When you’re out enjoying the great outdoors during warm weather, the last thing you want is a wasp sting to ruin your day. The burning sensation, itching, swelling, and overall discomfort can quickly turn a pleasant summer day into a challenging experience. Numerous effective home remedies for wasp stings can help relieve pain and discomfort.
In this article, we’ll explore 15 tried-and-tested home remedies for wasp stings, including the use of essential oils for wasp stings. These remedies are ideal for alleviating the symptoms of a typical wasp sting. However, it’s important to note that some individuals might have allergic reactions to wasp stings and would need to seek medical attention.
Common Symptoms of a Wasp Sting
Symptoms of a wasp sting can vary from person to person and may range from mild to severe. We will further explain the difference in severity below. However, most people will only experience local pain, redness and swelling around the sting.
Different Responses That May Occur
Other mild reactions towards a wasp sting can include:
- Itching: Itching often accompanies a wasp sting and can be quite bothersome.
- Warmth: The affected area may feel warm to the touch.
- Hives or Rash: Some individuals may develop hives or a rash at or near the sting site.
In most cases, symptoms are localized to the area around the sting. However, if the person is allergic to wasp venom, more severe symptoms may occur, including:
- Severe swelling: Swelling may extend beyond the sting site, affecting an entire limb or a larger area.
- Difficulty breathing: Allergic reactions can cause difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, or wheezing.
- Dizziness: Some individuals may experience dizziness or lightheadedness.
- Nausea or vomiting: Allergic reactions can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Anaphylaxis: In rare cases, a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, a medical emergency, can occur. Symptoms of anaphylaxis can include swelling of the throat, a drop in blood pressure, and loss of consciousness. Anaphylaxis requires immediate medical attention.
Are Wasps Stings Dangerous?
We highly recommend seeing a doctor or even going to emergencies when you are experiencing any of the severe reactions. Symptoms can worsen or appear hours after the initial sting. If you notice delayed or worsening symptoms, contacting a healthcare provider’s a good idea.
Also, in the case of multiple stings or stings in sensitive areas like the face, mouth, or throat, it is a good a idea to have somebody look at it and definitely when there’s severe swelling involved.
Anaphylaxis Following a Wasp Sting
Experiencing anaphylaxis after a wasp sting is a severe medical emergency, and having an epinephrine auto-injector (commonly known as an EpiPen) on hand is crucial for immediate treatment. If you know you have a history of anaphylaxis to wasp stings, it is highly recommended that you carry an EpiPen with you at all times, especially during the summer months when wasp activity is high.
If you are stung by a wasp and don’t have an EpiPen, seeking immediate medical attention is essential. Running to the nearest pharmacy or urgent care facility is a reasonable course of action, as they may be able to provide you with an EpiPen or administer epinephrine to counteract the severe allergic reaction.
Remember that anaphylaxis can progress rapidly and can be life-threatening. Timely administration of epinephrine is critical in managing this condition.
How to Treat Wasp Stings
Wasps don’t usually lose their stingers; however, it’s essential to check if the wasp’s stinger is present in the skin, and in that case, it should first be removed. You can use a clean, blunt-edged object like a credit card to scrape the stinger out gently. Do not use tweezers, which can squeeze more venom into the wound.
Clean the affected area with soap and water to reduce the risk of infection, and apply an anti-inflammatory essential oil or gel on it.
Select essential oils from trusted and reputable brands that provide pure, high-quality products. Look for oils labelled as “therapeutic grade” or “100% pure.” Essential oils are potent and can have adverse effects if sourced wrongly.
Relieve Pain From Wasp Stings
If you are using an essential oil, it may provide some relief due to their cooling and anti-inflammatory properties. Further more you can add a cold compress or ice wrapped in a cloth to the sting site. Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or antihistamines may help relieve pain, itching, and swelling.
Essential Oils for Wasp Stings
Essential oils must be used cautiously; using improper brands (not of therapeutic grade can harm). At home remedy, we suggest Forever Living and Doterra as the two best brands for essential oils.
Here are some essential oils that may help relieve the symptoms of a wasp sting:
- Lavender Oil: Lavender oil is known for its calming and anti-inflammatory properties. It can help reduce pain and inflammation at the sting site.
- Peppermint Oil: Peppermint oil has a cooling effect and can relieve itching and discomfort.
- Chamomile Oil: Chamomile oil has anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. It can help reduce pain and itching.
- Eucalyptus Oil: Eucalyptus oil has analgesic (pain-relieving) properties and can relieve pain and itching. Dilute it and apply it to the sting, or you can inhale its aroma for soothing effects.
- Helichrysum Oil: Helichrysum oil is known for its anti-inflammatory and skin-healing properties. It may help reduce inflammation and promote skin recovery.
Rub the oils on the stinging site and repeat 3-4 times daily. Before using any essential oil on a wasp sting, it’s crucial to perform a patch test on a small area of your skin to ensure you don’t have an adverse reaction.
Doterra essential oils have earned a reputation for their exceptional quality and unmatched purity.
Wasp Sting Home Remedies
1. Mustard Paste For Wasp Stings
- Take a small mustard, preferably plain yellow mustard (without added spices or ingredients).
- Apply a thin layer of mustard directly to the sting site.
- Leave it on for about 15-20 minutes.
- Rinse off the mustard with cool water.
The idea behind this remedy is that the mustard may contain compounds that help neutralize the venom and provide temporary relief from pain and itching.
2. Aloe Vera For Cooling Stings
Everyone knows the soothing relief that aloe vera brings to pain, burning and itching. It is also a perfect home remedy for a wasp sting as well. Besides its antiseptic qualities, the gel of the aloe vera plant is an antihistamine and has anti-inflammatory properties.
What to do:
- Slice open an aloe vera chute and extract the fresh gel.
- Apply the gel to the affected area and feel its instant cooling and relief.
- Repeat this remedy several times a day until the area has healed.
If you do not have an aloe vera leaf that you can use, plenty of over-the-counter products offer the same aloe gel. If you have not done so already, investing in a tube of aloe vera that you can place in your medicine cabinet is wise.
3. Toothpaste
Relief from a wasp sting can also come from using white toothpaste. This makes an excellent home remedy because it helps neutralise the venom’s acidity, thereby reducing pain and swelling. This is usually due to the fact that peppermint toothpaste has, if possible, the essential oil above the toothpaste or better effects.
What to do:
- Only plain, white toothpaste will work for this remedy. Those with whitening, gel or colored toothpaste is ineffective.
- Smear a dab of white toothpaste over the affected area.
- Leave it in place until it either wears off or you can rinse it off after a few hours.
- Reapply more paste as necessary.
4. Honey
It is somewhat fitting that honey is an effective home remedy for treating wasp stings. Honey helps dilute the venom and has antibacterial properties to fight off infection. Besides those functions, honey also helps to soothe itching, burning and swelling.
- Smear a little pure, raw honey on the affected area, allow it to dry and then rinse it off with warm water. Repeat a few times a day.
- Mix equal amounts of raw honey and turmeric to make a paste. Apply it to the affected area, a few times daily for a few days.
What to do:
- Smear a dab of pure, raw honey over the affected area.
- Allow it to dry in place and leave it alone until it either wears off or you rinse it off several hours later.
- Reapply this remedy as often as needed.
5. Apply Vinegar On Stings
It should come as no surprise that apple cider vinegar is among the home remedies for treating a wasp sting. Apple cider vinegar also helps to neutralize the acidity of the venom. ACV works as an antibacterial and also has anti-inflammatory properties as well.
What to do:
- Soak a cotton ball or gauze in raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar.
- Hold the gauze or cotton ball over the area of the sting for at about 10 minutes.
- Repeat as many times as necessary until the initial discomfort and swelling is gone.
6. Witch Hazel
The extract of the herb witch hazel is also an effective home remedy for relieving the discomfort and inflammation of a wasp sting. Witch hazel’s anti-inflammatory and astringent properties are very effective against itching, burning, and swelling.
What to do:
- Saturate a cotton ball or gauze in witch hazel extract (best if from the refrigerator).
- Place the saturated item over the welt of the sting and hold it in place for a few minutes.
- Allow the solution to dry on its own.
- Repeat this process as often as needed to bring relief.
7. Baking Soda on Wasp Sting
Another alkaline solution which helps to reduce the acidity of wasp venom is baking soda. A wasp sting’s burning, itching and swelling will quickly disappear when the poison closely matches your body’s pH.
What to do:
- Mix 1 tsp of baking powder with enough water to create a paste.
- Smear the paste over the site of the sting and leave it in place for 10 minutes.
- Rinse off with warm water and reapply the paste as necessary.
8. Use Moist Tobacco On Stings
Though this might not appeal to many, moist tobacco is another tried and proper home remedy for wasp stings. Tobacco acts as a drawing agent, which helps draw out the sting’s venom from the area.
What to do:
- Moisten cigarettes, cigar, or chewing tobacco.
- Apply the moistened tobacco over the affected area and hold it for about 10 minutes.
- Remove and repeat the process as many times as necessary to gain relief from burning and itching.
9. Black Tea On Stings
Another drawing agent which is also effective at bringing relief to a wasp sting is black tea. The tannins in black tea work to reduce itching and swelling as well as drawing the venom out of the affected area.
What to do:
- Cover a tea bag in hot water and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Draw the tea bag from the water and apply it to the welted area.
- Hold the tea bag in place for 10 minutes or so.
- You can repeat this remedy as often as necessary as well.
10. Curcumin’s famous anti-inflammatory
One of nature’s most effective anti-inflammatory agents, curcumin, is found in turmeric. Turmeric is so powerful that it is been shown in studies to be more effective than ibuprofen on inflammation, making it the perfect home remedy for a wasp sting.
What to do:
- Mix 1 tsp of turmeric with 1 tsp of raw honey.
- Apply this golden paste to the welted area of the sting.
- Allow the mixture to dry in place and wear off or rinse it off after an hour or so.
- Reapply this paste as needed.
Because turmeric does have a distinct scent, it can be a little off-putting for some. However, it is undeniable that this is one of the best wasp sting home remedies to try out.
12. Papaya
Besides being a great ingredient in a tropical fruit salad, papaya has some excellent properties for relieving a wasp sting. The enzyme papain in papayas acts as an antiseptic and helps bring relief to burning and swelling by breaking down the toxins in the venom.
What to do:
- Slice off a small chunk of papaya.
- Rub the papaya over the affected area, moistening it thoroughly.
- Allow it to dry and remain in place for 20 to 30 minutes before rinsing it off.
- Repeat as often as necessary.
13. Onions
One of the most common foods found in any household is onions. Onions are one of the easiest and most effective home remedies for relieving wasp sting symptoms. The sulfurs in onions are not only anti-inflammatory but also have antiseptic qualities.
What to do:
- Extract the juice of a sliver of onion using a food processor.
- Apply the juicy pulp directly to the affected area and hold it in place with a piece of gauze or soft cloth for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Rinse off and repeat as often as necessary to relieve pain, itching, and swelling.
Conclusion
It is always a fun adventure to wander around on a picnic or savour the beauty of your outdoor activities. Outdoor fun does not have to end because of a wasp sting. Armed with our 15 wasp sting home remedies, you can enjoy camping, backyard barbecues or a day in the park without worry. However, when you have a severe reaction to the sting, talk to your doctor. Use one or more of our remedies next time you or someone close to you is stung by a wasp, and then tell us your success stories in the comments section below.