# Toothpaste to ease a sting?



## minz (Jan 15, 2011)

I got a bee in my hood yesterday and for some unknown reason (too much coffee maybe) I reacted. He was in there for probably 10 minutes and was really attempting to get out. I noticed he was on the inside when I walked away to take some notes. No sooner when I reacted did she nailed me right on the eyebrow. Holy crap, I have been hit a dozen times in the last few months but that area really hurt! I took some benedril but today I looked up some remedies (not on Bee source) and found toothpaste! Anybody tried it?
http://www.slate.com/id/2088863/
Generally I just put my head back and let her hold onto the netting and then grab her. Don’t understand what had changed yesterday but it is swelled up today (not itchy yet).


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

If it works for you, use it. But, know that once the venom is below the skin there is nothing to be done to remove it. It is already in the blood stream. Time is what it really takes for relief.


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## fly4fun172 (Jun 3, 2011)

I tried it among other things and it worked alright for a brief period of time. It provides a nice cooling sensation, but like I said it doesn't last long. I think just ice was one of the best things for the swelling and the itch, that and I took a little benedryl. I did get a bottle of a bee sting neutralizer online just to see how it would work, but I haven't had to use it yet so I can't say if it works.


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## Katharina (May 2, 2011)

Baking soda came to my mind before I even read the article. It has been used for over 100 years in Europe. I like that the writer took the pain for the testing. Now I know to leave it to Benedryl and toothpaste. Thanks for sharing the link.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

fly4fun172 said:


> but I haven't had to use it yet so I can't say if it works.


What's keeping you. For the sake of our education, go get a bee, make it sting you and test that stuff out.

All remedies applied to the skin are only topical relief for the nerve cells in the skin. Scrape off the stinger and get back to work. The pain will subside before you know it.


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## mrspock (Feb 1, 2010)

I'm amazed at the amount of effor that goes into "curing" bee stings. I hardly notice them after two minutes. 

The ones on the face swell dramatically, leading to some questions at work the next day.

Not a big deal.


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## FloridaBee (Oct 23, 2010)

minz said:


> "she nailed me right on the eyebrow."


Yeah, that probably wasn't too much fun. What's worse, I just lifted the top to take a peek - got it right on the upper eyelid. Now THAT's a mighty doozie of a hurt!!


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## Gibbus (Apr 22, 2009)

They sting??!


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## geebob (Apr 4, 2011)

The stings don't bother me too much, but I do get a pretty itchy rash about one time in ten. Calamine lotion is still the best thing for relieving the itch for me.

Calamine has an interesting history... The FDA proposed banning it in the '90s, so I bought a lifetime supply. Now the FDA recommends it for treating rashes and acne.


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## fly4fun172 (Jun 3, 2011)

A life time supply... that is pretty funny.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

I found a study by a college that stung hundreds of fellow students. They tried all the home remedies. The only protocol that had any effect, besides antihistamines was ice packs. All the snake oils had psychological effects but did not alter the sting site in any way. Being a medical school they measured the physiological effects at the sting site and the comments of the victims.


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## fly4fun172 (Jun 3, 2011)

sqkcrk said:


> What's keeping you. For the sake of our education, go get a bee, make it sting you and test that stuff out.
> 
> All remedies applied to the skin are only topical relief for the nerve cells in the skin. Scrape off the stinger and get back to work. The pain will subside before you know it.


I figure the education would come soon enough on its own and so it did. I got stung on Sunday, walked inside and scraped off the stinger. I was stung on the joint of my index finger. After removal, I applied the bee sting neutralizer as it was called. It took away the sting quickly but didn't appear to do anything for the swelling as it began right away. I don't know how great of a test this was for the venom cleanser, because it was hard to rub it in amongst the wrinkles of my finger in that area. Overall though, it appeared to swell and itch just as much as any other time. Given that fact, the sting isn't that bad to me, the annoying part is the swelling, asscociated dull pain, and the itching. So to me, so far it isn't real valuable.


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## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

An apitherapist told us to ice good before a sting, but afterwards if it was bothersome to use heat to get the venom dispersed and soothe the area.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Plantain is the best sting "remedy" I've found. But I admit I use it mostly on other people as I'm usually too busy to go find some.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmisc.htm#plantain


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