Bee sting remedy - hot water

[Norton Caff]

Having read the recent thread regarding bee stings I thought I would offer the following observation. Sorry it's so long!

I take anti-histamine pills before approaching a hive as I react to stings with swelling and severe itching a few hours after the incident. This lasts 6 days or so. I am not sure whether these pills have any effect as they don't on my hayfever.
My solution to my intense itching is not cold and ice packs. At night I used to lie in bed scratching away unable to sleep with an icepack tied to the sting site but now I use hot water. After being stung on the hand a while ago I was having a shower and found that the hot water, although initially seemed far hotter than it was (the water didn't feel too hot on my other hand), it reduced the itch and the swelling. That night I had a good night's sleep and needed no coolpack.
So now when I get stung I put the offended (!) area of my body in hot water, as hot as a normal part of the body can take so nothing too hot. I keep topping up the heat until the itch subsides. The effects last several hours, unlike the cortisone cream and useless antihistamine creams I have tried. The swelling is reduced too. I thought I wouldn't want to try this on my face but I did use a hot flannel on my eyelid when I was stung last week, keeping the flannel hot by dunking it back in hot water. This did work to a certain extent as the itch was much reduced but to be honest tolerating that heat in the eye area was difficult and gave me a headache. But for any other part of my body I will be continuing with this method as it works for me.
I thought I'd mention all this because it could help someone and personally I think the cold treatment, in comparison, seems to either have no effect or makes things worse.

 

[sipa]

thanks, I'll try that next time

 

[beezers]

Carry a flask of hot water,tea-bag & mug with you. Drink tea, save the tea-bag to use on sting.

 

[Mothman]

Could the heat be denaturing the enzymes in the sting? possibly try heat for an hour or so after the sting and then cool to reduce the swelling?

 

[Stickyfingers]

Found the use of an Aspivenin really helps. Not noticeable after a couple of days. Obviously it will depend on the person and severity of sting.

 

[Roola]

Having read the recent thread regarding bee stings I thought I would offer the following observation. Sorry it's so long!

I take anti-histamine pills before approaching a hive as I react to stings with swelling and severe itching a few hours after the incident. This lasts 6 days or so. I am not sure whether these pills have any effect as they don't on my hayfever.
My solution to my intense itching is not cold and ice packs. At night I used to lie in bed scratching away unable to sleep with an icepack tied to the sting site but now I use hot water. After being stung on the hand a while ago I was having a shower and found that the hot water, although initially seemed far hotter than it was (the water didn't feel too hot on my other hand), it reduced the itch and the swelling. That night I had a good night's sleep and needed no coolpack.
So now when I get stung I put the offended (!) area of my body in hot water, as hot as a normal part of the body can take so nothing too hot. I keep topping up the heat until the itch subsides. The effects last several hours, unlike the cortisone cream and useless antihistamine creams I have tried. The swelling is reduced too. I thought I wouldn't want to try this on my face but I did use a hot flannel on my eyelid when I was stung last week, keeping the flannel hot by dunking it back in hot water. This did work to a certain extent as the itch was much reduced but to be honest tolerating that heat in the eye area was difficult and gave me a headache. But for any other part of my body I will be continuing with this method as it works for me.
I thought I'd mention all this because it could help someone and personally I think the cold treatment, in comparison, seems to either have no effect or makes things worse.

Do you do this straight after or in the days after... I had my 4 th sting of the season today and hoping each sting will reduce in reaction but mine seem to only hurt for 10 mins, no itch for hours after, it's not normally until the next day that arms or legs swell like Popeye and the itching becomes horrid! Maybe I'll try the hot water!! I also take antihistamines prof and after if I'm stung but they seem to do bugger all.

 

[BDCS]

Antihistamines just make me sleep

 

[beeno]

Hi Norton Caff,
Worth a go. Thanks for posting.

 

[Ziggymole]

I think the effect of putting a hot compress on an area is that it opens up the blood vessels, whereas putting a cold compress on closes them up.

If that is the case then perhaps heat helps the body remove and treat the area with whatever our immune systems have to help. Perhaps cold stops that happening quite so effectively.

It will be very interesting if one of the medically qualified beeks gives a response to this.

Ziggy

 

[Karol]

There's a product on the market called Biteaway that works on the principle that applied heat denatures venom. I was asked to critically review the evidence base for it and I have to say that I could not find any real scientific evidence that it works but then I couldn't find any evidence to say it didn't either. Might be worth a punt as it's a very portable pen type device.

Regards,

Karol

 

[Myfamily&otheranimals]

I have always reacted badly to bites/stings of any type, ant, mosquito, bee etc etc.
In recent years I discovered the use of heat for relief from the dreadful itching that drives you mad and stops you sleeping.
Apply heat by hair dryer to the sting for about 45 secs, as hot as you can bare without burning yourself, it will hurt like hell for a minute or two and you may need to wave the hair dryer across the bite/sting to prevent severe burning. The pain is worth it though because you get up to 6 hrs relief and within a couple of minutes you instantly feel the pain/ itching subside and melt away. When the itching starts up again just apply heat again. A wheat bag heated in the microwave works nearly as well but with a hair dryer the intense heat I find works better. Remember 2 mins severe pain is worth the 6 hrs total relief.

Some say the heat causes the histamine ( the protien released by the body to initiate the immune responses ) from around the sting/bite to be released all at once. Others say ( a Research Team from Massachusetts University Medical School) the heat inhibits the itch through a neurogenic mechanism that affects blood flow.
It works for me anyway and You have nothing to loose by trying it as long as you don't burn yourself but tolerate the heat as hot as you can for increased relief.

 

[Norton Caff]

Sorry Roola, not been near the computer for a day or so and missed your question. I am usually not near home when I get stung - at my mentor's bees not mine so I can't treat immediately. But the hot water works any time after really. I have a lag before the sting really gets going. My recent eyelid sting was the first that I have had at home and I was most anxious not to get a swollen itchy eye. I can't tell if the immediacy of treatment worked as I assume the eye area is a dodgy one and it swelled up a treat the next morning- but there was very little itching.
The main thing seems to be that if things starts getting itchy dunk in hot water again! I reckon the swelling is reduced as well but that's not an issue that worries me usually.
I'm interested in the aspivenin and will be trying it.

 

[Mart_got_hives]

Found the use of an Aspivenin really helps. Not noticeable after a couple of days. Obviously it will depend on the person and severity of sting.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I have in reserve, if I get stung in the throat, a private prescription of the Antithistomin Telfast (fexofenadine Hydrocholide) which is stronger that over the counter stuff,

i also use to stop the itching an over the counter Eumovate steroid cream (Clobertasone Butyrate) rather than hydrocortisone cream

Why, well I am notorious for forgetting to do up my veil zips

 

[johnandyrob]

On the Noth East coast there have been a couple of reports of people standing on weever fish. The advise to people who are stung is to put there foot in hot water to as hot a tep as they can but as not to scold. The poison injected by the weever fish is a type of protein that breaks down at temps over 40c. I dont know if the venom from a weever fish is anything like bee venom or not

 

[Little John]

Got a really good one on my cheek this morning, so thought I'd try this hot compress malarky. Works like a good 'un (for me, anyway). Thanks to Norton Caff for this tip.

I reckon it works (as already suggested) by increasing the blood supply to the area. In my case it also increased the initial swelling considerably - but then [providing you're not seriously allergic to bee stings, of course], swelling is good: it's caused by a build-up of intra-cellular fluids, particularly lymphatic fluid (the straw-coloured exudate often seen following sun-burn). Why some people obsess about reducing the swelling is beyond me. An increase in lymph action = quicker elimination of the venom, and I'm all for that.

Thanks again, NC.

LJ

 

[Little John]

Got a really good one on my cheek this morning, so thought I'd try this hot compress malarky. Works like a good 'un (for me, anyway). Thanks to Norton Caff for this tip.

Bit of a quick update. Something like 48-52 hrs since being stung on the face - swelling almost gone (a tad quicker than usual) - but the really good bit of news is that I haven't had even 10 seconds of itching ! As soon as the itching heralded it's imminent onset, it was on with the hot flannel. Immediately sorted.

Gotta be 'tip of the year' that one ...

LJ

 

[alldigging]

What's in the venom - If its protein then will'cooking it' denature it and stop it being what it is?

 

[Little John]

What's in the venom - If its protein then will'cooking it' denature it and stop it being what it is?

I wouldn't have thought so - sure it's mainly protein - but within a few minutes it's worked it's way several inches into the body by courtesy of the lymphatic system - so no amount of surface heat will then be able to directly affect it's chemistry.

My money's on the increase in blood supply, caused by the localised heating, thus getting the maximum amount of troops (lymphocytes) to that general area in order to start mopping-up the problem (venom).

But - however it works - I'm extremely grateful to have learned about this, as the itching which *always* followed stings used to drive me absolutely nuts, as well as depriving me of sleep etc. Stings used to result in two or three days of abject misery - but not this last time.

LJ

 

[sail819]

I wouldn't have thought so - sure it's mainly protein - but within a few minutes it's worked it's way several inches into the body by courtesy of the lymphatic system - so no amount of surface heat will then be able to directly affect it's chemistry.

My money's on the increase in blood supply, caused by the localised heating, thus getting the maximum amount of troops (lymphocytes) to that general area in order to start mopping-up the problem (venom).

But - however it works - I'm extremely grateful to have learned about this, as the itching which *always* followed stings used to drive me absolutely nuts, as well as depriving me of sleep etc. Stings used to result in two or three days of abject misery - but not this last time.

LJ

Hi,
I find the itching the worst, but my wife suggested that I use "Sudacream" the ointment generally used for babies nappy rash and other rashes. I applied it to the site of the sting and it really worked. After a few moments the itching had been reduced quite a bit, 20 minutes later it had stopped. Repeated the application for the next coupe of days, the itching had gone! I suggest trying it