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Onion Eases Pain of Wasp Stings

Q. My 8-year-old son was stung by a wasp this morning for the first time. He’d found a wasp nest and stood right next to it, screaming at the top of his voice while jumping up and down. Naturally, a wasp stung him on his back through his T-shirt. Considering he was surrounded by hundreds of them, it could have been much worse.
I used cut onion on the sting, and it worked brilliantly. Thanks to the person who suggested scoring the onion, as that got much more juice out and was very effective.

A. Freshly cut onion contains an enzyme that breaks down inflammatory compounds responsible for the pain of a wasp sting.

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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