Knee sting: Reverse apitherapy?

[Hobie]

I got stung on the knee thru my suit yesterday. Not a bad sting, because the stinger was stuck in the material, and I pulled it out (of me) right away.

This morning my knee aches like I have arthritis! It's sore to the touch like a bruise, and hurts a little when I walk, but it's not swollen up. Very strange. I've always believed in the concept of apitherapy, but perhaps I will reconsider.

Serves me right for taking a "quick run" out to pull off the super I had put on for the girls to clean, with no smoker. (Glad I did, they had started to store nectar in it.)

[kc in wv]

A couple to my ankles bother me like that.

[Troy]

I had a similar experience two weeks ago. My usual reaction to a sting is just a little redness and mild swelling for a day. Sometimes it itches for 2 days, but it is just not a big deal.

I got stung in the ankle, right on the inside where the bone sticks out. It swelled and turned a little dark like a bad bruise. My ankle felt like a sprain. It kinda took me by surprise, because I usually don't get a reaction like that. It hurt a lot more than usual.

I wonder if it has something to do with the joint or the bone or the fact that in that area is can't swell too much as there is just not room and that is why it hurt so much.

[hydepark]

My wife recently discovered that if you put a penny on a sting for fifteen minutes, both the pain and the swelling are greatly minimized. I got stung through my gloves a couple weeks ago and more recently got hit by a yellow jacket. I imediately put a penny over the sting area and within seconds the pain went away. The next morning it was virtually impossible to tell where the sting was.

Don't know how, don't understand why, just know it works!

[kc in wv]

My wife recently discovered that if you put a penny on a sting for fifteen minutes, both the pain and the swelling are greatly minimized. I got stung through my gloves a couple weeks ago and more recently got hit by a yellow jacket. I imediately put a penny over the sting area and within seconds the pain went away. The next morning it was virtually impossible to tell where the sting was.

Don't know how, don't understand why, just know it works!

Try a paste of honey and baking soda. It works on the yellow jacket stings for me.

[Dan Williamson]

I just take em like a man and tough it out! ;):p

[Andrew@ThreeElms]

A couple of weeks ago I get stund 8-10 times, I dunno I lost count. The stings on my legs really got big, looked almost like a burns about the size of a can of soup. The ones on my face were fine though.

The next day when I was buying a new queen and we were taking her out of the nuc I get stung on the temple. Having heard about the penny trick we gave it a try. Not sure it really helped, but holding a penny in my temple for 15 minutes made feel pretty foolish. ;)

[MichelleB]

Hobie,

I've had the same reaction--achy joints where I'd been stung--on my hands, both times.

And yes, the bees can be extra cranky this time of year. Last year I got stung 11-13 times messing with the bees around harvest time without full gear. Ow.

[FordGuy]

Try a paste of honey and baking soda. It works on the yellow jacket stings for me.

tobacco spit or plaintain? I guess you could rub about anything on itand you'd feel better...

[Troutsqueezer]

>My wife recently discovered that if you put a penny on a sting for fifteen minutes.....

How do you know if it hurts less than it would have otherwise unless you have a control? Do a scientific experiment: Let yourself get stung twice, once on the inside of your right forearm and once on the left forearm. Put a penny on one of the stings but not the other. Please get back to us and let us know how it went. :)

[jim b]

81 mg. aspirin daily, and like a good boy, i did.

Found that my stings started turning into blood blisters.

Don't take that aspirin anymore. I believe that beestings are better for me than aspirin.

If i die from a heart attack, i'll let you know.
-j