Stung By A Honey Bee? Here Is What You Should Do

A honey bee's sting can have adverse effects at times. Some people can be excessively allergic to the venom left by the sting, which can cause difficulty in breathing, increase the pulse rate and the sting is known to lead to an anaphylactic shock, which is a severe form of allergic reaction that leads to death. But in most cases the stings do not result in reactions so extreme, and induces only a strong burning sensation, swelling and itching at the affected area. 

Here are some easy ways of dealing with a bee sting:

Squeeze With Card & Apply Ice Water

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Scrape out the stinger with the help of a credit card or a similar object and squeeze it all out. Do not scratch the area no matter what as it will worsen the situation. After you are done, apply ice water on the stung area for a good 20 minutes. This should relieve your pain. 

Use Raw Potatoes

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If the sting has not given you allergic reactions, then you can take to some raw potatoes. Raw potatoes have been traditionally used to treat the initial pain of stings. The inflammatory properties of raw potatoes have always held value in many home remedies.

Garlic Juice

We all know that garlic is a powerhouse of essential nutrients. Juice of crushed garlic when applied gives positive results. We suggest that you apply the juice and leave it on for 20 minutes. This method is known to be very effective. 

Papaya

This fruit and other meat tenderisers can come in handy for instant pain relief. Apart from papain, papaya also has other effective enzymes that help against inflammation and promote healing of burns. This fruit can prove to be very helpful.

Read More: Here Is Why You Should Be Consuming Curd Everyday?

Honey

Did you know that honey itself can cancel out the bee's sting? You just have to dab on some honey on the wound an cover it with a gauze for half an hour. Caution: If the person is allergic to honey, do not use it at all. 

Mud

If you are outside and do not have access to all these things, which is very much possible, just grab some mud and water and apply it on the wound for the initial stingy pain. Mix in enough water so that the mud mixture is spread evenly. After you get home, rinse it all out and apply an antibiotic cream.

Aloe Vera

We all know about this amazing plant which looks like a multi-purpose plant with beauty benefits as well. Aloe vera in this situation can also act as a soothing agent and relieve you off the pain. All you have to do is break a leaf and squeeze the gel directly onto the wound. 

Lavender oil

Lavender essential oil acts as a neutraliser to the venom. The oil has amazing inflammatory abilities which can relieve the swelling. You just need to use a drop or two and smear it on the sting. Mix a bit of coconut oil with it for better and effective results. 

Toothpaste

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According to the ideology of some people, toothpaste has alkaline which neutralises acidic honeybee venom. If true, however, toothpaste won't work on alkaline wasp venom.