If you have been stung by a wasp, there are several things you can do to alleviate the pain and swelling. Here are some home remedies and treatments that can be done to treat a wasp sting:
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Wash the area: First, wash the affected area with warm soap and water. Cleaning the site can remove any bacteria or venom the wasp might have carried. This will also help wash out some of the venom left behind by the wasp.
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Apply a cold pack: Wrap a thin cloth around an ice or cold pack. Apply this pack to the sting site for 30 to 60 minutes, in intervals of 10 minutes on and off. This will help reduce the swelling and pain of the wasp sting.
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Take anti-inflammatory medication: To reduce the swelling, take an anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen. This will help lessen pain from the wasp sting and also reduce swelling at the sting site.
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Apply antihistamine: Another symptom of wasp stings is itchiness at the injection site and surrounding area, depending on how far the sting has spread. To relieve the itchiness, which can increase for hours after the initial sting, apply an antihistamine, corticosteroid, or calamine cream to the entire red and swollen area. This will also help alleviate the pain of the wasp sting.
If you have an allergy to wasp, bee, hornet, or yellow jacket stings, always carry a bee sting kit and know how to use it. These kits require a prescription and contain a medicine called epinephrine, which you should take right away if you get a wasp sting.
If you have been stung in the mouth, nose, or throat, or if you experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing, rapid heart rate, or severe decrease in blood pressure, seek medical attention immediately.
