What do you do if you are stung by a wasp or a bee?

1. 91

   GoodLadyposted 11 years ago

   What do you do if you are stung by a wasp or a bee?

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2. 59

   Shanaayaposted 11 years ago

   rubbing onion on it...we have been doing it for long time...it reduce the swelling and also take out the wasp "tip"

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   1. 91

      GoodLadyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Nice tip!  Thanks

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3. 77

   Nesbyteposted 11 years ago

   Get some cotton wool, soak it in vinegar, and hold it against the sting. (Obviously, take the stinger first if it's still stuck in the skin). The acid vinegar breaks down the protein that the stinger injects i.e. what makes it "sting". Of course, there is a problem with this method: you end up smelling like potato salad.

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   1. 91

      GoodLadyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Who cares about smelling like potato salad!  Love your answer.  Thanks

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4. 72

   BLACKANDGOLDJACKposted 11 years ago

   I got stung by a bee a couple days ago while I was outside working on my car. The bee kept buzzing around my head and I swatted it with my hand. It stung me on the ring finger of my right hand. I immediately dug out the stinger with a needle and soaked it in peroxide briefly. Within 10 minutes my finger swelled up to twice its normal size, especially the tip. I taped a piece of ice to the tip of my finger and another and another as it melted. I was worried the finger was going to start throbbing like when you hit your finger with a hammer, but it never really did. About 5 hours later the swelling subsided.
   
   I got stung on the eyebrow a few months ago and that really hurt for a  minute or two but it never swelled up or anything like the finger did. I've been stung a bunch of other times, but never more than once at a time. The real danger is if  you are allergic or if you are stung by a bunch of bees at one time, like if you run into a nest. That might require a trip to the ER. Toothpaste and baking soda are some remedies that people likely would have on hand. It is thought that the alkaline in those products neutralizes the venom.

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   1. 91

      GoodLadyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yup, a trip in a helicopter to the ER sizes up a stick by a wasp by an allergic person (like me)!:  Hope you don't get any more of those stings.  Season's nearly over now.

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5. 68

   Meg Davisposted 11 years ago

   Use my epipen or go to the hospital. I'm very allergic!

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   1. 91

      GoodLadyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I just learned that I am too and am waiting to get my epipen.  Thanks so much for coming in here.  I was hoping an allergic wasp sting person would.

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   2. 86

      Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      No wonder you asked this question and sound so concerned.  I would be too.  Difficult way to discover you are allergic to stings!

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6. 65

   isenhower33posted 11 years ago

   Putting some wet tobacco on it is an old remedy for bringing the poisoned area out. I live in the country, getting stung happens a lot. Im kinda use to it so i dont use anything to make the swelling go down, but using the tobacco out of a cig with some saliva will do the trick

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   1. 91

      GoodLadyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Never heard of THAT!   Thanks for your original 'do the trick' suggestion.  The best ideas come from the countryside don't they?

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   2. 65

      isenhower33posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Maybe not the best all the time but we know how to take care of ourselves

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7. 96

   cat on a soapboxposted 11 years ago

   I use a credit card to firmly scrape across the area to remove the stinger in one motion so that minimal toxin is released. After that, I swipe the area w/ an alcohol wipe and apply ice to reduce swelling. Benadryl will relieve itching too. If swelling appears anywhere else beside the sting area (sting on hand, leg swells )or the throat tightens, consider it an emegency and get to the ER without delay.

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   1. 91

      GoodLadyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      This is the best answer I think because you covered what to do for ordinary reactions as well as for  allergic reactions.  Thanks.

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8. 59

   crystaleyesposted 11 years ago

   I sterilize the blunt side of a knife and use it to scrape the bee stinger. Then wipe the sting area with an antiseptic lotion, apply an ice pack over it and then cover it up with a Baking Soda pack (made with baking soda and water - thick paste). Leave it on to dry.. This relieves the itching and soothes the skin.. :-)

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   1. 91

      GoodLadyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      The treatment sounds good.  Thanks.  What worries me is the 'scraping' part because if the sting is still sort of half out, it's best to 'pull' the sting out.  That's what I heard.  I suppose if the sting is inside the sting you would  'scrape'.

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9. 86

   Denise Handlonposted 11 years ago

   My grampa made me a mudpack when I was stung as a kid, to draw the stinger out, etc.  It worked.

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   1. 91

      GoodLadyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      So many really different ways to draw the sting out and here is yet another.  Grampa was such a darling.

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10. 70

    hagsvilleUSAposted 11 years ago

    my cousins and i ran around with bare feet for most of our childhood.  haha.  bee stings were pretty common.  my granny used to grate up some raw potato and tie it around our foot or wherever was stung.  pulled out the stinger and kept the swelling down every time.    :-)

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    1. 91

       GoodLadyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Good granny!  Oh those wonderful days of running around carefree in bare feet - not worrying about the bees.

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11. 50

    ladysurvivorposted 11 years ago

    First of all I would wash the affected area with warm water.  Then I would apply pure honey on it as honey is an effective anti-inflammatory agent.  This method is for those who do not have any allergic reactions to a bee's sting.  However, if you know that you are allergic to a bee's sting it's best to see a doctor as you might need an injection of some sort.

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    1. 91

       GoodLadyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I'll ask my doctor about the honey remedy, sounds good.  If you're allergic you certainly would need an injection, pretty quickly!

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12. 60

    Alisa Arishinaposted 11 years ago

    When I was little my grandma made a mudpack after I got stung by a bee trying out my new tricycle. Now I think of it as odd, but I guess that actually helped!

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    1. 91

       GoodLadyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I wonder if it did really help.  Someone else replied with this tip too.  I will ask a doctor because it sounds really interesting - a down to earth remedy

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13. 62

    Civil War Bobposted 11 years ago

    Take part of an aloe plant, slice it to expose the interior goo, and let it on the sting for 15 minutes.  Also take an antihistamine if I have not taken one earlier in the day as part of living with allergies for 46 years.
    Oh, yeah, make note of where home sweet home is for said stinger, come back at dusk, and make them dead sweet dead with the appropriate chemical attack.

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    1. 91

       GoodLadyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       So I need to grow an aloe plant!  That I will do.  Love your feisty comment, allergy man!

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14. 49

    henrydixonposted 11 years ago

    First i remove the saliva from the stung and use the tube that is good for this and then the call the gladepestcontrol service and get rid out of this problem...

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