I'm not very happy that I got to test this one out today!!!
I was out filling up a kiddie pool for my 2 year old and her cousins when I looked down to find a wasp clinging to my hand. I obviously handled this with grace.... by freaking out, squealing and running to the kiddie pool to throw my hand in.
Ever since that happened this morning my little girl, who isn't afraid of anything, has squealed every time she sees a fly. Great.
Anyway, two of my sister's were there with me and we instantly looked up our bee sting remedies via Pinterest, seriously- Pinterest is the best thing ever!!
This is what we found:
(Click
HERE for the original link)
First make sure the stinger is removed (look for a black spot in the bite area), do this immediately as it can reduce the amount of venom released into the body.
At one time it was thought that you had to scrape it out (with something like a blunt knife or plastic edge) but you can effectively use tweezers to pull it out.
Wash the stung area with soap and water then try a remedy or treatment below for pain relief. Technically it’s a sting rather than a “bite”, but I used bite below to describe the injured area.
- Make a paste of meat tenderizer and water or baking soda and water–apply to bite.
- Sprinkle generously with baking soda then drizzle some drops of vinegar over the baking soda to make it fizz. Leave on skin until pain is gone.
- Cover with a dot of mustard.
- Make a thick paste of meat tenderizer and vinegar, apply to area.
- Cover with honey and reapply as needed for pain.
- Dab with a generous amount of toothpaste and leave on the wound.
- Apply ice or an ice pack.
- Soak in Epsom salt and water or make paste and apply.
- Apply Aloe Vera.
- Chew a plantain leaf then apply the macerated leaf onto the bite.
- Crush fresh parsley and apply to wound.
- Crush fresh basil leaves and apply.
- Drizzle apple cider vinegar over the wound.
- Apply a slice of fresh papaya.
- Dab on a bit of deodorant.
Symptoms:
A normal reaction to a bee sting is to experience pain and itchiness, redness and swelling. Pain will last for a few hours then should disappear.
If the following occurs, seek medical advice:
- If it stung inside your nose or mouth (the swelling will affect breathing).
- If you were stung several times by many bees.
- If you have difficulty breathing or your breathing seems to have been affected.
- Your tongue begins to swell.
- You experience dizziness.
- You experience blurry vision.
- You feel nauseous.
- Your speech is slurred or you find it difficult to talk.
- Hives or a rash appears (especially in an area away from the bite).
- The stung area swells alarmingly large.
**** I immediately placed a putty of water and baking soda on the sting. I didn't feel like it was helping. Next, I tried toothpaste. I didn't feel that was easing any pain either. 3rd times a charm- mustard! I placed a dab of mustard on there and within a couple minutes we were in business!! I may have just needed patience with the first two attempts but those buggers hurt and I wasn't in a very patient mood!!
All I know, is mustard did the trick and next time someone around me gets stung I'm gonna have a little more sympathy because they hurt worse than I thought and then I'll whip out the condiments!!
