Well wow! Who knew???? Thank you for sharing that!!

All sorts of good ideas to help with pain.

Works on almost all insect bites, too.... mosquito bites, spider bites and other kinds of stings.... it takes away the itching ....

Smiles,
Lyn

I helped my son capture another swarm of honeybees yesterday, and I must be getting better at it, I didn't get stung this time! I usually wear a navy blue, or black T-shirt, and shorts, but ,in deference to the bees, I wore a white T-shirt, and I think that helped. The bees seem to NOT like dark colors! I should contract Omar the Tentmaker about a "real" bee-keepers suit for me, I guess. I seem to be doing about as much bee work as my son is. I have a "veil", but don't usually wear it. We can't figure where these "late" swarms are coming from, but we'll take them ! I'll have to get a small aloe to pot up as a "house plant", and keep over at the son's garage, so it's handy....Arlyn

I'm for anything that takes away the itching. I'm allergic to the saliva of most biting/stinging insects. The bite area swells up ridiculously, and itches for a week. I have a bottle of aloe vera gel around here somewhere -- I'm gonna keep it handy to my *sitting* chair.

You are tougher than me Mary Ann, I have to have a shot. I can't put up with the swelling and itching that long. Oh, and it makes my tongue and eyes swell too.
I have aloe in pots here but had no idea it was good for anything but burns, great info.

My son is allergic to bee and wasp venom, and carries an "eppie" pen, in case he's stung. Anyone allergic to bee stings, that wants to be a bee-keeper is nuts, as far as I'm concerned! He takes after his mother, I think ....Arlyn

Another thing that works well for bites/stings/itching/swelling is the application of low-voltage electricity. Similar to what chiropractors do with electro-stim -- just not as fancy. I use a lantern battery with electrodes that clamp onto the top of the battery at one end, and electrodes in moist pads at the other end, which is applied to the bite. Couple of minutes will neutralize the venom/saliva. Of course -- not everyone wants to hook themselves up to a battery.............

sounds a little too much like the "Bride of Frankenstein" for me!...Arlyn

Bonehead said:How in the world does one apply controlled electricity?? Following the redneck theme, would leaning up against a hot wire fence for a bit do the trick?

Having hit the hot wire on the dog run more times then ALL the dogs combined, I think I would rather deal with the sting pain and itch

tveguy3 said:When I was a kid, we used to slap some mud on it. Later my mother heard that sprikling it with meat tenderizer was supposed to help, but unless you are alergic to them, it only hurts for a little while. Some people swear that a bee sting helps their arthritis pain.

As a former first responder, I can say that the meat tenderizer does help....BUT....only if you are NOT alergic to the papain in it...if you are you could make matters worse.

Hi All...

I have recommended the use of the aloe vera gel for years because it works for me. Some of my friends have tried it and it works for them, but the funny thing is that few people who I have recommended it to online will even bother to try it.

Please note: if you are allergic to bee stings or insect bites ... I am not a doctor, so I am not giving medical advice.

The worst thing that can happen is that if you try it and it doesn't work, you are no worse off than you were before you've tried it. If it works ... hey, no sting, no itch ... that's what I call a "win".

The biggest win for me, was that I stopped being afraid of bees or bites and now spend a whole lot more time in the garden. That was pretty life changing from someone who spent most of her time at a computer.

Now, I have to learn how to grow things other than roses and weeds ....

Smiles,
Lyn

Note to Bonehead: You simply apply the two moist pads to the skin (it helps if they are self-stick) -- one on the bite, one nearby -- then clip the copper alligator clips to the coils on the top of the lantern battery. There isn't much of a sensation -- maybe a pinch when the alligator clips connect. After that -- no sensation whatsoever. It's very low-voltage. Can also be used to kill infections, etc. Electricity is amazing and can be used for health purposes.

And -- no -- leaning against an electric fence is NOT the same thing!!! Remember -- the electricity has to be applied exactly to the bite. General self-electrocution is not helpful!

I hit the stupid hot wire again today while watering on the patio...bare feet and metal watering can in my hand good thing I'm not a nursing Mom...lunch would have been zapped right out of me

Ouch!!!!

Where do you buy a bottle of the aloe solution?

You can find it in any store where they sell sun screen or sun tanning creams. I usually buy it at the local drug store or Walmart.

It's cheap and it never goes bad.


Smiles,
Lyn

I forgot to add that my friends know I am a total wuss, so I guess that makes it easier for them to believe me when I say it really works ....

Smiles,
Lyn

Well -- all this talk about wasp stings was just tempting fate. This morning one got me on the back of the ankle -- I was just walking across the grass. I've never had a wasp bother me unless I was accidently disturbing the nest. Maybe I disturbed a nest without being aware of it...............

Anyrate -- I was heading out to the barn and I keep a bottle of Aloe Vera gel out there for use on the horses. So I was able to immediately put some on the sting. I'm sorry to say that it didn't appear to do anything for me. I got the horses turned out, then came in the house and took off my sock -- by then the bite area was the size of a silver dollar in width and height. I applied a moist tea bag for 15 minutes (this soothes the skin and helps neutralize the venom) -- and then got out my trusty lantern battery and electrodes. I applied electricity directly to the sting and swelled area for 15 minutes. By the time I took the electrodes off, the sting no longer hurt and the swelling was completely gone. It's an hour later now and the only sensation is an occasional *pinch* of pain at the sting site. I will reapply the electricity again in awhile.

Just wanted to report back on the use of aloe vera gel.