How to Relieve a Bee Sting

Watch out for these insects, especially if you are allergic to them.

Bee stings hurt, but they're more annoying and painful than anything else, and won't cause additional complications unless you're allergic to them. If you're allergic to bee stings, immediate medical attention is necessary. Otherwise, you can follow a few basic steps to relieve yourself of the pain.

Things You'll Need

• EpiPen
• Soothing lotion
• Meat tenderizer
• Tweezers
• Cold compress
• Oatmeal
• Soap and water or medicinal alcohol
• Baking soda

Instructions

Relieve a Bee Sting

1. Pull the bee's stinger out as soon as possible with your fingers, or use a pair of tweezers if it's too hard to get out with your fingers.

2. Clean the wound site with soap and warm water or alcohol.

3. Cool down the area to prevent inflammation and swelling. Apply ice cubes, an ice pack or a cold, wet compress to the bite.

4. Apply aloe vera gel or lotion, lanolin or calamine lotion to the infected area to reduce inflammation and pain, and to relieve mild to moderate burning and itching.

Try a Home Remedy

1. Make a paste out of some meat tenderizer and a few drops of water. Rub it onto the bite area. Leave it on for around five minutes. Wash off.

2. Make a paste out of baking soda and water. Rub it onto the sting mark, leave for about five minutes, and wash off.

3. Apply aloe vera or calamine lotion.

4. Take an oatmeal bath to reduce inflammation, itching and burning. Pour half a cup of oatmeal into your bath, or use an over-the-counter oatmeal bath packet.

Tips & Warnings

• Prevent bee stings from occurring in the first place by avoiding overly sweet-swelling body products (perfumes, lotions, hairspray), ignoring bees when you see them, and avoiding trash cans and food stands when outdoors. Avoid going barefoot to prevent stepping on bees.

• Take Benadryl if you start to swell.

• Do not bandage the wound. Keep it clean and open for faster healing and to prevent infection.

• Invest in a bee sting kit complete with an EpiPen if you're allergic to bee stings.

• Seek emergency medical attention if you have a known or suspected bee sting allergy, if the swelling is persistent and covers a large area, or if you experience other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, hives, coughing and wheezing, light-headedness or dizziness.

• Do not use this information instead of medical advice or treatment.

Resources

• For more information on insect bite allergies, bee stings, wasp stings and insect bites, visit eMedicine's page on bee and wasp stings.