a bee or wasp and have previously had a serious allergic reaction, seek medical attention. Consider taking an antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) as soon as possible. If any allergic symptoms develop, consider using the epinephrine part of an emergency allergy kit (EpiPen) if previously prescribed by a doctor.

Natural remedies:

After the Bee Sting: What to Do First

Unlike honeybees, the stingers of hornets, wasps, and yellow jackets remain attached and if agitated these insects will sting you multiple times. Honeybees leave their stingers behind after they have stung you so look for the stinger and remove it immediately by scraping it out with a fingernail.

Wash the bee sting with soap and water to prevent bacterial contamination associated with the venom. Do not squeeze, rub, or pick at the sting as it may cause an infection. If you have multiples stings or a severe allergic reaction visit the emergency room of the nearest hospital.

Remedies for Bee Stings

A mild allergic reaction occurs from the venom in the stinger. The skin will become slightly swollen and turn a pinkish-red color and later start to feel itchy. This lasts for a few days at most. The itchy feeling is the result of swelling, which causes blood to move toward the surface of your skin. Try the following natural remedies to relieve the discomfort of a sting:

Make a paste of baking soda and water or baking soda and apple cider vinegar and apply to the skin to relieve itching.

Applying lemon juice or apple cider vinegar directly to the affected area should help relieve itching.

Apply clay or mud to the sting area and wrap with a towel. Leave on until the mud dries to relieve general discomfort.

Cut a potato in quarters and apply directly to the sting. Potatoes contain allantoin, a substance that soothes inflammation.

Crush the leaves of the plantain plant (Plantago major or P. lanceolata) by chewing them and then placing them directly on the sting area for several minutes. Plantain is a common plant that contains large quantities of allantoin.

Crush the leaves and stems of the Jewelweed plant (Impatiens spp.) to make a watery juice and apply directly to skin.

2 moms found this helpful

I second the homeopathic remedy called Apis Mellifica which you can find at New Seasons or another natural store. Here is a link to a page that describes that and a few other remedies that can be helpful for different types of stings. http://www.evitamins.com/healthnotes.asp?ContentID=2238007

S.
www.hazelaid.com
All natural, organic, handmade hazelwood necklaces for the relief of eczema, acid reflux, and teething pain for babies and their families.

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Benadryl (or other antihistamine) taken internally & a trip to your Dr....it sounds as if you're developing an allergy. Take a picture of your foot NOW to bring in with you.

Many allergies increase slowly over time, so even if you haven't had severe reactions to bees in the past, it looks like you're going to start having them in your future. You'll want to be prepared.

~Z

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Get Homeopathic Apis Mellifica. It should work very well and speedy. If it doesn't clear it up completely let me know.
Liz
Mom & Classical Homeopath

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My condolences to you. I did that myself over 30 years ago. On the way as adult chaperone with church youth group from Seattle to Spokane we stopped in Leavenworth. I don't recall seekng medical care in an unknown town but had to hop because it was so swollen. Benadryl and other anti-itch sprays may relieve itching. I want to advise you that such a strong reaction indicates you are allergic to bee stings and each time you get stung it gets worse. Be very cautious and mention it to your physician when you see one.

E. S.

Hi L.,

Get to the doctor. My boss had a reaction like that the other day and ended up in the emergency room. Take Benadryl now and that should stop the allergic reaction but you need a Dr. to look at it because if you get stung again you could have a fatal reaction. Once you have a bad reaction, even if you have been stung before, the next time could be a thousand times worse. Don't take a chance. Get to a Dr.

Take Care,
C.

If you can take it, try benadryl, if you haven't already. And with the extent and duration of your symptoms, I'd get to a doctor for evaluation. This is not something to mess with.

Homeopathy works well for me, but it reportedly doesn't help about 20 per cent of the population, so I would not recommend using it as a primary treatment until you know whether you respond to it well. The remedies I keep on hand for bee stings are APIS MELLICA for right after the sting, and HISTAMINUM for itching/swelling that continue afterward (this one's also an amazing hay fever remedy for me).

I have also heard that putting a paste of meat tenderizer (papain) over the sting neutralizes some of the venom, but I'm guessing you would need to do that right after you're stung, before the venom spreads. I've never tried it.

Get well - please consult your doctor. At least call and see whether an advice nurse can talk to you. You are describing a serious reaction.

Hello, I am highly allergic to bees. I actually have to carry a shot with me wherever I go incase I get stung. But for the more mild reaction like yours I would take Benedryl. It works really well. Good luck!

You are very allergic to bee stings! Be very careful from now on. You need to take Benadryl. Maybe for a couple of days. It will make you sleepy. Or contact your doctor, so he can see how allergic you are and give you a bee sting kit.

L.,

Try some Aloe Vera gel. That stuff has sooooo many uses. I use it in my house for the occasional sunburn we get but it's also good for minor burns, skin irritations and dry, rough skin.

Hope you feel better soon,
M.

Pure Melaleuca Oil with some contrast hydrotherapy to get things moving. Put your foot in water as hot as you can stand it for 5 minutes and alternate that with cold water. Then apply pure Melaleuca oil frequently it will penetrate all seven layers of the skin to heal inside and out.

I don't know how it works after the fact, but the best remedy for me (over all the other remedies out there) has always been plain old mud. It takes the sting out of it immediately! It still has to heal over time, but then I've used Resinol to help with the itching as it heals. I stepped on a bumble bee last summer and put mud on it immediately after and it stopped the stinging so then I just had the itchiness of the healing process to deal with. Good luck!

Have you taken benadryl yet?

Benedryl! I and my kids are all allergic to bees and we take Benedryl to help reduce the swelling and itching. Also Benedryl makes a topical cream for the site that works wonders.

Benadryl!!! I am allergic to bees, and this is something I always keep in the house. It will help swelling and itching. You also may want to talk to your doctor about this, bee sting reactions get worse with every sting.

[Ooops, just saw that you already got this advice. Antihistamines work great for me too.]

Have you tried taking an over-the-counter oral antihistamine like you would take for allergies? It can sometimes work wonders. I have really strong reactions to mosquito bites (think huge red welts that itch for a week), and started taking a dose of Claritin as soon as I noticed the bites. It made an unbelievable difference. The welts stopped itching, went down and were gone.

It does sound like you are allergic, if it happened the other day and is still swollen like that. You should go to the doctor, because it could be infected, as this happens to me when I get stung, and I am allergic. Something to think about in the future though- meat tenderizer, the dry stuff, mixed with a little bit of water, will draw the poison out if you get it on there within like ten to thirty minutes of being stung.

Hope this helps! And I hope your foot gets better, I know how you feel!

I personally have not been stung since I was a kid, but my husband and our son have been stung 2 or 3 times in the past year. About a year ago I ran across Benedryl spray, which both my husband and son found immediate relief and by the next day there was nothing there. My husband said that he would rather get stung by a bee than a misquito because the itchiness and irritation doesn't last as long. We tired both the store brand and name brands of antihistimine sprays and found no difference.....the same everything in both. Hope your leg feels better soon!!!!

Benadryl!! You are allergic to bee stings!! You might go to the doctor for a shot, which would work quicker! Be sure the swelling doesn't spread up your leg, too. That could mean a worse allergy. Take care!

Try soaking in epsom salts and warm water and elevate it as much as possible.

This may indicate a potential cumulative sensitivity to bees. I recommend that you make a doctors appointment to discuss this situation and have adrenalin shots available incase of future stings.

The other previous suggestions are excellent for the foot right now, but some people build up an immune response to bee venom that gets worse with each sting. It could become a systemic reaction in the future.

Yow!!! Benadryl has worked for me and my child (6). XanGo also works. I get mine at SevenStarLife.com

I've been stung before but never on the foot.

Take some Benedryl, just the allergy formula, and that should help. If your foot is that swollen, I would probably go to an allergy doctor to check it out just to be safe!

Hope you get better!

S. S.

I just looked on the www.peoplespharmacy.com, and it suggested fresh sliced onion on the sting, or meat tenderizer with papaya extract mixed with a bit of water on the sting, or baking soda and vinegar. All are supposed to be done immediately after the incident, so it might not help now. They have enzymes in them that break down the problem.

Ooops. I posted this before I read the responses you received, and I've realized that I've duplicated the advice of many others.

It may be too late for this, but immediately after being stung, a paste of baking soda and a little water applied directly to the site of the sting will neutralize at least some of the venom (bee stings are acidic, baking soda is basic). The amount of swelling you describe makes me think that you may be having a mild allergic response to the sting. Benadryl or some other antihistamine will help with the itch and swelling.

You may want to consider keeping an antihistamine in your purse or car for the future, because if you are stung again, your reaction is likely to be worse. This kind of thing builds with exposure. And the immediate use of an antihistamine can help keep your reaction from being as severe.

I give this advice not as a medical professional, but as someone with way too much personal experience with bee stings. You may want to consult a health care pro and see what (s)he has to say.

Hopefully you removed the stinger, as there is a small sac attached that continues to pump venom into the injection site after you crushed the bee. Make sure it's gone. Taking benadryl or another antihestamine might help relieve some of the itch where the topical treatments aren't quite as effective once it's in your system. Think of the stinger as a hypodermic needle and the venom as the vaccine. Ice can help localize and control some of the pain/itch. A baking soda paste at the point of injection will help draw the venom out. Otherwise, it's just a matter of time. It does sound like you got a good reaction from the sting and I would see the doctor about an allergy test for bee stings. It's not the first time you get stung that's dangerous, it's the second time that really harms you. Best of luck! Get well soon!

Hey, I know it's too late for you, but later in our lives my mom learned another baking soda combination that works better than baking soda and water--it's a baking soda and vinegar paste. It foams up at first of course, but I've used it a couple of times immediately after a sting and the pain goes away in a matter of seconds and the bump goes away within a day. It's awesome!

If you're more allergic, like you seem to be, I can't say if it would work as nicely, but it's worth a shot if it ever happens again.

baking soda paste-just baking soda and water in a thick paste. Keep a little baking soda with you as this works much better when you use it imedeatly. Take benadryl if you are not breastfeeding for the reaction.

Also, talk to your doc the next time you are in about alergies like this. Alergies can become more severe over time and a alergy pen would be good to have on hand incase of extreem reaction or multipule stings.

You are having an allergic reaction. The same thing happens to me but if I get stung multiple times I end up having a hard time breathing as well as the swelling. What you need to do is take some form of an antihistamine like Benadryl and go see your doctor. Something else that helps me is to make a paste of Baking Soda and water and put it over the sting, it helps to draw out the venom.
ANTIHISTAMINE!!! you don't want to ignore it because over time the allergy can become worse and with each sting become more lifethreatening.

I'm sure others have said it, but you need to take Benadryl and put some Benadryl cream on your bee sting too. It sounds like you need the anithistamine that Benadryl offers, along with the anti-itch.

Hope you feel better soon!

Try mixing some baking soda and water so it is thick like a paste and put on the sting (it helps draw it out). Also make sure you got the stinger out or the swelling will not go down.

I would definately take benadryl. It will reduce the swelling and itching within an hour or two. In the mean time I would try solarcane spray. It's really the best to stop itching.

Well, this is what happens to my son every time he gets a sting. The doctor told me he has a large local allergic reaction. We give him a prescription steroid medication. Also ibuprofin helps reduce inflammation.
Good luck, but it will go away on it's own in a couple of days, even if you don't do anything.

Hi,
I'm seriously allergic to bee stings (I have to carry an Epi Pen at all times)..... and what you are having sounds like an allergic reaction to me. You probably need some sort of allergy medicine; Benadryl or something or just ask your local pharmacist. That is not a normal reaction. Good luck! T.

I am allergic to bees and have always had to visit the hospital! They would give me a shot of Benadryl. You can pick up the pill version at any pharmacy/drug store! It works for the swelling and itching. Hope this helps!

baking soda and water. Make a paste, spread it over the area, and let it dry. This will pull the poisen out. try to keep it elevated as well while it is drying.
If I'm ever not feeling well, I'll some baking soda to the tub water, it pulls toxins out. Helps to bath a baby in it as well for constipation

If you use liquid benedryl (not sure of the spelling) It is not a prescription, but the pharmacist will tell you were it is. It sounds like an allergic reaction. Good Luck

My daughter got stung 4 times this summer and my mom's remedy is to put baking soda and water together to make a paste and it takes the stinger out so you get relief and the swelling goes away. Try it it defianetly works. Let me know. M.

Benadryl!!! If that doesn't work, you should probably see your doctor. Were you able to get the stinger out?

L.,
Benadryl. The topical treatments are only temporary. If the swelling continues go to the doctor.

Best of luck.

Take a benadril. You've had an allergic reaction to it. Baking soda will take some of the sting away. Hope that helps.
~Brynda

Ibuprofen, and put it up...do not walk on it!

I recently heard that holding a penny on it for 15 minutes after getting stung really hleps. My dad tried it and said it worked. But I think it has been too long ago for it to work for you. I agree with the try benadryl, and call your doctor.

Make a mud paste and put that on the sting site. Let the mud dry, it will draw out the poison. Do it again when the mud falls off.

And you can take an antihistimine, too.