Bites and Stings Treatment

Today, herbalists still recommend calendula lotions and creams for bites and stings and echinacea to treat wounds. Most bites are not serious, but many require medical attention and sometimes even emergency care. Read on for remedies, tips, and when to call the doctor.

RECIPES TO TREAT BITES AND STINGS

Quick Clean: Human, Dog, or Cat Bites
When you’re bitten, cleaning is just part of the care; follow all the important steps below.
Warm water
Soap
Antibacterial ointment
PREPARATION AND USE:
With a clean cloth, apply direct pressure to stop the bleeding. Once the bleeding slows, rinse the wound with running water (by holding the area under the tap). Then dip a second clean cloth into the warm water, rub with soap, and clean the wound thoroughly. Rinse again. Pat dry. Apply an antibacterial ointment and cover the wound with a sterile bandage. Clean the wound and change the bandage every day—sooner if it gets dirty, wet, or bloody. Next, call your doctor’s office to find out whether your injury warrants prompt medical treatment. Cat bites count as puncture wounds, which means they’re at higher risk for becoming infected. You also want to check that your tetanus shot is up to date. If any wound is deep (or 10 to 15 minutes of steady pressure doesn’t stop the bleeding), proceed to the emergency room. In the event of severe injury, call 911.
YIELD: 1 APPLICATION
How it works:
Running water flushes out microbes. Washing with soap and water and applying an antibacterial ointment further reduce the risk of subsequent infection.

Unstick the Tick 
Make a thorough body search after a summer walk in the woods—and have the items below handy. If bitten, follow the instructions.
Soap and water
Antibiotic ointment
PREPARATION AND USE:
With tweezers, carefully grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Gently pull until the tick comes free (do not twist or jerk, as the head may break off and remain embedded). Wash thoroughly, pat dry, and apply the antibiotic ointment. Save the tick in a resealable plastic bag and place in the freezer, in case medical staff later request it for identification. If mouthparts remain behind, see your doctor. Wash your hands well and clean the tweezers to disinfect from the tick.
YIELD: 1 APPLICATION
How it works:
Careful removal of the tick, immediate cleansing, and application of antibiotic ointment will prevent topical infection. Prompt removal of the tick can reduce the risk of transmission of such diseases as Lyme disease.

Bee Stinger Removal
Don’t let that venom sink in!
Ice cube
Warm water
Soap
PREPARATION AND USE:
As quickly as possible, remove the stinger by gently scraping it off with your fingernail, a credit card, or another stiff object. Grasp an ice cube and rub it briskly over the stung area for a full minute. Wash with warm water and soap. If you’re stung on the arm, remove rings and bracelets before swelling occurs.
YIELD: 1 APPLICATION
How it works:
A bee usually leaves behind a sac of venom and a stinger. Removing it immediately stops more venom from entering. Cleansing the site wards off infection. Keep the area clean during the healing process, which may take up to five days. Warning: Do not pinch or pull the stinger; this can inject more venom.

Fight the Swelling
Use this method for any insect sting; it applies to more than a bee or wasp sting. Before using, remove the stinger and cleanse the area with soap and water.
Crushed ice
PREPARATION AND USE:
Fill a resealable plastic bag with the ice and wrap it in a clean cloth. Apply to the site and then elevate the area. Remove the ice pack after 15 to 20 minutes. Repeat hourly as needed.
YIELD: 1 APPLICATION
How it works:
Ice numbs the area and arrests inflammation caused by the poison.

Bee-lieve the Relief 
College student Candice McCay keeps bees in Denver. She and her husband find this recipe helpful in relieving pain and swelling. Water 5 drops lavender essential oil
PREPARATION AND USE:
Wet a washcloth with water and wring out the excess moisture. Dot on the lavender essential oil. Seal the washcloth in a resealable freezer bag and store in the freezer at the beginning of bee season. It will be good for the summer months. Replace it with a fresh one when it’s used. If you’re stung, remove the cloth from the bag and apply it directly to the area.
YIELD: 1 APPLICATION
How it works:
Ice reduces swelling and relieves pain. Lavender is anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and calming.

De-Itcher 
This remedy is a quick and easy fix for bee and fire ant stings. 1 teaspoon (4.6 g) baking soda 3 drops lavender essential oil Water
PREPARATION AND USE:
Put the baking soda in your palm. Add the lavender essential oil and enough water to form a paste. Plaster the paste over the sting site, covering the swelling. After 30 minutes, rinse off the paste. Reapply as needed.
YIELD: 1 APPLICATION
How it works:
Bee and fire ant stings are acidic, though the venom contains other chemicals at well. The baking soda paste may help neutralize the acidic venom. As noted above, lavender decreases inflammation, pain, and anxiety.

Sting Relief 
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vinegar or fresh lemon juice
PREPARATION AND USE:
Soak a cotton ball with the vinegar and apply to the sting area or drip lemon juice directly onto the area.
YIELD: 1 APPLICATION
How it works:
Venom contains a mix of chemicals. Wasp stings are primarily alkaline. Theoretically, you can neutralize the venom with an acidic solution, such as apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Some experts, however, doubt the efficacy. It may be worth a try. If the lemon juice makes the area sting more, wash it away.

Ostracize by Onion 
1 teaspoon (3 g) chopped onion
PREPARATION AND USE:
After removing the stinger, carefully place the chopped onion on the affected area. Cover the onion with gauze and secure with tape. Keep it in place from 20 minutes to an hour or more until the pain and swelling subside. Rinse thoroughly after you remove it.
YIELD: 1 APPLICATION
How it works:
Freshly cut onions contain enzymes that help break down inflammationcausing compounds in a sting. Onion is antiseptic. The onion should not sting but instead alleviate the pain. If it does sting, remove it immediately.

Peppermint Power
1 drop peppermint essential oil
PREPARATION AND USE:
Let the peppermint essential oil fall onto the area of an ant bite or wasp or bee sting. (For bee stings, remove the stinger first.) Gently massage into the skin.
YIELD: 1 APPLICATION
How it works:
Peppermint oil is cooling and analgesic.

Honey Fix for Stings or Bites
This remedy is appropriate for any bite or sting that doesn’t require emergency medical attention. 1 teaspoon (7 g) honey
PREPARATION AND USE:
Apply the honey to the bite site so it is fully covered. Leave in place for 30 minutes and then rinse. Reapply as needed.
YIELD: 1 APPLICATION
How it works:
Honey is an ancient wound healer that has recently garnered scientific support for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Studies show it improves the healing of cuts, scrapes, burns, and other wounds.

Plantain the Pain 
Herbalists swear by fresh leaf poultices for relieving insect stings and bites and superficial wounds. They call the plant “backyard Band-Aid.” This recipe uses the leaves of a plantain (Plantago species), a weed found in most fields. 5 to 10 plantain leaves
PREPARATION AND USE:
Tear the leaves in half and mash them between your fingers to create a pulp and release the tannin juices. Apply the pulp and juice to the sting area for about 30 seconds. Repeat as needed.
YIELD: 1 APPLICATION
How it works:
The leaf provides an immediate outdoor remedy. It contains substances that are soothing, pain-relieving, and astringent. A 2012 test-tube study showed that leaf extracts help heal scratches in a layer of cells taken from the mouth. (This test, called a scratch assay, mimics wound closure.)

Stingray Detox 
Just off the shore of Cozumel in the Caribbean, my husband met a small stingray. A quick stab left his hand inflamed and swollen. Fortunately, the stinger did not break off. This remedy helped—the swelling went down within an hour and gradually subsided completely, leaving only a small red mark. ~ BBG
Soap and water, for cleansing Hot tap water
PREPARATION AND USE:
If the sting is on the hand, immediately remove any rings that can become stuck by the swelling. Wash the area thoroughly with soap and water, and then immerse the poisoned body part in tap water that is as hot as you can stand it without burning the skin. Soak for 30 to 90 minutes until the swelling begins to recede. Reheat the water to the highest temperature endurable when it begins to cool.
YIELD: 1 APPLICATION
How it works:
Researchers studying the effects of marine creature stings have found that immersion in hot water helps relieve the pain. Some reports suggest that marine venoms consist of proteins and enzymes that may become deactivated at temperatures above 122°F (50°C). Warning: This wound came from a small stingray. Stingray envenomation is rarely fatal. However, some stinging water creatures do deliver life-threatening venom.
Note: This recipe is for a small, barely bleeding sting that does not have a broken stinger in it. If a stinger remains in the wound, only attempt to remove it carefully with tweezers; otherwise, the poison may spread. If it is bleeding profusely, apply pressure. Seek medical attention immediately.

When to Call the Doctor 
CALL 911 IF:
• You sustain a severe animal bite.
• A venomous snake bites you.
• You receive a bee sting and know you’r e allergic. Carry your EpiPen (epinephrine auto-injector) everywhere. After you use it, call 911 anyway, in case you need further treatment. If your EpiPen isn’t available, call 911 immediately. Don’t wait for symptoms to occur.
• Signs of anaphylaxis (a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction) develop as evidenced by: - difficulty breathing or wheezing - swollen tongue - throat tightness, hoarseness, or trouble speaking - wheezing or difficulty breathing - nausea, abdominal pain, or vomiting - rapid pulse - hives and itching - anxiety or dizziness - loss of consciousness

CALL YOUR DOCTOR IF:
• A human or nonhuman animal bite br eaks the skin.
• You develop fever, pain, muscle cramps, stomach upset, or other sever e symptoms after a spider bite.
• A scorpion stings you.
• A tick bites you in a L yme disease region.
• You can’t remove all of the tick.
• You develop a rash, headache, fever, or joint and muscle aches after a tick bite. (Symptoms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever typically develop within five to ten days of a bite. Symptoms of Lyme disease usually develop within three to fourteen days, though in some cases may not occur for months. Keep in mind that many people are not aware of ever having a tick bite.)
• You receive multiple bee or wasp stings, especially if stings occur inside your mouth.
• A bite or sting becomes infected, as evidenced by r edness, warmth, swelling, and drainage of pus from the area, as well as fever.