Wasp Sting, sure some of you are glad...LOL

Saturday I got stung by a black wasp.

The original sting got me a good 4 to 5" ring around the sting site. Now the infection traveled around my upper arm and down my forearm. I feel like the Hulk, thats how much fluid built up in my arm.

Went to an urgent care facility this morning and they said I was "infected" and needed to go the E.R. They said it was an emergency. Great.

Went to the E.R. They gave me an I.V. of antibiotics. Why? This was a venom sting. Not a bacterial or viral issue.

Ok, so here is my thinking.....totally untreatable by modern medicine.

However, we have 5000 years of Chinese herbology and several hundered years more of homeopathy.

Why can I not get treatment by the old ways and not by the new? My E.R. Doc said there was nothing they can do. But I know for a fact, that old medicine cured these ails.

So, I have an arm that looks like a freakish X-Men character. I just can not believe there is not a cure.

Someone tell me I am being misled. There has to be a cure, but it costs lots of money to get the cure (maybe).

This is not a recent issue upon humanity. People obviously survived this issue in the past with ancient medicine.

Not like I'm going to die (chagrin to others), but I believe there is something that can allevieate my pain and swelling.

What do ya'll think?

I agree with your post.

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[edit on 19-7-2010 by projectvxn]

Is it an infection or just a severe allergic reaction?

A family member of mine experienced something similar a while back. He was stung by a red wasp on the leg and it swelled terribly. He took Benadryl for it and it worked wonders.

I always heard that you use either a paste of tobacco or a paste of meat tenderizer on stings, but don't know if a wasp sting is much different than a yellow jacket. My son was stung earlier this summer by a wasp and I did the meat tenderizer paste. It seemed to work well. The only lasting hurt was his pride.

Perhaps you waited to long to do anything? That's the only thing I can think of. You've got to draw out the venom before it spreads.

Ah, but I'm just a lowly old housewife... what do I know?

I am certain there are natural cures to almost all of our ailments. Some that may not have been discovered yet.

I suppose your arm is waaay beyond wet tobacco, or a copper penny treatment.
Found this site ecochildsplay.com...

and be sure to take pro-biotics.

reply to post by Lolliek


Oh don't say that, Mothers are intuitive and are generally far smarter than most.

reply to post by maria_stardust


Yeah, normally I carry an Epi-pen. So Yes, I had a severe reaction. Gonna be up all night with this pain.

Guess I'm looking for an old remedy to alleviate this pain. Any suggestions (mothers included...he he), I would be most appreciative.

reply to post by brilab45


Sorry to hear that. Hope you feel better soon.

Sorry to hear what happened. Wasp stings are one the worst. I still can feel when I was stung about 3 times by a paper wasp. The sting felt just like what it says online: Caustic and burning. Distinctly bitter aftertaste. Like spilling a beaker of hydrochloric acid on a paper cut.

Thanx last two posters, but I guess I am looking for an answer to my OP. There has to be something that knocks this out besides modern (that don't work) medicince.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but take some Advil. Maybe get in a warm bath with Epsom salts, then put ice on it when you get out.

That's the first thing to come to my mind. Maybe a nice glass of scotch, too?

reply to post by brilab45


brilab, you did probably wait too long. Next time....

Wash the area with soap and water immediately.

Perhaps you might find with relief with a Benadryl cream or stick.

If I had ignored it and it swelled like yours did, I would take charcoal powder and dampen it between a sponge bandage and tape it on the spot for a few hours. This is what I did when I was bitten by a spider (which I think was the black recluse).

I would always recommend having pharmaceutical grade charcoal in your first aid kit. It is not expensive.

Also, there are some good herbal preparations which have charcoal, bentonite clay and flax seeds combined and that is extraordinary drawing power.

Do not ever put the charcoal mixture directly on skin. I would recommend either using it between the sponge bandage or first putting olive oil on the skin before applying the poultice of charcoal.


By the way, a wasp can sting you multiple times. A bee can only sting you once. The bee will lose her stinger and die. In case of a bee sting it is important to remove the stinger as quickly as you can. The longer the stinger stays in your skin the more venom it will transfer.

To remove a bee stinger, DO NOT grasp it to pull it out. If you squeeze the stinger in removing it, it will inject more venom. Use a laminated card---a credit card or drivers license type, and gently swipe it across the stinger to remove it. Then wash with soap and water. Usually the stinging sensation will go away in 3 to 5 minutes.

I looked in my Haley Hints book and a 1960 family health book from Readers Digest and they both recommend having spot placed under running water to remove as much venom as possible and then placing a baking soda paste on the infected area.

Haley's Hints suggest trying a piece of cut green onion on the sting should help relieve the pain. I do not think it would help your whole arm though.

reply to post by Alethea


Yes, know your bee's! I was lucky not to get stung more than once.

I also forgot to mention that it was strongly suggested in Reader's that treatment with antihistamines for those with allergic reactions.

reply to post by DirtyGirl


Yes, I've read that exact same information. However, my dumb arse did not act quick enough. Thanx though. I will know better in the future.

reply to post by Alethea


I waited to long. Dummy here. Really did not expect the reaction I got. Thanx!

reply to post by Alethea


I waited to long. Dummy here. Really did not expect the reaction I got. Thanx!

The only thing I can say is take a crapload of benedryll or something. Not sure if it'll do any good when it's a severe reaction.

My brother is horribly allergic to bee stings but he hasn't been stung in a long time. I'm not one bit allergic to any insect sting at all, which is fortunate. They still hurt like hell, but I don't swell up.