Bee stings can be a bothersome and even painful experience, but having an effective home remedy on hand can help you get rid of the issue quickly and effectively. If you don’t suffer from bee allergies, you can easily treat bee stings. Honey, apple cider vinegar, baking soda, and a variety of other home remedies relieve itching and burning caused by bee stings and even help prevent swelling.
When a bee stings you it inserts its tiny barbed stinger along with a venom sac into your skin. The venom injected in your body is the main cause of reaction. Your body essentially has an allergic reaction to the venom, causing itching, swelling, and pain.
Because the stinger houses the venom sack, getting the stinger out of your skin is the most important first step. Avoid pulling the stinger out, as you could break the venom sac and release more venom in your body. Rather, gently scrape the stinger out using your fingernail or a credit card. Once you have removed the stinger, apply a topical remedy and avoid touching or scratching the affected area.
You can use a wide range of natural concoctions to treat bee stings. A few of the best options include honey, baking soda, and apple cider vinegar.
Honey is a sweet remedy for bee stings. It helps dilute the venom at the injection site and has antibacterial properties that prevent infection.
One reason bee stings burn and sting is because they contain formic acid. Baking soda is an alkaline product, so applying a paste of baking soda and water helps neutralize the sting.
Apple cider vinegar works in much the same way as baking soda. Applied topically, it helps neutralize the acid in the sting. ACV also relieves inflammation and reduces itching.
Treating a bee sting quickly and effectively will help you avoid additional pain and inflammation associated with a sting. These remedies as well as several others suggested below by our contributors can help you naturally treat your bee stings at home!
