8 Natural Bee Sting Treatment Options

Bee stings can be deadly if a person is allergic to the
venom. If you or a family member is allergic to bee
stings and gets stung, remove the stinger and seek
emergency medical attention right away. Do not rely
on a natural bee sting treatment alone. Use an
EpiPen (epinephrine auto-injector) if you have one.
Any person who is stung by a bee, needs to be
monitored for signs of anaphylaxis (life-threatening
reaction). About 3 percent of people stung by bees
quickly develop this condition. Signs and symptoms

of anaphylaxis include:
Itching/redness
Hives/welts
Shortness of breath
Feelings of faintness or dizziness
If there is any concern that a person is developing
anaphylaxis, call 911 right away. You can also take
over-the-counter Benadryl, but this will not stop the
anaphylaxis; it will only slow it. You must seek
emergency medical attention immediately for bee
allergy.
Non-Allergic Bee Sting Treatment Options
For a quick recovery from non-allergic bee stings, you
have three things to do to begin the healing process:
1. Extract the stinger.
2. Clean the wound.
3. Get pain relief.
The first and most important treatment for a bee
sting is to remove the stinger as quickly as possible
and by any means. The bee's hind end contains a sac
that holds venom, and it may continue pumping
more venom into the skin if not extracted. So, don’t
be slow about – get the stinger out. You can use your
fingernails, a pair of tweezers, or even a credit card to
scrape out the stinger. But, be careful not to break
the stinger and leave it buried in the skin.
Second, before using a home remedy for bee sting
treatment, clean the wound with soap and cool
water. This will help remove any bacteria that can
cause infection.
8 Natural Bee Sting Remedies
After the stinger has been removed and the wound
cleaned, you can use one of these 8 bee sting
remedies:
1. Ice. Apply ice for 20 minutes. Ice will numb the
pain and slow blood flow to the area, which reduces
swelling.
2. Honey. A degree of irony resides in this bee sting
remedy since honey comes from bees, but honey is
excellent for healing wounds. Apply a small dab of
honey to the wound and cover with gauze or a small
rag for 30 minutes to one hour. (If a person is allergic
to bees or honey, do not use this remedy.)
3. Lavender essential oil. Add one or two drops of
lavender essential oil to the wound. Lavender oil will
help neutralize the venom immediately.
4. Crushed garlic. Crush one or two garlic cloves to
release the juices and press it against the wound.
Cover with a moist rag or towel and let it sit for 20 to
30 minutes.
5. Plantain. This is not the fruit! Plantain (Plantago
major, broad leaf and Plantago lanceolata, long leaf)
is a common weed you’ll find around your home. It
typically grows in places where the soil has been
disturbed. It can also be found growing in the cracks
of your sidewalks. Bee stings are never planned, so it
may be a good idea to purchase the Plantago major
plant from a local garden and keep it at your home.
Although it is a weed, it has lovely purple foliage and
leaves that look like small green roses. To use
plantain as a bee sting treatment, you need to
release the juices from the leaves. This can be done
by using a food processor or putting the leaves in a
plastic bag and crushing them with a spoon. You can
even chew it slightly to release the juices. Once you
obtain the juice, press the juicy leaves against the
sting and cover with a moist rag or towel for 30
minutes.
6. Baking soda and vinegar. Make a paste using
baking soda, a dab of vinegar and water and apply it
to the wound for 30 minutes. Baking soda and
vinegar helps neutralize the acid found in bee stings.
7. Toothpaste. Like baking soda, toothpaste is a
base that will help neutralize the acidic bee sting,
thereby reducing pain and swelling. Apply the
toothpaste to the wound for 20 to 30 minutes.
8. Meat tenderizer. Make a paste using meat
tenderizer and water and apply it to the wound for 20
minutes.
After achieving pain relief with one of these home
remedies for bee stings, cleanse the skin by using a
wet paper towel or rag and apply a small amount of
an over-the-counter antibiotic cream or a natural first
aid remedy to help prevent infection.