Bees are an integral part of the food cycle. Bee hives are not a rare sight. A bee or two losing their way into our homes can delight us and scare us at the same time. The frightening part of these tiny little creatures is their painful sting. As curious as we are of bees, we also make sure to mind our distance. The sting of a bee can cause agonizing pain and sometimes even dangerous reactions. Though there are a number of modern medications to treat bee stings, home remedies for bee stings are very effective and easily available too.

Let us understand more about bee sting and some top natural remedies.

Table of Contents

1. What Happens When Bee Stings?
2. Symptoms of Bee Sting
3. Allergic Reactions of Bee Sting
4. Home Remedies for Bee Stings
5. Bee Venom as Medicine
6. Risk Factors
7. When To See a Doctor

What Happens When Bee Stings?

Though bee stings are not rare, bees, i.e. bumblebee, honey bee or sweat bee, only sting when they sense danger or when their hives are being threatened. A bee sting can cause different kinds of reactions from mild to severe; a severe allergic reaction may even lead to death. Bee venom contains a chemical called melittin and a compound called histamine. Melittin is a toxic chemical which destroys the cells, including red blood cells, by breaking up the cell membranes. This causes swelling and redness in that area. And histamine causes inflammation and tenderness. One harmful aspect of bee venom is that it spreads quickly inside the body due to its water soluble nature.

Bee and wasp stings are both quite painful. When a bee or wasp stings, the venom sac contracts and releases venom into the tissue through the stinger. The wasp stinger is smooth, it can sting repeatedly and go away, but the bee stinger is barbed, so its stinger gets stuck behind when it flies off. Along with its stinger, part of its abdomen, nerves and muscles also get teared behind. This causes a massive rupture in the bee’s body leading to its death in a few minutes. Yes, you read it right, when a bee stings, death may not be certain for us, but it is certain for the bee.