Can a penny be used to treat bee stings?

There appears to be nothing magical about pennies (which in the U.S. are coins now composed of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper) and insect stings. Taping one to a victim's arm is not known to be an effective counter to such injuries. Other than that one tip on a British site, we were unable to find mention of this treatment in any of the sources we checked, and we certainly encountered any number of other purported bee sting "cures."

Folk medicine is rife with such suggestions. Each is said by its proponents to greatly reduce or even eliminate swelling and soreness inflicted by stinging insects. While no such list could ever be complete (given that people are constantly trying new things, then vehemently swearing by them, even as their "miracle cures" fail to work for anyone else), the more commonly-recommended folk remedies to be applied to the sites of stings are:

A paste of baking soda and water

Vinegar

Ice

A paste of Aspirin and water

Tobacco juice

A paste of vinegar, baking soda, and meat tenderizer

Toothpaste

Raw onion

Of those, ice looks to be the most effective. Those who instead turn to their physicians for relief from bee stings will likely be prescribed oral antihistamines and/or topical (cream or ointment) cortisteroid preparations.

Penny On A Bee Sting

This Site Might Help You.

RE:

Can a penny be used to treat bee stings?

It seems unlikely to be an effective means of treating bee stings and for those allergic to bee venom, use of this treatment to the exclusion of other more conventional means could prove dangerous and perhaps even fatal. For this reason, my question only applies to those who do not have allergic...

In theory it should work. The coating on a penny is slightly acidic and should stop the swelling- the same principle of running a vinigar soaked cloth over the area (my grandmother swears by this!).

However, with the possibility of allergy- I don't suggest this at all.

I wouldn't waste my time doing this- even if it does work.

I don't know about the penny, but try baking soda mixed with water and make apaste and put that on and it will take the pain out. Good luck. Then go to the dr. so they can treat you properly. Don't wait though.

Your friend probably got the same

silly Email story that I got last week

from someone.

I think it sounds improbable and

maybe even a little proposterous !!

If I were allergic I sure wouldn't waste

the time trying to find out.

As ridiculas as it sounds I've had a couple people try and say it works, I have no idea why it does though (even with a science degree) but it does.

NO IT COS IT DOSE NOT WORK THE IDA IS 2 FAR FATHED

no.