Insect Bites and Stings

William H. Blahd Jr. MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine

Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine

Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine

H. Michael O'Connor MD - Emergency Medicine

<div id="HwMain" class="HwBlock"> <script language="javascript">  if (!window.org) var org = { healthwise: {'application':{}} }; else if (!window.org.healthwise) org["healthwise"] = {'application':{}}; org.healthwise.config = { root: 'https://assetpool.healthwise.net/14.4/common/desktop/alpine.rhtml.kbnet.awesome/', locale: 'en-us', version: '14.4', isoshg: false }; org.healthwise.document = {}; org.healthwise.document.id = "aa143457"; org.healthwise.document.section = "aa143457-sec"; org.healthwise.document.healthwise = true; org.healthwise.document.title = "Home Remedies for Bites and Stings"; org.healthwise.document.family = "kb"; org.healthwise.document.doctype = "Focus"; org.healthwise.document.pagetype = "content";  </script> <div class="HwRow"><div class="HwColumn" id="HwColumnSidebar1"><div class="HwCustom" id="HwCustomSidebar"></div></div><div class="HwColumn" id="HwColumnContent"><div id="HwContentTop"></div><div role="article" id="HwContentWrapper" class="HwTypeFocus HwContentWrapper HwElement"><div class="HwCustom" id="HwCustomContentTop"></div><div class="HwContentHeader"><p><a name="top" id="Hwtop"><span class="HwAccessibilityText">Top of the page</span></a></p></div><div class="HwContentTitle"><h1 id="HwContentTitle">Home Remedies for Bites and Stings</h1></div><div class="HwContent"><div class="HwNavigationSection HwSectionSpecialSection" id="sec-aa143457-sec"><a name="aa143457-sec"></a><h2 class="HwSectionTitle" data-fingerprint="b4cb0a40" data-fingerprint-exact="e7c3d1bb">Overview</h2><p data-fingerprint="001dbd7b" data-fingerprint-exact="a6442775">Home remedies may help to relieve the pain of an insect bite. While they haven't been proven scientifically, many people report relief. You can try one or more and see whether they help you.</p><ul data-fingerprint="3ae3d9f3" data-fingerprint-exact="3a2b313d"><li>Apply calamine lotion, underarm deodorant, or <a class="HwLinkDefinition" data-hwid="stw5578" href="document/stw5578/stw5578-sec" data-document-type="Definition" data-document-href="stw5578" data-section-href="stw5578-sec" data-articleId="stw5578" data-topicId="stw5578-sec"><span class="HwLinkText">witch hazel</span></a> to the bite.</li><li>Soak the bite site in Epsom salt and water.</li></ul></div><div class="HwNavigationSection HwSectionRelatedInformation" id="sec-aa143457-RelInfo"><a name="aa143457-RelInfo"></a><h2 class="HwSectionTitle" data-fingerprint="d5f858e0" data-fingerprint-exact="c0ffe04b">Related Information</h2><ul data-fingerprint="6a6370be" data-fingerprint-exact="b490e12a"><li class="HwOptionalAny"><a data-hwid="insbt" href="document/insbt/hw95886" data-document-type="Symptom" data-document-href="insbt" data-section-href="hw95886" data-articleId="insbt" data-topicId="hw95886">Insect Bites and Stings and Spider Bites</a></li></ul></div><div class="HwNavigationSection HwCreditsSection HwCreditsWithoutNavstack HwSectionCredits" id="sec-aa143457-Credits"><a name="aa143457-Credits"></a><h2 class="HwSectionTitle">Credits</h2><div class="HwContentInformation"><div class="HwLastUpdated"><p><span class="HwInfoLabel">Current as of: </span> July 31, 2024</p></div><div class="HwCredits"><p><span class="HwInfoLabel">Author: </span><a class="HwLinkExternal" href="https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en" title="Opens in a new window"><span class="HwLinkText">Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff</span></a><br /><span><b><a class="HwLinkExternal" href="https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en" title="Opens in a new window"><span class="HwLinkText">Clinical Review Board</span></a></b></span><br />All Ignite Healthwise, LLC education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="HwCustom" id="HwCustomContentBottom"></div><div class="HwContentNavigation"></div><div class="HwContentInformation"><div class="HwLastUpdated"><p><span class="HwInfoLabel">Current as of: </span>July 31, 2024</p></div><div class="HwCredits"><p><span class="HwInfoLabel">Author: </span><a class="HwLinkDisclaimer" href="https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en">Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff</a></p><p><a class="HwLinkDisclaimer" href="https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en"><span><b>Clinical Review Board</b></span></a><br />All Ignite Healthwise, LLC education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.</p></div></div></div></div><div class="HwColumn" id="HwColumnSidebar2"><div class="HwCustom" id="HwCustomNavigationTop"><div class="HwSocialMediaIcons" 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data-document-href="aa143457">Credits</a></li></ul></div></div><div class="HwCustom" id="HwCustomNavigationBottom"></div><div class="HwElement" id="HwMediaItemsWrapper"><div id="HwMediaItems"><ol class="HwMediaItemList"><li id="HwMediaItem-acg8251" class="HwMediaItem HwMediaItemTopicImage"><a class="HwMediaItemLink" data-hwid="acg8251" href="document/acg8251" data-document-type="MultiMedia" data-document-href="acg8251" data-name-href="Here's Help: How to Apply a Topical Cream for Your Child" data-rel="MultiMedia video 00:01:07" data-articleId="acg8251" rel="MultiMedia video 00:01:07"><img class="HwMediaImage" src="https://content.healthwise.net/resources/14.4/en-us/media/thumbnails/acg8251.jpg" width="120" height="90" alt="" data-resource-path="media/thumbnails/acg8251.jpg"></img><span class="HwMediaTitle">Here's Help: How to Apply a Topical Cream for Your Child</span></a></li><li id="HwMediaItem-abs1159" class="HwMediaItem HwMediaItemTopicImage"><a class="HwMediaItemLink" data-hwid="abs1159" href="document/abs1159" data-document-type="MultiMedia" data-document-href="abs1159" data-name-href="Insect Bites and Stings: Here's Help" data-rel="MultiMedia video 00:01:37" data-articleId="abs1159" rel="MultiMedia video 00:01:37"><img class="HwMediaImage" src="https://content.healthwise.net/resources/14.4/en-us/media/thumbnails/abs1159_media_lib_thumb.jpg" width="120" height="90" alt="" data-resource-path="media/thumbnails/abs1159_media_lib_thumb.jpg"></img><span class="HwMediaTitle">Insect Bites and Stings: Here's Help</span></a></li></ol></div></div></div></div><div id="HwFooter" class="HwBlock"><div class="HwDisplayNone"><div class="HwDisclaimer"><p>This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. 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Home Remedies for Bites and Stings

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