how to treat a bee sting

See below for our 5-step guide to treating a bee sting. (We consulted the articles at eHow.com.)

1. remove the stinger as soon as possible (The best method is actually scraping a credit card or dull butter knife against your skin in the opposite direction of the stinger entry to pop out the stinger. That way, you don’t squeeze the gland full of venom that is attached to the embedded stinger when you pull it out, which would potentially inject more venom into your skin.)
2. wash the site with soap and water or alcohol
3. put an ice pack or cool, wet compress on the inflamed area
4. soothe the inflammation with a paste made from baking soda and water (You can also apply a gentle antibacterial antihistamine like Bactine or Benadryl or apply calamine lotion to help relieve itching and pain.)
5. take a general oral pain reliever like ibuprofen

Remember: some people have severe allergic reactions to stings, sometimes deadly. It is advised that if you experience severe symptoms directly following a sting, or if you are stung on the neck or mouth, seek medical attention immediately! Swelling in these areas may cause suffocation. A very interesting article on stings from West Virginia University can be found here.

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