What Common Household Chemical Can Neutralize Bee Stings?

Stinger Removal

• A honeybee stinger includes nerves, muscles and a venom sac. After a honeybee injects its stinger in someone, the stinger's muscles continue to move, pushing the stinger deeper in the skin and pumping venom into the wound. The most important action to minimize pain is to remove the stinger. It also is the quickest way to minimize the delivery of venom. Use the edge of a credit card, fingernail or even tweezers to flick or scrape the stinger out of the skin. Squeezing the venom sac, however, expands the affected area and prolongs the pain. If you are stung and haven't had a tetanus booster immunization for more than 10 years, then obtain a tetanus booster immunization.

Home Remedies

• William Brantley researched the best home remedies to neutralize bee stings for a "Slate" magazine 2003 article by being stung intentionally during a period of a couple of weeks. He found that toothpaste and ice are the best home remedies to treat bee stings. The toothpaste tingles and resolves the symptoms quickly. Ice reduces swelling and numbs the area's pain receptors. Another home remedy that ranked highly was a paste of vinegar, baking soda and meat tenderizer. The acid and base interaction of the baking soda and vinegar helps to neutralize stings.

Traditional Treatments

• The website WebMD suggests applying ice to reduce swelling from a bee sting. Additionally, an antihistamine can resolve itching from the sting. A topical treatment of calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream also can provide immediate relief from itching. Over-the-counter painkillers provide pain relief. Treating the sting area with an antibiotic ointment can prevent infection of the wound.

Medical Attention

• A severe allergic reaction to bee stings can be life-threatening and require emergency medical attention. Severe symptoms include difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat and tongue, a weak and rapid pulse, nausea or diarrhea, dizziness and a loss of consciousness. Anyone who is stung by a bee and has or had an allergic reaction to stings should seek medical attention. Depending on the reaction, medical professionals may administer antihistamines, steroids or epinephrine.

  Regardless of an allergic reaction, anyone stung inside the mouth or throat or in the eye should seek immediate medical attention.