Bee stings can be a real pain – no pun intended. (ok, maybe a little bit of a pun intended).
While the pain and irritation of bee stings goes down as you’re exposed to more of them, that’s no comfort to those who’ve just been stung (and certainly not something to say to a kid who’s just had their first bee sting).
That’s why this article exists – to give you (or whoever just got stung) comfort and relief from a painful bee sting.
The good news is, honey bees are unlikely to sting you, since it means they’re definitely going to die. Ruining your day stinks, but it literally kills them.
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When someone is stung by a bee, they’re injected with approximately 0.1mg of apitoxin. That toxin contains mostly proteins that will cause the site around a bee sting to become inflamed and uncomfortable.
The bad news is, bee stings hurt. However, if you swelled up after getting stung by a bee – don’t automatically assume you’re allergic. It’s actually a completely natural reaction to swell up in the area around a bee sting – it’s your body responding to the bee venom.
The only real allergic reaction to a bee sting is anaphylactic shock – and you would absolutely 100% know if you were suffering from that.
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What To Do If You’ve Been Stung By A Bee
If you get stung by a bee, definitely don’t give in to your instincts – which might be to flail your arms around, try to swat the bees, or run away. The more stressed out you are, the more likely you are to upset other bees around you and get yourself stung again.
If you’re near a hive, move away at a walk and try to be as calm as possible. Take the stinger out of wherever you got stung, as it has pheromones in it that tell other bees to sting you as well.
However, when you’re taking the stinger out, don’t just grab the end and pull! The end is where all the venom in the bee stinger is, so if you squeeze it all you’re doing is squeezing more venom into yourself.
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Instead, take your fingernail and scrape the stinger out to prevent the release of any more bee venom and help yourself feel better as quickly as possible.
If you’ve been stung by a bee, you want swift relief. Here are the best home remedies that can take away the discomfort of a bee sting and get you feeling better faster.
The Best Home Remedies For Bee Stings
1. Baking Soda Takes The Sting Away
Baking soda is an awesome bee sting remedy that works for everyone – and the best part is how easy it is to use.
That’s because nearly everybody has baking soda somewhere in their house – and it’s very effective at taking down the swelling of a bee sting as well as stopping the maddening bee sting itch.
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What you need:
Baking soda
Water
What to do:
Add a little bit of water to your baking soda so that you can make a paste. If you add too much water it will get too thin and be too runny, but if you add too little it will be hard to spread onto the sting and might clump up or fall off.
Rinse your bee sting with cool water, then apply your baking soda paste and enjoy the relief.
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2. Get Help With Rhubarb
Rhubarb juice is a surprising remedy that can help reduce the pain of a bee sting while also helping to control the unpleasant after effects.
Make sure you’re using fresh rhubarb, and you should be good to go!
What you need:
One fresh stalk of rhubarb
What to do:
Break open your rhubarb stalk and squeeze the juice directly out onto the sting. Remember that the juice might stain your skin a different color, but the effect will only be temporary.
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3. Surprisingly, Try Meat Tenderizer To Treat A Sting
Meat tenderizer is a surprising remedy for bee stings that can help you feel better.
That’s because it contains an enzyme called papain, which helps to break down the proteins in bee venom that cause the swelling and itching in the first place.
What you need:
Meat tenderizer
Water
What to do:
Mix together one part meat tenderizer with four parts water, then apply your mixture to the place where you got stung and leave it on for up to 30 minutes to experience relief.
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4. Try Toothpaste For Minty Relief
ok, so it doesn’t have to be mint toothpaste. But toothpaste has been found to be an effective remedy.
It’s unknown why toothpaste helps reduce the pain and after effects of a bee sting. Some think that it’s because toothpaste is alkaline, which can help neutralize the bee venom.
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What you need:
Some toothpaste
What to do:
Just dab a little bit of toothpaste onto the bee sting, and let the alkaline paste neutralize the acidic bee venom and give you relief.
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5. Plain Old Mud Can Help You Out
Mud is a surprising but effective remedy against the pain of a bee sting. Plus, chances are, if you get stung by a bee you’re outside – so if you need a remedy really fast, mud is your best bet.
What you need:
Some dirt
Water
What to do:
Add some water to your dirt in order to make some thick mud. If you have some mud near you – even better, you can skip that step. Apply the mud over your bee sting for relief, then wash it off and clean the area when you get home.
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6. Lavender To The Rescue
Lavender essential oil can be your best friend when it comes to soothing and treating a bee sting. That’s because it can get rid of the itching, swelling, and pain that comes with it – everything you could want in a remedy!
Unusually, this is one of the only times that it’s advisable to use an essential oil without diluting it. If you’re not comfortable doing that, you can dilute it first – especially if you’re worried that your skin is going to get irritated.
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What you need:
1 drop of lavender essential oil
What to do:
If you’re diluting your oil, add your drop of lavender essential oil to a small amount of a neutral oil. Make sure there’s no stinger left in your skin, then apply your drop of oil directly to the sting.
In summary…
The Best Bee Sting Remedies
- Baking soda takes the sting away
- Get help with rhubarb
- Surprisingly, try meat tenderizer to treat a sting
- Try toothpaste for minty relief
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i was stung by a bee once and it was horrible. i didn’t know how to treat it at all, so this is nice to know.
toothpaste is really a good remedy for a bee sting. I’ve tried it once and it minimizes the pain.
i’ll definitely keep this in mind in case it happens to me or anyone close to me esp my kids. i’ve always been scared of bees.
this article is very informative indeed! i believe i have zero chance of getting stung by a bee but it is still good to take note of this home remedies.
i now have a toddler and it’s always best to be ready with all the the things that can happen. my boy loves the outdoors and a bee sting is not impossible at all. i’m glad i saw this.
my family loves spending the glorious warm weather outside. the information i learned in this article bout how to treat bee stings are very useful. who knows, we might run in with one of those little guys.
even bee sting can be solved with baking soda? this is just amazing! thanks for the tip!
i love spending time in my garden especially in the afternoon and i know that i may be a subject for a bee sting. that would be a painful experience but i will use what i’ve learned from this article just in case.
i once tried toothpaste and it gave me the cooling sensation. it helped relieve the sting and i can suggest you try it. it’s the most available on every household too.
now i know what to do if one of my family members is stung by a bee. these are really quick and natural remedies.
lavender oil is my best friend! i also it to disinfect my scalp and skin and enhance my blood circulation.
it is good to know these natural bee sting remedy but i am not sure if i will use them. lols! my grandma used to apply calamine lotion when i was still a kid and got bitten by insects.
bee stings are no laughing matter. i was stung by a bee once and it was really painful. because of that experience, i now keep home remedies in my kitchen. i just want to make sure that we could get a quick relief from the pain if it happens again to me or to anyone in the family.
lavender really works like magic! aside from treating a bee sting, it can also reduce anxiety and emotional stress.
meat tenderizer is very effective when it comes to treating bee stings. it makes the itching a little less annoying.
there are times when you just can’t avoid being stung by a bee. i should be prepared at all times. if this happens, i know what should i do.
my son just got stung by a bee for the first time and it was painful to see him hurting. good thing i read this post before it happened. i knew how to stop the pain and swelling easily.
i am extremely terrified of bees! next time i get stung (hopefully not anytime soon), i will definitely use some of these home remedies.
my mom used to treat bee sting with a toothpaste. she is a supermom and i missed her so much!
bee stings can be serious. i was stung once and i never want to repeat that very unpleasant experience!
articles like this is such a great help for moms like me. next time something unfortunate happens, like being stung by a bee, we would know what to do.
these are brilliant remedies anyone can try in case they got stung by a bee! these are really a great help! i will certainly make use of them.
my uncle works as a beekeeper and he said he is comfortable with his job. he mentioned using some of these home remedies for bee stings and how effective they are.
i got stung by a bee last weekend and thankfully i am not allergic. it was no big deal for me since i knew how to take care of it using natural home remedies.
i have tried using chamomile and tea tree oil. i am not aware that lavender oil is also good for a bee sting.
i have suffered from a painful bee sting and after that experience, i began looking for home remedies. all of the remedies discussed here are effective based on my research. in case i get stung by a bee again, hopefully not anytime soon, i will not hesitate to try these!
getting stung by a bee is one thing that i don’t want to experience, ever! i am terrified whenever i see bees!!!
baking soda is a common home remedy and is very effective. this is the reason why i always stock up on this.
what i put to relieve the pain of bee sting? mint toothpaste! in case you get stung by a bee, i suggest to try this remedy first because it is really effective.
i did my own research and who would have thought that toothpaste was the most effective home remedy for bee stings?! i am glad toothpaste was invented. lol!