Home Remedies for Bites and Stings – Symptoms & Treatment

Bumblebee bites and wasp stings cause a lot of discomfort and although they are generally harmless many feel threatened by them. One tends to avoid such insects and the sight of them itself repels them. Who would like to be bitten by a bee or wasp? Not many.

Home Remedies for Bites and Stings

Below are some of the effective home remedies for bites and stings –

• Apply a paste made of baking soda and water to the bite
• An unseasoned meat tenderizer containing papain. Not to be used on children and should not be left more than 15 minutes as it can cause skin burns.
• Contact with the eyes should be avoided
• Soak the bite in Epsom salt and water
• A piece of garlic and onion can be applied to the area
• Apply honey immediately after being stung by a bee
• A half tomato on the bite
• Put ice on the sting
• Apply mud on the sting
• Egg yolk
• Baking soda

What are Bites and Stings

Several insects bite and sting. The ones that bite are bed bugs, flies, fleas, midges, mites, mosquitoes and the ones that sting are bumblebees, honeybees, hornets and wasps. These are quite commonly seen and particularly if you have a garden in your house, you come across them more often. Of course, bed begs and flies hang around surroundings, which are not kept clean.

Symptoms of Bites and Stings
Some of the primary bites and stings symptoms:

• These bites and stings cause itchy spots or lumps that usually do not need any treatment and go away by themselves in a day or two. This is usually the case with insect bites
• These can cause allergic reactions. These are generally localized reactions
• Allergies cause other symptoms such as fever, joint pain, vomiting and headaches
• A bite or sting can cause dangerous reactions called anaphylaxis
• Itchy sensation can be there

Treatment of Bites and Stings

A sting that is visible in the wound should be removed as soon as possible. One can pluck it out with tweezers or remove it with the help of a fingernail or anything that is blunt. Do not grab the sting with fingers as the venom sac will get squeezed and the venom will spill over you.

Insect bites can be painful and one can use a cold compress (cloth soaked in iced water), or cream or gel to get rid of it. One can also go in for a local anaesthetic such as benzocaine. Sucking ice or sipping ice water can also help in reducing the swelling in the mouth or throat.

One can also use antihistamine tablets for many of the stings and bites to reduce the itchiness and swelling. Since some antihistamine tablets cause drowsiness one should be careful while driving.

Urgent medical attention is required when several insects bite one at the same time. Also when one has been stung in the mouth or throat, where the swelling can cause breathing problems.

Bites and Stings need not be a serious problem but in some cases, one needs to take precautions. One can go in for home remedies for bites and stings, although medical attention may be required if the sting is serious.