A bee can kill you…but for the vast majority of you, a bee sting is just a bit of pain. For the minority of people who have severe reactions to bee stings, symptoms can range from full-body swelling to vomiting, tremors, difficulty breathing, even coma, shock, and death. In fact, more Americans die each year from bee or other insect stings than from snake bites.
Carry your own sting
If you know you are allergic to bees, carry an epinephrine injection with you at all times and get medical help right away. If you haven’t been stung before and aren’t sure whether or not you’re allergic, pay close attention to how you feel right after a sting.
do not mess
If you have bigger problems than pain or swelling around the bee sting area, get medical help fast! Allergic symptoms usually appear within 20 minutes of a bee sting, and the sooner you have a reaction, the more allergic you are.
for the rest of you
Even if you are not allergic, you may have pain and swelling from an insect bite, but you do not have to suffer for a long time. First, identify the creature that attacked you. If your attacker was a honey bee, locate the stinger and the bag of poison at the sting site and scrape off the skin immediately.
When you leave a bee stinger behind, the sac continues to pump venom into your system for two minutes after the sting. Don’t squeeze the sack or try to pull it out; you will only push the poison directly onto your skin.
If it was a yellow jacket or some other wasp or hornet, you don’t have to worry about it leaving you with a stinger. But you have to get out of the area fast, because these little guys can come back and bite you several more times.
Take a pill
After a sting, you can take aspirin or ibuprofen for pain and an antihistamine, such as Benadryl, to help reduce swelling. If the bite area is still sore, apply an ice or heat pack to the bite to relieve pain and swelling. People have also found relief from stings by applying ammonia or enzyme-based meat tenderizer to the site immediately after being stung. Others have reduced pain and swelling by applying baking soda or charcoal paste to the bite. In a pinch, apply mud to the bite, wrap it with a bandage or piece of cloth, and leave it on until the mud dries.
don’t look for a fight
The best way to treat bites is to avoid being stung while outdoors. Try not to attract bees or other stinging insects by wearing neutral clothing in light colors, whites, or khakis, because bees are attracted to patterns or dark colors. Don’t use hairspray, cosmetics, deodorants, or other scented products that can trick bees into thinking you’re a giant flower. If you continue to have problems with bee stings, talk to your doctor about increasing the amount of zinc in your body. Bees seem very attracted to people with zinc deficiency. Finally, pay attention to your surroundings and prepare for trouble.