Ouch! Did you just get stung by a bee? It can hurt, but there are some ways to reduce the stinging. Read on! If you are having trouble breathing, feel claustrophobic, or if the wound is severely swollen, then call 911 (in the US). You may be allergic. If you do not feel any of these symptoms, and/or you have been stung by a bee before without any severe side effects, then you are probably reacting normally. If you feel that your body is overloading with adrenaline and probably some pain, and the wound is a bit swollen and/or puffy, and looks red and irritated, then you are reacting normally. Here are some mixes you can put together to ease the pain.


Warnings

• If you begin to feel the following: tightness in the chest, swelling anywhere on the face, difficulty breathing, welts (hives) anywhere on your body and nausea you are having an allergic reaction! You will need to get to an emergency room immediately. Allergic reactions can be minor to severe. So any abnormal reactions (besides occasional itch, minor swelling at sting site or pain) should be reported to a doctor right away.
• If the bee has left the stinger behind, avoid grasping it with your fingers to remove it. You run the risk of squeezing the poison sac on its exposed end and releasing more poison into your body. Use a needle instead to pry it out or use a credit card or other flat item to "shave" the stinger out.
• You may become allergic to stings even if you have not had reactions to stings in the past. Previous stings without incident does not mean you will never have an anaphylatic reaction. Typically once you have a reaction you will continue to be allergic. You reaction may also depend on the type of bee that stings you. Some are allergic to wasps but not honey bees.
• Consult your physician if you are noticing more severe symptoms to stings. Your physician may want to prescribe an Epinephrine pen for you to carry with you in the event you are stung again. The Epi-Pens are preloaded shots with medication to treat anaphylaxis.