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Home remedies for wasp stings
contents
- Immediate action needed
- Medicinal plants along the way
- Destroy the protein of the poison
- Cool, cool, cool
- The own saliva
- Onions and lemons
- Honey as a remedy
- Healing earth and vinegar
- brine
- Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)
- bicarbonate of soda
- Essential oils
- Aloe vera cools and heals
- Lavender, sage & nasturtium
- Parsley or basil
- cabbage leaves
- homeopathy
- Schüßler salts
- Caution - even with non-allergic persons
- Scratching prohibited
- Prevention of wasp stings
Immediate action needed
A wasp sting may be quite painful. This depends mainly on where the beast stabbed. Stings in the area of the mouth and throat belong immediately to medical treatment or to the clinic, as these can even be fatal in the worst case. Allergy sufferers should always have their emergency kit at hand and use it immediately. Attention - if there is still a sting in the skin, it is not a wasp, but a bee sting. Here, the sting should be pulled by gently pressing the side with your fingernail or with tweezers, otherwise there will be more poison.
A wasp sting can usually be treated well with home remedies, but if there are indications of an allergic reaction, a doctor should be consulted immediately. (Image: Jürgen Fälchle / fotolia.com) In order to minimize pain, itchy rash and swelling in an uncritical wasp sting, various home remedies are quite effective. Even on the way, without any preparation, plants - which grow along the wayside - can provide relief. The faster the stab is traded, the sooner these funds will help.
Medicinal plants along the way
Nearly anywhere in Germany is the plantain (medicinal plant of the year 2014), which has a great effect not only on coughs. It also has an antibacterial effect. The ribwort plantain grows on roadsides and in meadows. The contained tannins and mucilages as well as iridoids are extremely helpful in insect bites. For this purpose, some clean leaves are picked and then chewed in the mouth. Then add this vegetable paste to the sting site. If you do not want to put the leaves in your mouth, the leaves can also be rubbed between the fingers until some of the sap leaves.
Also helpful are the Gundelrebe (Glechoma hederacea), which is found in countless wet spots in nature, as well as coltsfoot. Aloe Vera and Stonecrop can be used as cut leaves to cool and soothe the sting. Helpful is also the lovely daisy, which defies all adversity and still stands up and blooms again and again. A few flower heads rubbed with their hands and placed on the stitch, can contribute to healing.
Short exposure to heat can destroy the poison, and the swelling helps to keep it cool. (Image: Marina Lohrbach / fotolia.com) Destroy the protein of the poison
The poison of the wasp contains protein. This protein can be destroyed by heat and the less toxin is in the skin, the lower the physical response to the sting. The destruction of the poison is most easily accomplished with a hot spoon, with which the trick is dabbed carefully several times. Only place the spoon on the affected area for a short time. The heat should of course be bearable to avoid burning. This process is repeated several times, preferably on the next and / or the next day. Even easier - but also a bit risky - is the use of a normal lighter. Let it burn briefly, and then hold the hot metal side several times for a second on the stitch. In the meantime, retailers even have ready-made "anti-bite pens" that generate heat. They are only placed on the stitch and remain there for a few seconds. This can already be applied to children. If the wasp venom is destroyed by heat, it should not be scratched at the sting. Once the poison is widely distributed, it can hardly be reduced by heat.
Cool, cool, cool
The most well-known home remedy for the swelling in a wasp sting is immediate cooling. Cold water, damp cloths, cooling pads from the freezer, wrapped in a cloth - all this helps, the sooner the better. Just as useful are, wrapped in a cloth, ice cubes. In the absence of the home remedies mentioned, a cold spoon can also provide cooling. Chilled as long as possible and not only on the same day, but on the following days until the swelling has decreased.
The own saliva
Your own saliva is a simple home remedy that is above all ready for use everywhere. If you have nothing ready, you can dab the wasp sting several times. This cools something and reduces the itching. It is even better if the saliva is mixed with a little sugar and rubbed on the stitch.
The onion works reliably against insect bites, the onion juice pulls the toxins even partially from the sting site. Slices, as shown here, can be placed directly on the skin and fixed with a small bandage. Be sure to replace the onion slice two to three times. (Image: oxie99 / fotolia.com) Onions and lemons
The onion is used in various diseases as a home remedy and was also a medicinal plant of the year 2015. To deal with the wasp sting and to do something against the swelling and inflammation, an onion slice is placed on the wasp sting and fixed with a cloth. The process is best repeated several times. Another option is to rub the stitch with a sliced onion. If there is no onion at hand or the smell is too unpleasant, lemon slices can be applied as an alternative or the stings can be dabbed with lemon juice.
Honey as a remedy
Honey is not only healthy, but can also be used externally for healing. Honey takes the inflammation, protects the wound and slightly soothes the itching. In addition, the high sugar content increases the production of wound secretions. The honey is simply applied to the wasp sting.
Healing earth and vinegar
Vinegar envelopes are easy to use and yet effective. Water is mixed with some vinegar to soak a cloth and then wrapped around the stitch. Particularly suitable is natural apple cider vinegar. The water should be cold. The envelope is best renewed when the cloth has become warm.
Healing soil can be used not only in the case of persistent major problems, but also acutely in an insect bite. It is important to have the finest possible grain of the earth. (Image: blende40 / fotolia.com) Another home remedy is an envelope of vinegar water and healing earth. Water is mixed with some vinegar. In addition, there is so much healing earth that a porridge is created. On the middle of a cloth, the porridge is painted on, both ends are folded and the whole thing is then wrapped around the affected area. The envelope stays there as long as it is comfortable. This home remedy can be repeated several times.
brine
Salt has a cleansing, anti-inflammatory and decongestant effect. An effective home remedy for the unpleasant side effects of wasp stings is the dabbing of brine. For the brine, a piece of salt is placed in a clean screw jar and filled with so much spring water that the salt is completely covered. After about an hour, the 26-percent brine is ready. The salt chunks in the glass must always be covered with water. The affected areas are dabbed with the brine. Also an envelope with brine is possible. For this, half a liter of water is mixed with 60 milliliters of brine so that a cotton cloth is soaked and then wrapped around the stitching point.
Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)
In order to quench itching in wasp stings, brushing with a paste made from an ASA tablet helps. This is mixed with some water to a pulp and then applied to the stitching point. Caution: The application should be made only in adults and adolescents over the age of 16 years, in which there is no ASA intolerance / allergy.
Various essential oils can relieve the unpleasant side effects of a wasp sting. Particularly suitable are, for example, lavender, carnation or tea tree oil.(Image: monropic / fotolia.com)
bicarbonate of soda
A very simple and inexpensive home remedy for wasp stings is soda. It is available in every drugstore, or in the form of baking soda in the supermarket and has long been used for external application. For the wasp sting, a paste is mixed with soda and a little water and this is applied to the painful area. Bacteria and fungi are killed in this way.
Essential oils
Some essential oils help against mosquito, but also against wasp and bee stings. We recommend lavender, tea tree and clove oil. These are used only in very small quantities. A drop, applied with a cotton swab, is sufficient. This can be done several times a day. When using essential oils, it is important to pay attention to purity and quality.
If there are no other home remedies available, in case of emergency, some toothpaste, mixed with a drop of peppermint oil, is also worth a try.
Aloe vera cools and heals
The juice of the aloe vera plant contains many healthy substances and has been used for a long time with success in various ailments - both internally and externally. Anyone who has an aloe plant at home simply breaks or cuts off a piece and rubs the stitch with the exuding, gel-like liquid several times a day. Otherwise, the trade holds a large selection of aloe products ready. For the treatment of the wasp sting the pure juice or a gel are recommended. On quality and purity is essential.
Aloe vera bits - as shown here - can be used to ease insect bites. Place generously on the stitching point and fasten with a cloth handkerchief. (Image: krisana / fotolia.com) Lavender, sage & nasturtium
The nasturtium is not only good to look at with its beautiful orange-yellow flowers, but also has an antibacterial and fungicidal healing properties. It was medicinal plant of the year 2013. Again, the leaves are crushed and placed on the affected area. The lavender not only smells good, but can also be used as a home remedy for wasp stings. The flowers are used for this purpose. Sage is usually used as a spice or as a tea herb for sore throat. Grated or chopped sage leaves, however, can also relieve the pain and swelling of a wasp sting. Sage also has a disinfectant effect.
Parsley or basil
Freshly chopped parsley or basil leaves can also significantly relieve the unpleasant itching. It is best to place the chopped herb generously on the painful area and fix it with a light cloth.
cabbage leaves
When talking about home remedies, cabbage leaves are often off the record - they are used as cabbage rolls in a variety of ailments. To help against wasp stings, they are first crushed with a rolling pin, then placed on the stitch and tied there with a cloth.
The juice from cabbage leaves is an old home remedy. Aside from cabbage, savoy cabbage or pointed cabbage can of course also be used. Red cabbage, on the other hand, leaves unsightly patches on the skin. (Image: Leonid / fotolia.com) homeopathy
Homeopathy is also justified in the treatment of wasp stings. The first remedy of choice is Vespa. If this is not at hand, can be treated with Apis. If the stitch discolours and / or if it is very painful, Ledum is used. The means mentioned are normally all applied internally. However, they may be dissolved in some boiled water and dabbed on the stitch to aid the effect.
Schüßler salts
In the case of wasp stings, the Schuessler salts no. 2 calcium phosphoricum, no. 3 ferrum phosphoricum, no. 8 sodium chloratum and no. 10 sodium sulfuricum are to be recommended. These are administered both internally and externally. The sting is covered with a slurry of the mentioned Schüßler salts and some water, preferably overnight.
Caution - even with non-allergic persons
Wasp stings usually trigger a local, painful skin reaction. It comes to strong redness of the skin, a wheal forms around the stitching point. However, stings can also be associated with symptoms that are allergic or toxic, potentially life-threatening. In the case of stings in the area of the mouth and throat, the neck must be cooled from the outside, an ice cube should be sucked and then a doctor or hospital should be consulted as soon as possible.
Wasp stings in the mouth and throat are always dangerous and should be checked immediately by a doctor. (Image: Henrie / fotolia.com) If, in addition to swelling, itching and pain, other symptoms such as malaise, circulatory insufficiency or fever occur in connection with a wasp sting, consult a doctor immediately. Burning of the palms or soles of the feet, metallic taste, respiratory problems or hot flashes also indicate a strong allergic reaction, which must be treated quickly. In the case of disturbances of consciousness, an emergency doctor should definitely be called to help. A strong allergy can also lead to anaphylactic shock, which is life-threatening due to circulatory shock or circulatory failure. In extreme cases, it can lead to liver or kidney damage.
Scratching prohibited
Even if a wasp sting can sometimes itch pretty much, scratching should be avoided at all costs. On the one hand, the sting can otherwise infect, on the other hand, the wasp toxin is distributed even better under the skin by scratching. Then you will feel the stitch even more clearly than before. If the wasp sting develops into a weeping wound, a doctor should be consulted to control the inflammation.
Prevention of wasp stings
Of course, it is better to avoid stinging than to be stung. Thus, many home remedies for wasps can be used to drive away the pests and not to run the risk of a sting. (sw, dp, updated 04/10/2018)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)